SJU athletics improves their facilities

Over the summer, SJU saw various improvements to their athletic facilities that both student-athletes and fans can appreciate. Both the turf on the football field and the indoor track have a new look this school year.

“I love the new indoor track surface, and I’m excited to have our athletes train and compete on it this year,” head track and field coach Jeremy Karger-Gatzow said. “The old surface held up remarkably well, but we had seen an increase in injuries during the last few years. The new surface is softer and will absorb more force to help limit injuries while still providing a great competitive surface for all of the track athletes.”

The last time the field house was resurfaced was in 1998.

Not only will this benefit athletes of both CSB and SJU track and field teams, but also members of the tennis and baseball teams as well when weather forces them indoors for training. This state-of-the-art, six-lane 200-meter indoor track was redesigned with bright blue, red and white colors replacing the old, faded red track and green rubber infield.

The SJU track and field team looks to continue their success this season as they are coming off their first indoor and outdoor MIAC Championship wins in over 20 years. Likewise, the new football turf provides a better surface for our athletes and a new design for the fans to see.

“We were due for new turf, as the old turf was starting to show wear and tear,” head football coach Gary Fasching said. “I think the contrasting green every five yards makes the field stand out more.”

The turf was last replaced in 2012; however, the lifespan of a turf-field is typically 10 years, according to SJU Athletic Director Bob Alpers.

“I really like the new turf. It feels great to run on, and I like how vibrant the colors are,” SJU wide receiver Jimmy Buck said. “It feels significantly better to run and play on than the turf we had before.”

Along with the new turf field came a new logo in the middle of the field. Contrary to the previous SJU logo, the Johnnies now have a white and red helmet with the number one on it. St. John’s is one of few schools in the nation with this type of design in their field.

The football team has been off to a hot start this season with the new playing surface, taking down two nationally ranked teams among the American Football Coaches Association Top 25.

“It’s exciting to see major upgrades in housing and athletics. These improvements will not only benefit varsity athletes, but also club, intramural and recreational users,” Alpers said. “We have a lot to be proud of at both CSB and SJU, but we can never rest. We must always continue to keep improving for the sake of our current and future Johnnies and Bennies.”