Changes at Bob Sheldon

[thebluehatman]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

Ahhhhhh, The campus masterplan, the physical plant keeps it under lock and key. But the long term plan is to remove Rotunda Lane and other streets and only have transit loops around a couple places on campus. I thought public information was supose to be open to the public, we had a hard enough time accessing traffic plans of campus for our technical communications project.

[SD-STATE]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

A masterplan is not just a napkin with some buildings scratched on it, it is a comprehensive plan with a projected timeline and a course of action as to how such facilities and upgrades will be paid for. I'm beggining to doubt this. Yes, these things take money, well start putting some jars at the ticket entrances. A 100 people giving $10 is just as good as one person giving a $1,000. It all adds up.

[Charger13]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

Just to clear up I was referring to an athletics master plan that is seperate from the campus wide master plan that came out a few years ago.  This one was done with the last year, so it is very new and up-to-date.  I do not, however, know the time line for the projects.

[Thumper]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

Sheer genius.... Money equals facilities. Why don't we have new/upgraded facilities? Fiscal responsibility? Patience....unless someone knows knows someone to donate millions. There are no quick fixes in this process.

[JackTwice]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

My question is with the leadership of the Athletic Dept. There seems to be a trend with finding the cheapest way to do things and with no real sense or direction.

I agree totally and whole-heartedly!

[89rabbit]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

Sheer genius....  Money equals facilities.  Why don't we have new/upgraded facilities?  Fiscal responsibility?  Patience....unless someone knows knows someone to donate millions.  There are no quick fixes in this process.  

Thumper,

Nice post!


Go State!

[SD-STATE]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

There are people that know people with millions of dollars on this campus. I'm not looking for quick fixes, but 20+ years with no major upgrades and ignoring other needs? One can not believe there has been no money raised in that time. Or have they only begun to ask for money since the move to D1? There has been 20-30 years of neglect toward athletic facilities on this campus, money isn't the whole problem. It's the lack of vision and solid planning of the administraion.

[89rabbit]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

Let's see what improvements I can come up with off the top of my head since Dr. Oien took over as SDSU’s AD.

SDSU has added Men's and Women's Golf (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has added Men's and Women's Tennis (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has added Soccer (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has added Equestrian (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has moved all their athletic Programs from D-II to D-I
SDSU has partnered with the City of Brookings to light Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU built a new ticket both at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU expanded the bathrooms at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU has replaced and improved the seating at Frost Arena in the lower bowl
SDSU has added the "Back Yard" and started a tailgating tradition at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU has put in $3 million dollars worth of new scoreboards and signage at both Coughlin Alumni Stadium and Frost Arena.
SDSU now broadcast Volleyball matches, Softball games, Soccer matches, and Baseball games on the radio as well as broadcasting all these sports plus Men's & Women's Basketball and Football on the internet
SDSU has partnered with the City of Brookings to build a Varsity Soccer Stadium
SDSU is building a brand new Softball Stadium
SDSU has built a new Baseball practice filed
SDSU will start work on a new $3.5 million dollar Equestrian Center when the school year ends

I am sure there are others but I can’t think of them off the top of my head.

Yep your right, our leadership hasn't been doing a thing in the last 30 years.  :  Sorry to get so preachy but come on you guys we all want improvements and we won't them sooner rather then later, but don't you think that the administration wants that too.  Do you really think they have a giant pot of money that they are sitting on and all they need is for us to complain enough and they will build everything that we want and need, because they had no idea we needed improvements.  :-?

Finally let me state as a guy that has played and watched games at both Bob Sheldon Field and Erv Huether Field since the ‘80s.  .  . Bob Sheldon as it is now is better then both were back in the 80's and will be even nicer once the improvements are made.  I too would like to have baseball back on campus at some point, but the baseball team has a very nice place to host events and some of our other sports don't.

