Breaking ground: ‘Cats celebrate $1.55M Linfield soccer/lacrosse renovation
By Logan
Brandon, McMinnville N-R/News-Register 10/2/2020
Fresh off changing its name to Linfield
University, the Division III McMinnville school has broken ground on a $1.55
million renovation of its soccer and lacrosse field.
While the Wildcat men’s and women’s soccer and
women’s lacrosse programs can’t test their new playing surface until conference
play resumes in 2021, an enthusiastic group of supporters joined staff,
student-athletes, alumni and donors in a Monday celebration of the
groundbreaking.
The former natural grass field gives way to a
FieldTurf surface. This upgrade supplies Linfield teams with an ideal
year-round practice and playing surface while substantially reducing
maintenance and game setup costs.
The primarily donor-funded project represents
the most significant upgrade in the history of the soccer/lacrosse athletic
complex.
“Completing this project right now is a message
of hope, of not being sidetracked by adversity but rather accepting the
challenges and keeping ourselves moving forward,” said Linfield Athletic
Director Garry Killgore.
Former student-athletes and alumni played
critical roles in the completion of the project’s funding.
“This project, as well as many others through
the years, is getting done thanks to some very generous donors who believe in
Linfield’s ‘ALL IN’ mantra,” noted Killgore. “These positive role models are
giving back to something that was profoundly positive in their lives – Linfield
and its athletic program.”
Monday’s ceremonial construction, which included
the arrival of several machines, equipment and digging materials, officially
marked the initiation of phase one of the project. Estimated time for
completion of the first phase is December.
Additional improvements expected during the
first phase include branded mesh screening around the field, creating an
enclosed setting, plus the installation of six protected storage spaces to
house team equipment and supplies.
“Now, we can play in any weather and not have to
be as worried about injuries and, just as importantly, our student-athletes can
play on our true home field instead of other options we have had to use,” said
Killgore.
The project’s second phase, scheduled to begin
in 2021, includes a new seating section, the completion of an adjoining paved
plaza and a renovated press box.
The magnitude of the project represents the
grandest in the venue’s 30-year history. The $1.55 million enterprise
modernizes the facility, which was originally gifted to Linfield in the 1990s
by Hewlett-Packard.
The upgraded facility will serve a variety of
uses. In addition to hosting soccer and lacrosse practices and matches, the
renovation creates recreational space for all students and will serve as the centerpiece
for community events.
“This project is absolutely critical,” added
Killgore. “Not only for the success of our student-athletes in men’s and
women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse, but it’s equally as important for students
who participate in intramurals as well as members of the community. Having a
second turf field at Linfield really opens up so much flexibility in scheduling
for all our athletic teams.”
A webcam showing real-time progress on the
facility is online at https://linfieldtopcat.com/sports/soccerlacrossefield .
Linfield University’s Jeffrey Martin assisted
with this report.
