Intramurals receive big funds for fields

The Georgia College Student Activity Budget Committee allocated $10,000 to improve the playing conditions of the intramural fields. 

“The $10,000 will be used for intramural and recreational field maintenance,” SGA President Pro Tempore Maxwell Pichan said. “I am thrilled with the allocation from SABC and look forward to further discussion on ways make the fields better.”

The short-term goal for the funds is to improve the fields, while an expansion of the fields is being looked into as a possible long-term solution. Weekly meetings are being held by the Recreational Sports Expansion Committee to decide ongoing and long term plans, like exactly how the funds will be spent, what improvements will be made and if an expansion is needed.

“We are looking forward to talking with Recreational Sports, Campus Life, and the University Grounds and Project Management staff to determine the best course of action,” Pichan said.

The Director of Recreational Sports, Bert Rosenberger explained that there are many specific components that the allotted money will be used for in order to get the fields in top playing condition.

“The $10,000 will primarily be used to mow, edge, weed-eat, fix sprinkler heads, fill ruts, holes, aerate the fields, top dress, fertilize and so forth,” Rosenberger said. The effort to get more grass and less rocks will benefit both the fields and the parking lots.

The meetings with Recreational Sports are still in the beginning stages, so more specific details are not yet available.

Junior mass communication major Alan Martin frequently plays intramural sports and feels that there are some specific improvements that should be made, such as filling in some holes in the fields.

“While the condition of the fields could be far worse, there are still some major improvements that need to be made, specifically to the soil and holes in the ground,” Martin said.

According to Rosenberger, the intramural fields were built in 2003, and since then the grass has never been improved. Many students who play intramural sports, and even some who don’t, have noticed that after eight years of wear and tear the fields need some work.

“I’m glad they were awarded the money, field improvements are badly needed,” senior business management major Will Lowe said.

The field improvements are a work in process but some renovations are already underway. They have begun to remove rocks from the fields as well as to aerate them.

“I was really excited when I found out that they were going to work on the intramural fields,” junior exercise science major Cassidy Dampier said. “It will be so nice once the fields are all fixed up and we won’t have to watch out for holes and rocks when we are playing. This money will be put to good use.”

The major work slated to be done to the grass will take place in the main growing season, which is May through July.

“We are hoping that the work doesn’t interfere with anything other than summer rentals,” Rosenberger said.