SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - American International College officially broke ground on a new $4.3 million outdoor athletic facilities project May 6 with a ceremony that included AIC students, administrators and trustees, as well as City leaders.
The plan calls for a complete renovation of John Homer Miller Field with new turf field, new lights, new bleachers and a new press box, while the track will be built next to the AIC Tennis Courts. A grass field will be placed in the middle of the track to accommodate throwing events and serve as an additional facility for the men’s and women’s soccer teams.
“We are thrilled with this development, which will involve a large portion of our overall facility,” said Director of Athletics
Richard Bedard. “It will provide our student athletes with state-of-the-art facilities for most of our outdoor sports, and it will greatly expand the impact and reach of our facilities for all of our students, and for the community. We are extremely grateful to Board of Trustees Chairman
Frank Colaccino, President
Vincent Maniaci, Vice President for Development
John Short and all of their fellow Trustees, alumni, and administrators who have supported this project so vigorously.”
In addition to serving the needs of the student-athletes at AIC, these facilities will also enable the expansion of intramural programs, and allow for greater student and community usage of facilities.
"The field hockey team and I are more than excited to have a turf field next year,” said head field hockey coach
Julie Zoolkoski, whose team set the school record for wins in 2008 despite not being able to play or practice on campus each of the past two seasons. “The field is going to give the current players a home and it will be a tremendous asset for recruiting.”
Head cross country and track & field coach
Leo Mayo added “this was the next step we needed to take in growing our track & field programs. We’ve made huge strides forward since the programs started two years ago. These new facilities will allow our current student-athletes to continue to improve and also allow us to recruit athletes that will help us move towards our goals of winning the conference and competing at nationals.”
The project, financed by Westfield Bank, will be constructed by Mountain View Landscapes and Lawncare, Inc., of Chicopee, thereby providing local jobs and economic stimulus to the local economy.
A portion of the funding for the project is coming from the AIC students.
Darren James, president of the AIC Student Government, said the students have pledged $50,000 for the new facility. "The money we donate to the capital campaign will help to facilitate the realization of our long-awaited athletic turf field and track," he said.
Short said while Westfield Bank is providing the financing, the college fundraising efforts have really made the project possible. "Most non profits planning capital projects put them on hold when the economy tanked. We were able to raise enough money to move forward on the project."
The demolition of the current grass field, bleachers and press box is already under way and the new John Homer Miller Field is scheduled to be completed in time for the beginning of the 2009 fall sports season. Excavation is also under way on the site of the new track, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of September.