EMU building a new indoor all-sports practice facility
Matt Thompson
Sports Writer
mthompson3@wccnet.edu
EMU ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS COURTESY PHOTO
YPSILANTI — In an effort to catch up with the competition, Eastern Michigan University is building a new $3.9 million indoor athletic facility.
The 410 feet long, 210 feet wide, air-supported facility will give EMU a cutting edge practice field for football, soccer, baseball and golf.
“Virtually all sports can use it and be able to train indoors,” said Doug Dowdy, EMU associate athletic director.
The multi-purpose facility will be laid with field turf that can make football and soccer fields, as well as the general area that all sports can use for conditioning and workouts.
“It’s such an advantage,” said EMU football offensive lineman Derek Gotham. “It takes the weather aspect out of it. If it’s raining or thunder storming, as of right now we couldn’t practice. Now we’ll always be able to practice.”
The field will go in right beside both Rynearson Stadium and Oestrike Stadium on Huron River Drive. It will be just north of the Rynearson, and east of Oestrike. The money to construct it came from a 2005 tuition increase; the four percent increase generated $4.4 million.
“It keeps us up to speed or ahead of our competition,” Dowdy said.
The other two Mid American Conference schools in the state, Western Michigan and Central Michigan, both have an indoor practice facility for football.
“Central’s is extremely nice,” said Gotham, who attended CMU in high school for football camp and used the facility then. “It is connected with the weight room and other facilities.”
“Our objective is to provide good opportunities in all of our sports,” Dowdy said.
Construction is expected to be completed by next spring.
