An arms race for state-of-the-art facilities

Athletic communities across the Ivy League demand bigger, better and newer.

Walking around campus is an exercise in dodging the scaffolding and men in hard hats that surround the numerous building renovations and projects. Yet residential colleges are not the only facilities receiving long-overdue makeovers. With endowment figures at an all-time high, Yale's athletic facilities are now slowly but surely receiving the tucks and lifts and implants that will enable Yale's athletes to practice and compete in improved, state-of-the-art environments.

FILE PHOTO

Gilded Gilder

In order to accommodate the large number of participants, the Gilder Boathouse is nearly double the size of the old facility. Six boat bays and a more expansive dock provide larger storage areas plus additional space to launch and land boats. Both the men and women now have locker rooms that rival the NBA's. These aspects, Porter notes, contribute to a "more accommodating flow" for the rowers upon arriving at the boathouse. The extensive locker room and docking area allow the athletes to hit the water sooner, at the start of practices.

Other unique features of the boathouse include an extravagant trophy room, wraparound deck, and up-to-date coaches' offices complete with computers and closed-circuit television access. Porter praises the long-lasting effects of the construction as something that will benefit both Yale and its athletes. "Something like this doesn't happen very often," he said. "By making the boathouse state-of-the-art today, it will still be competitive 20 to 30 years from now."

The turf field complex

FILE PHOTO

The new facility will not just benefit the women's lacrosse team; the men's lacrosse, softball, baseball, field hockey and even football teams will be able to take advantage of the expansion. Besides larger fields and spectator areas, the complex will feature an 80-by-120-yard artificial turf field with lights. While Yale does maintain a small artificial turf field presently, it is too small for practices or competitions. The football team will be able to gain its turf legs when preparing for Ivy opponents like Penn, Cornell, and Columbia, whose stadiums have artificial turf.

The field hockey team looks to receive the most benefits from the new turf field complex, which will become its new home. "Artificial turf completely changes the nature of the game," Captain Anne Rippetoe, TD '01, said. "It makes the game faster, demands quicker ball-handling skills, and creates a more finessed game." Before the project came into the works, field hockey encountered difficulties in luring opponents to play at Yale because many schools preferred competing on artificial turf. "We were the only Ivy League team without a turf this season, and all but one away game was played on turf," Rippetoe said. "Our lack of adequate turf facilities showed in many of these contests and I believe that affected our overall results this season. So while the grass has been wonderful, today's field hockey team needs turf in order to be competitive within the league and especially nationally."

Construction of the complex, which was designed by Brian Ameche, BK '75, started in the beginning of September with a ceremony in which athletes participated in the groundbreaking. According to Associate Director of Varsity Sports Administration for Athletics Barbara Chesler, the projected cost of the complex is around $3.5 million, with the funding coming from private donors. Right now, the construction is on schedule and the total project should be completed in the spring," Chesler said. If all proceeds according to plan, the artificial turf should be ready in March and the softball facility should be available for use after Spring Break.

The Yale Bowl, where the Elis have played football since 1914, exists as a pillar of tradition—it was almost named a national landmark in 1976. Yet after 86 years the stadium's outside walls have begun to deteriorate, and spectators continually complain about its appearance and comfort. "The Yale Bowl is need of general repair," Football Captain Peter Mazza, JE '01, said. "From what I have heard, the wooden benches can make for an uncomfortable afternoon."

FILE PHOTO

Director of Athletics Tom Beckett claims that the athletic department, in conjunction with the University Development Office, is currently developing a possible fundraising plan to restore the Yale Bowl. "The scope of The Bowl renovation project has yet to be determined," he said. "Clearly a complete renovation of the exterior wall and portals is needed. As for the work inside the facility, a final plan will be developed." Mazza added, "The Yale Bowl is one of the best stadiums in the nation. Yes, it certainly is in need of some major restoration, but once that is complete, it will be a beautiful attraction once again."

Citius, Altius, Fortius

Of all of the Ivies, Princeton currently appears to be the most active in pursuing renovations and creating new athletic facilities. Most recently, the school accepted a $4 million gift from Irene C. Shea to expand and renovate a boathouse in honor of her husband, who once rowed at Princeton. The Weaver Track and Field Stadium, opened in May 1998 and offers 2,500 seats.

COURTESY PENN ATHLETICS

The most prominent construction project at Princeton was the new Princeton Stadium, erected in September 1998 to replace the school's 82-year old Palmer football Stadium. Costing nearly $45 million, the project reduced the number of spectator seats and offered modern features to the historic football facility. More than two years after completion, the university has only raised $21 million towards its debt and is still looking for potential donors. Such an elaborate athletic project often sparks the question of whether or not other Ivies, such as Yale, should invest more money and time in replacing their older, historical facilities with modern, sleek complexes.

Princeton Associate Director of Athletics for Intercollegiate Programming Jim Fiore noted how the quest for newer, sleeker facilities remains an ongoing battle for universities today. "The coaches especially feel the pressure to succeed and they think that their teams would do better with newer facilities, year-round locker rooms, trainers, nutritionists," he said. "But when you add facilities, you have to add administrators, custodians—and you become facility-rich and people-poor. You'll read this phrase in all the trade journals and all publications dealing with college sports: it's an arms race out there."

Fiore also claimed that stadiums such as the Yale Bowl are often representative of the quality of athletic programs at a school. Yale is recognized as having "some of the best facilities in the league," he said. "But the Yale Bowl is the most visible aspect of the athletic department because of the number of people who come to the games, etc., so it sticks out like a sore thumb."

COURTESY PRINCETON ATHLETES

To counter some of the facility's problems, many members of the Yale football program believe that preservation, rather than elimination, is key. "The new Princeton stadium is a wonderful facility, but I feel the uniqueness and tradition of the Yale Bowl are a priority and we need to come up with a plan that will preserve that tradition, but also provide modern amenities," Siedlecki said.

"Princeton's stadium is nice, but the message they sent by eliminating thousands of seats is detrimental to Ivy football," Mazza said. "Now, we certainly aren't going to approach capacity every home game, but with a quality product on the field, the Yale Bowl can one of the most exciting places to play. When you walk down the tunnel you can feel the history and tradition.  From the Walter Camp Memorial to the inside of the Bowl on a Saturday afternoon, playing there you know you are part of something greater than your team."

Back to Sports...