The new artificial turf athletics field at Brock University officially opened Saturday, and it now has a name.<\/p>\n
Alumni Field is a regulation-size artificial turf athletics surface with a full lighting system for night use. The 69 x 109 metre field has lines for lacrosse, rugby and soccer, as well as a massive Badgers logo at midfield along with \u2018Brock\u2019 and \u2018Badgers\u2019 written in the end zones.<\/p>\n
While Brock\u2019s varsity teams will use the field for their home games, Alumni Field was built as a home for the University\u2019s nearly 7,000 students who participate in intramural sports ranging from soccer to ultimate frisbee and flag football.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe name Alumni Field is a tribute to the contributions made by past and present students,\u201d said Brian Hutchings, Vice-President, Finance and Administration. \u201cThis field is about enhancing the student experience. It\u2019s about allowing more students to get involved in athletics and to give them another facility they can be proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was current and former students who paid for the project. The $1.5 million construction cost was covered by the Brock University Students\u2019 Union, a generous donation from an anonymous Brock alumnus, and contributions from other alumni and friends of the University.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the combination of students coming together with the University administration as well as the Brock community and alumni to make this a reality,\u201d said BUSU President Kyle Rose. \u201cIt\u2019s something students have\u00a0expressed that they wanted and deserve. I\u2019m most happy at the meaning behind it, which\u00a0is\u00a0the power of the students and the power of the Brock community. We came together around something that\u00a0initially didn\u2019t have a\u00a0\u2018how\u2019,\u00a0we only had a \u2018why\u2019. It\u2019s awesome that we can figure out the\u00a0\u2018how\u2019\u00a0if the\u00a0passion behind the\u00a0\u2018why\u2019\u00a0is strong enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a grand opening ceremony Saturday, the Brock Badgers men\u2019s and women\u2019s lacrosse teams became the first student-athletes to use the field when they played home games at Alumni Field.<\/p>\n
Women’s lacrosse player Sarah Paton said the field will be a big benefit to her team.<\/p>\n
“Our team has faced many challenges, specifically finding field space and facility time,” said Paton, adding that the team often had to practise before the sun came up in the morning. “Brock’s new turf not only benefits our team by providing a lit area where we can practise safety, it allows our men’s and women’s teams to host home games.”
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