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Overused rec facilities need repair, officials say
Chip Cutter | IDS | Date: 2/12/2008

A decision by IU Athletics officials to begin charging club sports teams to use athletic facilities ignited controversy last month. But the real problem, club members now say, is a continued lack of field space that forces them to use varsity facilities.

Recreational Sports officials said some fields are so worn that they are hardly usable. One field was described as a “dust bowl,” while others need millions of dollars in repairs. But a proposed plan to fix the problem could be pushed to the back burner to give way to other University construction projects.

“The bigger issue is that Club Sports and Recreational Sports have to go to Athletics for facilities in the first place,” said April Scheuerell, president of the Club Sports Federation, the governing body of IU’s 46 club teams. “The problem that Club Sports is having really extends to the entire campus because of the overall inadequacy of our facilities at this point in time.”

Field sports, including the club men’s and women’s lacrosse, rugby, ultimate frisbee and co-ed baseball and field hockey teams have few options when it comes to practice space.