2002-2005 Athletic Initiatives

[CrewChief]

Originally posted by geauxboy
As far as an indoor track for competition purposes, it would probably be cheaper and also a better investment in the long run to buy the neccessary surfaces, etc. to use in the Dome. For practice purposes, 4 lanes may be enough, pits & throwing rings are portable, so they could be used int the new facility.

Football Practice Facilities are not used for competitive track meets. First there is no seating. Can't make a buck with no seating. Second for competition NCAA rules require a minimum of 6 lanes with a minimum width of 42 inches per lane. That totals out at 21 feet, and on an oval that is times two. 42 extra feet width and length on a practice field is a project killer. What is wrong with a practice track? My recommendation is you go with a track elevated 12 feet, 3 lanes minimum. It uses the same area over the sidelines. 3 lanes standard width is 10.5 feet a 12 foot width gives the track a 9-inch buffer on both sides. It is a practice facility people, use it as such. I have other ideas on how this facility could be used for spectator basketball and tennis but I think I have bored you enough. Thank you for your time, now run those laps.

[CDeb]

Nothing wrong with a practice track, I was merely curious as to what a competition track would require as I am ignorant in those areas.

Thanks for the post.

[Turbine]

Originally posted by CDeb
Nothing wrong with a practice track. . .

I am ignorant in this area as well. I went searching this morning and found this picture of a practice field with a NCAA 6 lane track. To save on building length it looks like it chops off the corners of the field.

[CajunRebel]

Turbine, where did you get that plan of Cajun Field and the athletic office? I'd like to get a copy of that if you don't mind. I'd like to play around with it.

[NewsCopy]

Page 60 of 143
19/640 UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA - LAFAYETTE


31 (1368) Indoor Athletic Practice Facility,
32 Planning and Construction
33 (Lafayette)
34 Payable from Fees and Self-Generated Revenues $ 3,602,000
35 The capital outlay budget request for this project was submitted after the November
36 1st deadline, but it has been approved by the Joint Legislative Committee on Capital
37 Outlay pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 39:112.
38

[Turbine]

Originally posted by CajunRebel
Turbine, where did you get that plan of Cajun Field and the athletic office? I'd like to get a copy of that if you don't mind. I'd like to play around with it.

I am emailing you a copy of the original.

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — In the future, when Louisiana athletes are preparing for a big contest, they won’t have to worry about inclement weather blunting their progress.

The university is moving forward on a multi-purpose indoor practice facility, possibly the most coveted item on the wish list for Ragin’ Cajun coaches in outdoor sports such as football, baseball, softball, soccer and track and field.

“I’ve got the first million dollars (for construction),” University of Louisiana at La. President Dr. Ray Authement said Thursday. “Now I’ve got two or three million to go. It’s now in the capital outlay bill in the state legislature.”

That’s encouraging news for Cajun head football coach Rickey Bustle, whose team had to move preseason practices nine times last summer — out of a possible 30 practices — because of weather problems.

When they went inside in 2002, the Cajuns had to go next door to Bourgeois Hall, or to Blackham Coliseum and the livestock barns behind it and once to the Convention Center adjacent to the Cajundome.

None of those facilities is suitable for getting a team ready for the season, much less a season opener at Texas A&M as the Cajuns had in 2002.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

METAIRIE -- New Orleans Saints officials couldn't have picked a better day to show off their new $10 million indoor practice facility Wednesday.

As General Manager Mickey Loomis and coach Jim Haslett took reporters and cameramen on a tour of the team's updated training room, locker room and meeting rooms, rain pelted the outdoor practice fields.

But when they led the group into the new indoor practice facility, which will be ready when the Saints open training camp Saturday, the rain came down harder and pounded out a steady beat on the metal roof of the building.

"It has rained just about every day for the last two months," said Haslett, who has pushed for an indoor facility since being named the Saints coach in January 2000. "I think it is vital that you have a facility like that. You don't have to worry about packing up and driving somewhere. It's beneficial any time you can stay on schedule."

The Saints were plagued by rain during their last two training camps at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, which is one of the reasons the club decided to hold this year's camp at their regular-season training facility.

Haslett said it rained on 10 of the 28 days the Saints were in Thibodaux last summer, putting a severe strain on Nicholls State's soggy practice fields and forcing the team to practice in a cramped basketball gymnasium or busing to New Orleans to work in the Superdome.

"I think it hurts your team every time you miss practice or alter your practice or travel an hour and a half on a bus to practice," Haslett said. "It's not a good environment for practice. It's not the best way to keep something going."

The indoor facility is 420 feet by 220 feet and the roof rises to a peak of 78 feet in the middle of the field. In addition to a regulation playing field made of "FieldTurf," the facility includes a 10,000-square foot weight room and cafeteria. The state put up $6.7 million for the indoor facility with the team paying the balance.

The rest of the story

By SHELDON MICKLES
smickles@theadvocate.com
Advocate sportswriter

[Oldman]

Reading about the saints indoor facility, have anyone heard anything more about the propose facility here? It seems as dough things have just trickled away or died, maybe it's my imagination.

Sorry about the scoop on Jordy, the almighty $ has struck again.........Oh well! I wish the guy luck, but it would have been nice to get him back.

[geauxboy]

construction is to begin asap after footbal season is over.