I guess what I am saying is, we have to have priorities and patience.  I know it is frustrating to see need and not see any progress but believe me many people me included (Jackrabbit Club Volunteer) are working to make Jackrabbit athletics better tomorrow then they are today and it really doesn't do any good to harp on the people in charge of the program simply because things are not moving as quickly as you would like them to.  Believe me the Admin. gets frustrated too, because they see the needs, but they also see the budget.  Remember we are all Jackrabbit supporters (Admin., Coaches, Athletes, and Fans) and we all want what is best for our school and it's programs.  Let me end by saying  .  .  .  Give the Admin. and Coaches a break they are working hard to make SDSU something we can all continue to be proud of.

I will now step off my soap box.



Go State!  

[GoJacks]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

WOW, I didn't mean to open up a can of worms.  As 89rabbit stated, SDSU and the athletics dept. have done a great job with the additions to athletics teams, scholarships, facility additions etc.  I know it is addition by subtraction sometimes.  IE. eliminate baseball field for a parking lot that allows the New Performing Arts Center to be built on another parking lot.  Rational - for those who do not know.  SDSU was concerned with students parking to far from the center of campus.  (I believe it is a ten minute walk rule of some sort)  So the parking lot for the Performing Arts Center had to go west of the building.  North and East to far away, South would have met eliminating the I.M. Fields.  So the area that was Huether Field was the most logical because it could be used for the Performing Arts Center, Frost Arena, CAS and student/ faculty parking during the day.  I know the Performing Arts Center has parking East and I think North but these are not considered parking areas for commuter students.

That being said the practice field is not playable or practiceable.  I feel the State of South Dakota or the University (not the athletic department) took the field away and they should replace Huether Field with a competition ready field (the same standard that it was before).  It is disappointing that at one time this great man/ coach was honored in a great way and SDSU basically took the honor away.  To me it is not right.  

I know to build a softball or baseball field are relatively inexpensive,  the problem (hold up) for SDSU is most likely the support facilities.  lockerrooms, bathrooms, concessions, (electricity, water, sewer) Old Huether had the HPER Center for this.  The new fields cannot realistically use Frost for their support facilities.

Sometimes I am not patient enough or rich enough to get all this done in a timely manner.

[SD-STATE]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

SDSU has added Men's and Women's Golf (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has added Men's and Women's Tennis (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has added Soccer (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has added Equestrian (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has moved all their athletic Programs from D-II to D-I
SDSU has partnered with the City of Brookings to light Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU built a new ticket both at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU expanded the bathrooms at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU has replaced and improved the seating at Frost Arena in the lower bowl
SDSU has added the "Back Yard" and started a tailgating tradition at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU has put in $3 million dollars worth of new scoreboards and signage at both Coughlin Alumni Stadium and Frost Arena.
SDSU now broadcast Volleyball matches, Softball games, Soccer matches, and Baseball games on the radio as well as broadcasting all these sports plus Men's & Women's Basketball and Football on the internet
SDSU has partnered with the City of Brookings to build a Varsity Soccer Stadium
SDSU is building a brand new Softball Stadium
SDSU has built a new Baseball practice filed
SDSU will start work on a new $3.5 million dollar Equestrian Center when the school year ends

These things are great, Yes we have added golf and tennis, but with in the case of tennis why add a sport if you are unwilling to fully support it. Having a tennis program at a school this far north requires indoor facilities and adequate outdoor faciities. Am I wrong in saying that Tennis does not have any home matches here in Brookings. And while our joint ventures with the city are cost effective with soccer, baseball, and softball all being played off-campus on the other end of town, it limits the amount of people that could potentially ever see these deserving student-athletes play. Track & Field also never gets a chance to be seen and recognized by the majority of people that reside in Brookings. I believe Equestrian is a great addition also, but did everyone know that when they've been giving money to the athletic department that eventually it would go to equestrian and not to improve some other need? I could go on, but it's not my intention to be overwhelmingly negative. We all have the right to be critical of the leadership and actions of a public university. Giving them a hard time keeps them accountable, giving people breaks leads to inaction, poor planning, and directionless. I'm not calling for the replacement of these leaders only trying to ask for a comprehensive vision that makes sense.

