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Topic:  RE: Indoor practice facility

Topic:  RE: Indoor practice facility
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Paul Graham
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 1:26:32 AM 
catfan28 wrote:
Paul Graham wrote:
This is truly a "Multi-Purpose Center" if I've ever seen one. If your purposes are "playing football" and "coaching football." 

Seriously, that phrase is downright Orwellian.


Football will get less than 20% of the use of the new facility. Probably far less. I think most will be surprised at the number of non-athletics (let alone non-football) activities going on there every day. I've heard that athletics is actually worried they won't get enough priority in scheduling.


What else can you do with an airplane hangar with a football field inside of it?
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L.C.
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 7:18:53 AM 
BillyTheCat wrote:
Peden and most turf fields are void of crowns in today's game. With the draininage of the foundation there is no crown needed.

Interesting. Thanks.

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” ― Epictetus

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The Optimist
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 8:27:15 AM 
I played on a fair share of both field turf and grass in high school and now that I think about it the field turf is flat compared to the grass field's with a crown. Never really noticed it. Then again, my home field had the worst crown this side of the Mississippi so every time we went on the road to play we were expecting it to be flat.

Last Edited: 2/25/2014 8:28:23 AM by The Optimist

I've seen crazier things happen.

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SBH
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 8:47:10 AM 
OhioCatFan wrote:
Unless it's a distortion due to camera angle, this picture answers my question: It does not look like the field is full width.  That was what was planned originally, but recent Orwellian releases from the U have been referring to it as "full sized" -- but that appears to me from this photo to only be in one dimension.  


I agree.  Looks a good 8-10 yards narrower than normal.
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Robert Fox
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 8:59:18 AM 
SBH wrote:
OhioCatFan wrote:
Unless it's a distortion due to camera angle, this picture answers my question: It does not look like the field is full width.  That was what was planned originally, but recent Orwellian releases from the U have been referring to it as "full sized" -- but that appears to me from this photo to only be in one dimension.  


I agree.  Looks a good 8-10 yards narrower than normal.



It looks regulation width to me. It also looks like the sideline hash marks are either temporarily covered up or not yet added.
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Bobcat Grad 86
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 10:11:12 AM 
I swung through Athens last Friday and took some still pictures and video of the facility.

First off, I am 100% sure that the facility has a pole vault pit as I confirmed that with the track coach.  I did not ask about a long-jump pit, but I would assume it probably does.

Since we know there is a pole vault pit and we know there is track, the case can't be made that this is a football only facility. I know the track is not regulation in terms of length or the degrees of the turn, but the track would enable the track team to practice sprints, hurdles and possibly work on relay handoffs. 

The track and the field itself would allow other athletic teams to use the facility for general conditioning.  I read one article about a variety of nets that will be installed so that more than one activity can take place at a time.

I would imagine the baseball team for example could run in the facility, along with throwing and taking some ground balls.

After walking around the facility in person, I am pretty sure the field is regulation width.  However, it appears in the picture that the corner of the end-zones may be rounded off which would eliminate the deep corner pass route.  This is common at many facilities that also include a track including the Akron indoor facility pictured below.  I think the Akron track has more of the end-zone and the field cut off for a regulation size indoor track.  It appears less of our end-zone is cut off since it is a general purpose running track.

By rounding off the end-zone to include a track, one cannot say this is a football only facility.

All in all I think the facility is wonderful.  Yes it would have been nice to have a regulation size track that could host meets, but that was not possible most due to the lack of funds and possible the amount of space at the location.

I thing the University has done the best they can based on funding.  I made a five year pledge in part since the facility is not a football only facility.

Last Edited: 2/25/2014 10:26:40 AM by Bobcat Grad 86
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rpbobcat
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 10:33:21 AM 
The Optimist wrote:
I played on a fair share of both field turf and grass in high school and now that I think about it the field turf is flat compared to the grass field's with a crown. Never really noticed it. Then again, my home field had the worst crown this side of the Mississippi so every time we went on the road to play we were expecting it to be flat.


Most of the Synthetic Tuef fields that I've designed are flat.
But,I have had projects where the Synthetic Turf did have a crown.

The two reasons I know of  for a crown on a Synthetic Turf field:

1.Consistency :
   Some coaches want to maintain the same "feel" of their field and that of their opponents.

2.Cost:
   If an existing field has a signifigant crown,to make it "flat"  you have to excavate and remove a lot more soil then if
   you leave somewhat of a crown.

When we do design a Synthetic Turf field with a crown we do use less of a cross slope than natural turf.

 

Last Edited: 2/25/2014 10:35:59 AM by rpbobcat
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Speaker of Truth
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 2:20:17 PM 
Alan Swank wrote:
Pepsi?  Really?


I hope this is a joke Alan.  The sad thing is we don't do enough of this.  I know we have had the opportunity to put logos on the Convo floor and we have turned the money down....
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Casper71
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 3:12:41 PM 
Why would any corporation pay "good" money to have their logo in a PRACTICE facility?  I would think they might put it in there as part of another contractual requirement but I doubt seriously that OHIO would get a large chunk of additional revenue for a logo in a facility nobody sees while watching a TV or internet broadcast.

