Stankowski Field offers sports in all weather

o you want to play basketball at ten o'clock at night? How about a softball game after a rainy day?

If so, you'll want to check out Stankowski Field when it's finished in August. You'll be able to play basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball and run the track in any weather at any time of day.

"We'll be able to play out there year round," says Phil Erwin, MU student. "You won't have to worry about mud destroying the grass, and the snow won't be on there long in the winter."

The synthetic turf used on the field absorbs rain and snow. "Students will be able to play after a thunderstorm," says Candy Whittet, director of Recreational Services. "This field will expand our programming intramurally."

Once improvements to the field are complete, students, faculty and staff will be able to enjoy three synthetic-turf football/soccer playing fields, two softball diamonds, a 1/3-mile running track, basketball courts, and sand volleyball courts. Bright lights will illuminate the area throughout the evening hours.

All-weather athletic facility was student idea

The idea for an all-weather outdoor athletic facility was generated from students, Whittet says.

An intramurals supervisor as well as a student, Phil Erwin has a personal interest in seeing this project completed. "Intramural fields are scattered around the campus," he says.

Intramural sports participants often ride their bikes or drive to the existing intramural fields: Epple, Hinkson, Reactor and East Park fields.

"Stankowski Field will bring it all together to one site. Stankowski Field is central to all the facilities and is easily accessible from Greektown, the dorms, and off-campus housing," Erwin says.

He served as the student representative on the Recreational Services and Campus Facilities committee that evaluated design and construction of the field.

Funding was team effort

The $4.3 million project was funded from different sources. One million dollars came from student fees, and the remaining funds came from Recreational Services, Residential Life, Campus Dining, and the University Bookstore.

"It was a team effort to get it done," Whittet says. "We didn't want to overtax the students. This was a different concept since other departments were contributing. I see this as a positive move within the university to benefit the students."

"I think students will get their money's worth out of it," adds Erwin.

Whittet says the construction phase is progressing well. "The construction project manager and contractor are just excellent. Everything has fallen into place."

Larry Hubbard is the facilities project manager; Larry Elliott and Tom Wieck are the construction project managers for the Stankowski project.