[SD-STATE]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

P.S.

Yep your right, our leadership hasn't been doing a thing in the last 30 years.

Don't you EVER roll your eyes at me!! :

Just a flashback to my even younger days. ;D

[89rabbit]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

SDSU has added Men's and Women's Golf (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has added Men's and Women's Tennis (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has added Soccer (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has added Equestrian (while other schools were cutting programs)
SDSU has moved all their athletic Programs from D-II to D-I
SDSU has partnered with the City of Brookings to light Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU built a new ticket both at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU expanded the bathrooms at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU has replaced and improved the seating at Frost Arena in the lower bowl
SDSU has added the "Back Yard" and started a tailgating tradition at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium
SDSU has put in $3 million dollars worth of new scoreboards and signage at both Coughlin Alumni Stadium and Frost Arena.
SDSU now broadcast Volleyball matches, Softball games, Soccer matches, and Baseball games on the radio as well as broadcasting all these sports plus Men's & Women's Basketball and Football on the internet
SDSU has partnered with the City of Brookings to build a Varsity Soccer Stadium
SDSU is building a brand new Softball Stadium
SDSU has built a new Baseball practice filed
SDSU will start work on a new $3.5 million dollar Equestrian Center when the school year ends

These things are great, Yes we have added golf and tennis, but with in the case of tennis why add a sport if you are unwilling to fully support it. Having a tennis program at a school this far north requires indoor facilities and adequate outdoor faciities. Am I wrong in saying that Tennis does not have any home matches here in Brookings. And while our joint ventures with the city are cost effective with soccer, baseball, and softball all being played off-campus on the other end of town, it limits the amount of people that could potentially ever see these deserving student-athletes play. Track & Field also never gets a chance to be seen and recognized by the majority of people that reside in Brookings. I believe Equestrian is a great addition also, but did everyone know that when they've been giving money to the athletic department that eventually it would go to equestrian and not to improve some other need? I could go on, but it's not my intention to be overwhelmingly negative. We all have the right to be critical of the leadership and actions of a public university. Giving them a hard time keeps them accountable, giving people breaks leads to inaction, poor planning, and directionless. I'm not calling for the replacement of these leaders only trying to ask for a comprehensive vision that makes sense.

SD-State,

Let me quickly touch on your points.

1. SDSU's Men's Tennis team did host a dual in Brookings at Hillcrest Courts to kick off their season.  The Men's and Women's team were supposed to host Creighton but due to weather the matches were moved to Omaha.  It has been typical for our tennis programs to host their matches at Hillcrest Courts for some time now (usually 2 or 3 a season).  The lack of home matches this season had more to do with our transition to D-I and the weather then anthing else.

2.  When it is too cold to practice outdoors Josh Lunak's teams practice at the Larson Indoors Courts.

3.  You can always specify what your gift is used for.

4.  As part of the Master Plan a new track (possibly 2 new tracks, indoor and outdoor)  will be built somewhere north (could be NW, NE, etc.) of Coughlin-Alumni since this is a more pressing need I would expect Baseball, Soccer, and Tennis to continue to be played off campus for awhile (keeping in mind that Soccer, the furthest from campus, is no more then a 5-10 min. drive if that).  Softball should be in their new on campus stadium next spring.

I hope this helps ease your mind, and now that you know you can specify what your gift is for, should I let Julie Ackerwold-Smith know that your check for the new on campus tennis facility is on its way?    ;D


Go State!  

[SD-STATE]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

;D Tennis facility? Only if it is part of a nice indoor facility. ;D

[Jacks15]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

i noticed recently someone killed all of the weeds on the practice baseball facility, hopefully that means they will be moving forward with the fences and possibly be practicing on the field in the fall. I had heard coach Boughman on the sportshow in brookings state they would be practicing on the new softball field this fall.

[Jacks15]

Re: Changes at Bob Sheldon

oh yeah, the new scoreboard is up and it looks great. thanks go to the friends of baseball