Just curious, am I missing something here?
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perimeterpost
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 6:35:07 PM 
by definition any Marching 110 practice facility that also accommodates the football team is a multi-purpose facility.

MY STATE. MY TEAM.
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OhioCatFan
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 6:41:57 PM 
perimeterpost wrote:
by definition any Marching 110 practice facility that also accommodates the football team is a multi-purpose facility.


+1 

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

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Campus Flow
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 7:26:02 PM 
I like that it has camera platforms for recording practice. Akron's facility doesn't have them. What Akron built is an Indoor Track & Field facility that contains a football field. Walter Fieldhouse is a true football event facility designed to enhance the performance athletically and musically on the field. I can't see the spring game there but it sounds like an excellent venue for the annual equipment sale. Student tailgate is best to be outside where its visible. I thought it wasn't allowed on punchcard park but if they've changed their polices that is where it belongs.

 

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2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

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L.C.
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 8:28:28 PM 
Akron's facility definitely appears to be more track oriented, which takes a wider and longer building for the additional lanes. Considering that Ohio cancelled their men's track program a few years ago, it isn't surprising that they skimped a little on the track. I am guessing Akron still has one.

As I said before, this is basically a grassy field, sized and lined for football, but there are a lot of things that can be done on a big grassy field that has no weather concerns. The real test in whether it is a "multi-purpose facility" will be how it really ends up used in real life, not what it looks like.

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” ― Epictetus

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Campus Flow
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 8:44:25 PM 

Last Edited: 2/25/2014 8:46:50 PM by Campus Flow

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2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

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OhioCatFan
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 8:54:10 PM 
I wouldn't be surprised if Akron built its facility with soccer in mind, since they are a perennial top 10 team and won the national championship in 2010.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

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Campus Flow
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 9:12:50 PM 
Akron's facility is little too spacious for football and doesn't have the garage door bays that Walter Fieldhouse does. All the new designs have the garage doors so players can flow right in for practice. You could have the water set up inside out of the heat easily accessible from the outdoors. Northern Illinois is the only other school in the MAC with the garage bays. Ohio then has 1 and 1/2 practice fields fitted in behind the IPF. From a space utilization standpoint its an excellent set up.

Last Edited: 2/25/2014 9:15:48 PM by Campus Flow

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2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
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BillyTheCat
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 9:38:06 PM 
Looks like Akron also has some seats which looks impossible in Walter (beyond 3row metal bleachers). However this is a practice and student use facility not a venue for indoor track or spring games.
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L.C.
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 10:13:56 PM 
I would guess that the Akron facility was much more expensive than Ohio's. Extra width is going to add much, much more to the cost than extra length because it means much more expensive steel to span the distance. It isn't  like you can drop posts half way across. Thus width for a full track and for stands is going to be very expensive. If Ohio's field isn't quite full width, the reason would be to accommodate a track while keeping to a low cost.

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” ― Epictetus

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Campus Flow
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/25/2014 10:27:00 PM 
BillyTheCat wrote:
Looks like Akron also has some seats which looks impossible in Walter (beyond 3row metal bleachers). However this is a practice and student use facility not a venue for indoor track or spring games.

They should play November football games in that facility based on crowds.

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

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perimeterpost
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/26/2014 12:57:10 AM 
the Akron style/full indoor track with bleachers set up would have been nice in that it would probably be the only one of its kind in the region and could be used like the Convo is for regional high school events as well as regional college events.

if I remember that was taken into consideration but it didn't pan out from a cost/benefit analysis.

MY STATE. MY TEAM.
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Bobcat Grad 86
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/26/2014 7:59:14 AM 
Akron has a really strong track program in particular pole vaulting so it appears track and field was the primary focus in the design of the facility.

Shawn Barber is a sophomore and is second in the United States as of today with a jump of 18'6.5".  Akron recruited him out of Texas after he broke the all-time national high school record of 18'3.5" which smashed the previous record of 17'01".

Alex McCune of Akron is second in the United States at 17'1" .

The women have the top two in the MAC over 14' and 4 of the top 6 in the conference.  Annika Roloff of Akron is 8th in the United States at 14'2.75".

Last Edited: 2/26/2014 8:06:44 AM by Bobcat Grad 86
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SBH
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/26/2014 8:34:42 AM 
Akron was smart in how they built their facility - they integrated their student rec center into a single facility and then got students to agree to a fee to help pay for both.  We of course did it the hard way.

 
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BillyTheCat
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/26/2014 9:24:29 AM 
SBH wrote:
Akron was smart in how they built their facility - they integrated their student rec center into a single facility and then got students to agree to a fee to help pay for both.  We of course did it the hard way.

 

Didn't Central do that as well?

 
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colobobcat66
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/26/2014 2:20:57 PM 
perimeterpost wrote:
the Akron style/full indoor track with bleachers set up would have been nice in that it would probably be the only one of its kind in the region and could be used like the Convo is for regional high school events as well as regional college events.

if I remember that was taken into consideration but it didn't pan out from a cost/benefit analysis.
or a money available basis
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Bobcat Grad 86
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  Message Not Read  RE: Indoor practice facility
   Posted: 2/26/2014 6:07:39 PM 
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