Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/50077
2011-12 SOFTBALL FACILITY UPGRADE Wish list priority becomes self-imposed mandate O ver the past few years as we considered priority facilities projects the topic of the Niemand-Robison Softball Field always commanded the lion share of the discussion. The reasons are two-fold: 1) Our field suffers from program threatening drainage issues that forced our Big Red team to practice and play all but three home games and three practices at Ithaca College last season. With our inability to remove late winter and early spring snowfalls from the natural grass surface, our softball facility challenges have become dire indeed. Heartfelt appreciation remains for Arno'56 and Brenda Niemand and the Robison Committee for saving our burgeoning softball program in 1999 from relying on the availability of the Lansing recreational fields (7 miles off campus). These loyal friends fund our facility that is adjacent to the Reis Tennis Center. Respect and admiration for head coach Dick Blood, The Jan Rock Zubrow '77 Head Coach of Softball, drove the project as much as our need to provide an improved facility for our hard-working and determined players. Dick Blood, in his 17th year as head coach, has led the Big Red to Ivy prominence and, at times, a place on the NCAA stage. Dick's teams launched Cornell Softball from nearly winless seasons to placing first or second in 12 of the past 14 seasons, capturing Ivy championships in 1999, 2001, 2004, 2009 and 2010. In May of 2004, Dick and team upset #18 Long Beach State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament – his 300th career victory. Coach Blood has become an icon in our department and is a quiet leader and role model for our coaching staff. 2) As a high priority women's program within the Cornell athletics department portfolio, softball needs and deserves a significant facility upgrade to bring our facility up to Ivy League standards for softball and to match the terrific Hoy Field baseball complex on central campus. The dugouts must be made more safe by appropriately positioning them below the playing surface with a protective barrier to shield hot foul balls from hitting and injuring players. Additional seating must be provided for our fans and our make-shift media area must be replaced by a quality yet utilitarian press box to provide a platform for our game announcers and score-keepers. The press box facility may also provide rest rooms for our patrons at field level. Most importantly, the surface of the playing area must transition from natural grass to a FieldTurf/AstroTurf type surface so that snow may be brushed off to allow practice and games from late winter through the conclusion of the season. It is important to note that an upgrade to our Niemand- Robison Softball Field is officially included in our long- range capital plan submitted to the university. However, it is not at a stage in which we have requested or received university and trustee approval for the project. The requirements for any new capital project include having 75% of the total cost in hand and a maximum of 25% in signed pledges. Of course, any project has an increased opportunity for approval if 100% of the funds have been realized. Project Cost projection: $2.8M Ground-breaking projection: early summer 2012 Estimate project completion: late summer 2012 Anyone with interest in helping to support this important initiative, please call me @ 607/255-8832 or John Webster @ 607/255-5631. Go Big Red! VISIT WWW.CORNELL.SKORFANSHOP.COM SPIRIT! MAGAZINE SPIRIT! MAGAZINE 7 17 it's about time!