UNH Athletic Advisory Committee
Report from the Subcommittee on Fields
February 27, 1996
Subcommittee Members:
Gale Carey (chair), Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences
Heather Barber, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology
Doug Wilson, Student Representative
Subcommittee Advisors:
Gib Chapman, Director of Mens Athletics
Judy Ray, Director of Womens Athletics
Charge
To evaluate current conditions of athletic facilities and estimate the cost
to make them acceptable and competitive with comparable institutions.
Action
Upon receiving our charge, the subcommittee members met with its advisors
and after considerable discussion, agreed that estimating costs to make
current athletic facilities acceptable and competitive with comparable
institutions should be suspended until resolution is reached on the
following items: the Mission Statement, priority of sports, tiering of
sports and number of teams. These items were and currently are under
review by other subcommittees within the UNH Athletic Advisory Committee.
Our efforts were focussed, then, on reviewing current conditions of
athletic facilities. This was done in consultation with the subcommittee
advisors. To address conditions and needs of the outdoor facilities,
subcommittee members and advisors undertook a review of the UNH Playfields
Master Plan, which was developed by Sasaki Associates and reported in
January 1994. Our review also included consultation with Victor Azzi of
the Office of Campus Planning. Revisions to the UNH Playfields Master Plan
were developed and their priority order for implementation was agreed upon.
To address conditions and needs of the indoor facilities, subcommittee
members consulted with the subcommittee advisors, and revisited the October
1995 Field House Space Report.
Findings
Three items are presented. The first addresses athletic facilities needs
(Item 1), the second prioritizes these needs (Item II) and the third
estimates their costs (Item III).
Item I
Athletics facilities needs are subdivided into Ia (proposed revisions to
the Master Plan), 1b (Space Reallocation), Ic (future Fieldhouse
renovations and expansions)
Item Ia - Proposed Revisions to the Master Plan Field
A Football Stadium & Track - Expand track to 8 lanes of synthetic
surface. Relocate football field, which could be synthetic, 40 to 50 feet
toward College Woods.
B Soccer Field. Relocate Soccer game field to lower field now used
for practice football.
C Practice Football and Soccer. Relocate practice football and soccer
fields to this site now used by intramurals.
D Track Field Events. Relocate to proposed throws area but reduce size
and retain throws area next to tennis courts.
E Tennis Courts. Project complete.
F Baseball Field. Project complete.
G Softball Field. Convert this area to a fenced game and practice
softball field (size should be increased).
H Upper Fields Game Field. Convert this to an all-weather sports
field for use by field hockey, and men's and women's lacrosse,
designed to meet conference/NCAA standards and provide bleacher
seating and lighting for evening use.
I Memorial Field. Retain for practice soccer and men's and women's
lacrosse
JKL Recreation Field Space.
Item 1b: Space Reallocation
A report (see Appendix "Field House Space Report") summarizes athletics
needs for lockerrooms, and a weight room. It does not address Sports
Medicine needs.
Item 1c: Future Field House renovations and expansions
1) Renovate the indoor track into a true fieldhouse. This provides a
practice site for the following sports during inclement weather: lacrosse,
soccer, baseball, softball.
2) Adding a gymnasium next to the gymnastics room, as proposed in the 1987
Fieldhouse renovations. This provides practice sites for the following:
volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer.
Item II
The following are athletics needs and a suggested order of implementation.
Phase #1: Outdoor Track/Football Field/Soccer Field (These must be
considered together, as relocation of one requires relocation of the other.
Dollars have been identified for part of this project.
Phase #2: All-weather surface playfield (This is badly needed, given the
number of sports UNH currently supports).
Phase #3: Women's Softball Field (This will meet Title IX requirements).
Phase #4: Remaining fields.
However, Item II cannot be implemented until Recreational Sports builds new
fields for its own use. The proposed plan relocates 3 recreational fields
to Boulder Field and one field presently under construction across Main
Street. The proposed plan adheres to the philosophy of "Dedicated Fields"
for intercollegiate sports, and proposes fundraising by specific sports.
Item III
COST ESTIMATES
Below are the costs according to the 1994 Master Plan. Changes
will need to be made to reflect the revised plan as well as
inflation.
Intercollegiate Athletics Areas
Cowell Stadium (Natural turf - synthetic 8 lane track) - A $ 1,968,750
Soccer Field (Natural turf) - B 882,720
Soccer Practice Field (Natural turf) - C 453,750
Practice Field #1 (Natural turf) - C 400,000
Practice Field #2 (Natural turf) - I 212,500
Women's Softball (Natural turf) - G 706,500
Artificial turf field - H 1,980,000
Subtotal $6,604,220
North Playfields
Multi purpose recreation (Natural turf) $ 740,000
Recreational softball (Natural turf) 342,500
Multi purpose turf (Natural turf) 493,750
Subtotal $1,576,250
Other Site Improvements
Paths $ 75,000
Roads 150,000
Parking Lots 364,500
Landscape 175,000
Lighting 260,000
Restrooms (2) 50,000
Subtotal $1,074,500
Total $9,254,950
25% contingency 2,313,738
GRAND TOTAL $11,568,688
Summary of Findings
(1) Current conditions of the track and the upper practice field used by
football, soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey are unsafe for UNH
student-athletes. Therefore, renovating the track to an 8-lane synthetic
surface and construction of a separate all-weather play surface are listed
as priorities one and two, respectively.
(2) Several indoor facilities are either poorly designed or have
inadequate space to meet current demands. These include indoor practice
areas for field hockey, lacrosse, soccer and baseball, the sports medicine
facilities and the weightroom. The need for a second practice gymnasium
(volleyball and basketball) is also pressing.
(3) Total costs to renovate/build outdoor facilities to support 29 teams
well exceeds $12 million.
Recommendations
(1) Reconstruction of the outdoor track is top priority. The track is
currently unsafe for UNH athletes, and dollars have been identified for its
reconstruction. This reconstruction will impinge on the present football
field and soccer field, and will therefore necessitate renovation and
relocation of each field, respectively. The second priority is
construction of safe practice fields for use by student-athletes of
football, soccer, lacrosse and field hockey. Renovation and/or construction
of all other outdoor fields, modified from the UNH Master Plan, should be
completed in 4 phases. However, the need for fields other than the track,
football field, soccer field and new practice field should be reassessed
once the June 1996 recommendations of the Subcommittee on Number of Teams
is presented. The Subcommittee on Numbers of Teams will recommend how many
teams UNH can support given its mission, and what the priority and tieirng
of these teams should be. Clearly this information will impact our need
for fields.
(2) UNH athletic fields be dedicated for use by intercollegiate sports.
This will necessitate that Recreational Sports build new fields for
its own use.
(3) Funding and staffing for sports medicine facilities, equipment room
and weight room be increased in order to insure safety of our
student-athletes and meet current demands. (See page 2 of the subcommittee
report on Duplication of Services, in which a questionnaire to athletes and
support personnel indicate inadequacies in these areas.) This subcommittee
will evaluate the needs and costs to make these facilities comparable with
other institutions, and present a recommendation to the UNH Athletic
Advisory Committee by June 1996.
(4) The indoor track be renovated into a true fieldhouse in order to
provide a practice site for lacrosse, soccer, baseball and softball during
inclement weather. Additional indoor renovations should follow, including
the addition of practice gymnasium. Once again, however, these needs
should be revisited after the June 1996 recommendation from the
Subcommittee on Number of Teams are presented.
Appendix
Field House Space Report