Home Field Facilities

by **fischman** on Sat Mar 26, 2005 9:04 pm

Just wondering what the rest of the UMLL recieves from their schools in terms of playing fields. At Olaf, we are trying to convince our administration to let us play at the stadium for our one and only home game. We dont think its to much to ask but if you could reply with the quality of your fields it would give us some ammunition to fire at our sports facilites directors.

Jake
Saint Olaf Lacrosse

**Sponsor**

by **DanGenck** on Sun Mar 27, 2005 12:51 pm

I believe St. John's is playing at Clemens Stadium this year, which I am sure is the same as your football stadium (though ours has turf, making it even harder to mark). When we do not play there, we are usually on the IM fields (all of which are decent. Level, moderate grass, etc).

I have said before, and I will say again that one of the best ways St. John's was able to obtain leverage with the school was by talking with the school's Vice President of Student Development. Through our help with him, and our ability to convince him of how Lacrosse can be marketed to recruit students to campus, we have been given a lot of extra help. You need to prove your worth to the people who actually make decisions on your campus before you can begin to make demands. Don't get hung up on athletic directors and facilty people when the REAL decisions come from the President of the University and his close knit staff (Dean of Students, Vice President of Affairs, etc). Of course, these are long term goals... and may not directly help your bid for stadium access or help right away.

I would encourage all programs that are looking to grow to make friends in high places. Recruiting and proving that students come to your school to play lacrosse is a big way to get attention with the brass of your university. If you prove that 8 students a year come to your school for lacrosse and pay $10,000 in tuition, the school is going to have a real easy time granting your more facility access and more financial help ($80,000 in tuition is a great nest egg when the investment to the team may have only been stadium access and $1,000 for a coach). Now imagine if your tuition is $20,000, etc etc.

I hope this all made sense. PM me if anyone wants to discuss this further.

by **JoeMac** on Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:45 pm

I wish we could help you out with a good example, but we get treated like ass at our school. They make promises about field access and then take it away like we are nothing. We had to play games outside in the snow earlier this february after they granted us access to our new indoor facility and then took it away. Also, the week after the UMLL comes down here we were supposed to have access to a lighted field, but now we have to ask a team to drive over 8 hours to make it for a 5 pm game on a friday. The fields we play on are decent, but we are definitely nowhere close to gaining access to any special fields/stadiums. I agree with Dan that it would probably work better to go above the AD to the Presidential level-especially at a private school. Good luck.

by **umdulax1** on Sun Mar 27, 2005 11:57 pm

Other than scheduling conflicts with spring football on the turf stadium at UMD we don't have much problem gaining field space for games. Its just making sure you can get all the snow off the fields in time for the games that makes it tough!

UMD just got new field turf this past summer. The stadium is well lit and holds I believe 2,000 people with standing room it could easily double that number. Its a fun atmosphere as long as the weather is decent.

by **Adam G** on Thu Apr 28, 2005 6:25 pm

Last year EC was jerked around quite a bit as far as fields. We got our act together late last year, however, and now we are respected by our school (at least as far as facilities.... no substantial $ yet) We share a full size practice field, and as U of M saw, we get to use our school's Football stadium with brand new grass-style turf. As long as there are no conflicts with Football, though.