West Campus fields get off-season face lift
GCSU athletics are always competitive, with teams at the top of the rankings, NCAA tournament appearances, and a Commissioner’s Cup earned this past year for being the best program in the Peach Belt Conference.
Now, three Bobcat sports experiences are even better for both fans and players, thanks to the recently-completed renovations at the soccer, baseball and softball fields.
“We want to give all of our athletes the best experience and facilities possible,” sports information director Al Weston said. “The Centennial Center is one of the best in the country, but we want to give all of our athletes the best facilities possible.”
Soccer fans can now take advantage of the 192 covered seats on the hillside at Bobcat Field, providing a welcome reprieve from sitting on the hill under the sun. Each seat has a chair back, giving fans a new level of comfort while watching the game.
“Now, we probably have the best field in the Peach Belt Conference,” soccer head coach Juan Pablo Favero said. “We hope the seats make fans comfortable, so they can make things uncomfortable for our opponents.”
“We all benefit from new seating. The fans have a better experience, and if more fans come out, then we have better fan support.”
Softball fans will notice a similar upgrade at the Peeler Complex. New, permanent grandstand-style bleachers have been installed, and they boast seating for 186 people. There are also handicapped access ramps on both sets of stands.
“Recruiting is an arms race,” Weston said. “When we take a recruit to West Campus, it looks a bit better out there with the new stands.”
The stands have chair-back seating identical to Bobcat Field.
The largest renovation project of the three may be felt more than seen by baseball players. This summer, the infield at John Kurtz Field was torn up and leveled off, giving the dirt a much smoother look and feel that should reduce the number of awkward hops on ground balls defenders dealt with in the past.
“To my knowledge, (John Kurtz Field) has never been leveled,” Weston said. “It used to be that playing here meant dealing with bad hops as part of the playing experience. ”
“Now, if we bring in a shortstop to look at Georgia College, they think, ‘Hey, I’d get to play on a brand-new surface’ and the field will play much better.”
Perhaps the best news is that the money to pay for all of the renovations was already within the athletic department, meaning no additional costs to students or the university.
“The athletic department pools whatever is left over at the end of each year, and most of that money is used for scholarships,” Assistant Athletic Director Jesse Wilson said. “However, we’ll use it for facility upgrades if we need to get those at a level they should be.”
Wilson said the money needed for this year’s upgrades came from years of pooling money, and each section of the athletic department strives to be frugal with its budget.
The planning for new seating had been in the works since early spring, when the athletic department went before a committee comprised of at least 50 percent students and presented the plans for the new seating and field work. All fee-based organizations go before the committee to gain approval, which must also receive the go-ahead from GCSU president Dorothy Leland and the state Board of Regents.
“Last year, we built a cross-county course,” Weston said, “and for the first time ever, we hosted two meets. We have a list of things to upgrade, and this year it was time to emphasize soccer, baseball, and softball.”
It appears the stands at Bobcat Field have already made an impression.
“The new seats create a different atmosphere,” junior Aaron Nobles said after the finale of the Bobcat Shootout last Sunday. “The field looks more professional, and it gives the impression that the fan is coming to watch a top-caliber team.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Sep 11 2009. Filed under Sports.
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