Eastern Michigan University's Indoor Athletic Practice
Facility, also known as "The Bubble," is paying dividends
for the University, the community and EMU athletics in
its first year of operation.
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INDOOR PRACTICE: Eastern Michigan University's
Indoor Athletic Practice Facility has been invaluable
in allowing six EMU athletic teams to practice during
the winter. In addition, youth soccer (above),
Little
League baseball, high school football teams,
EMU club
teams and recreational groups have rented
the
facility for use. Photo by Debra
Ennis |
"I think the facility has been invaluable," said Derrick
Gragg, Eastern Michigan University's athletic director. "It
is the first time in EMU athletic history that our football
team has been able to do conditioning and practice in the
winter months without interruption. We also have seen improvement
in our baseball and softball programs, and the practice
facility has had something to do with that. This facility
should help reduce the competitive advantages that other
programs have had in the past and is helping EMU catch
up to other schools."
"Everything has gone very smoothly," said Mark Monahan,
director of the EMU Convocation Center, which oversees
the indoor practice facility. "Since January, it has been
booked all the time. We have had a ton of youth sports
use it."
The indoor practice facility, which cost $3.9 million
to build, was inflated during February 2010. The facility
is a permanent air-supported structure that is 410 feet
long, 210 feet wide, and 75 feet tall; and includes a welcome
center (1,100 square feet) and convertible space (86,000
square feet) that can be configured for a football field,
an international soccer field, four youth soccer fields
or two youth baseball/softball fields.
A full-time supervisor and students staff the facility.
The facility, located at 150 Westview Drive, is open Monday-Friday,
from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, from 7
a.m. to 10 p.m. For additional information, go to http://www.emich.edu/convocation/emu-indoor-practice-facility-information.html or
call (734) 485-5476
Youth soccer, Little League baseball, high school football
teams, EMU club sports, recreational groups and six intercollegiate
teams have used the facility since it opened last year,
said Monahan. The six intercollegiate sports that use the
facility are football, baseball, softball, women's soccer,
and men's and women's golf.
"It has had a huge impact," said Karen Baird, EMU head
softball coach. "As soon as we played our first game, you
could see a difference."
One of the advantages, according to Baird, is players
get a much more realistic experience in the facility than
where they were practicing before, in Bowen Field House.
"It's a facility that allows you to play a game in a much
more regular sense," Baird said. "It gives a truer sense
of playing on a regular surface."
The softball team finished the 2011 season with the second
highest winning percentage in EMU softball history, going
26-18.
"It's been fantastic for our league," said Dave York,
soccer manager for Total Sports Complex. "We are able to
incorporate more Ann Arbor-based clubs so they don't have
to drive so far to play."
Total Sports Complex runs youth soccer programs — that
includes approximately 700 players — in southeastern
Michigan and Ohio.
Monahan said there has been one challenge for the facility.
"Parking has been an issue because business is so good," he
said.
The facility has 100 spaces, but the volume associated
with its use has led Monahan to request additional parking.
Currently, Monahan said that a shuttle service to and from
additional parking at Westview has helped offset the situation.
"We need about 50 more spaces," said Monahan. He said
there is a proposal to add additional spaces on a hill
near the existing spaces.
Monahan said the facility had netted $325,000 in user
fees as of March and is "in the black." However, he said
some utility billing issues are still being worked out
so determining a profit margin is difficult at this point.
"I think it was a great decision by the University," said
Monahan of building the facility. "The community seems
pleased. It has been wonderful for the University and it
is paying for itself."
