New fields create more opportunities for Aggie students

Just in time for the beginning of Fall classes at Utah State University, work is almost complete on the transformation of the HPER field between the Spectrum and the HPER Building.

Now known as Aggie Legacy Fields the new artificial turf surface will be home to campus intramural sports, club sports, open student recreation and PE classes.

“This project came about a year and a half ago after several years of the old HPER field being under construction with different projects,” said Scott Wamsley, assistant director of Campus Recreation. “We decided it was time to go a different route and maybe put turf in.

“We got together with our Vice President of Student Services and our Student body President at the time and decided that was the direction we wanted to go.”

Students voted in February to approve funding for the Aggie Legacy Fields.

“They approved a fee of $25 a semester to pay for the construction of the fields,” said Wamsley. “They thought there was a great need so they, in essence, taxed themselves.”

The field is competition grade artificial turf with line markings for several sports.

In addition to night lighting the fields include an audio speaker system and security cameras and a specialized drainage system for quick starts after rain events.

There will be seating on natural grass berms and also raised architectural concrete seating on both the east and west sides of the field.

Physical Education classes will be taught on the fields from the morning hours into the early afternoon.

“Starting at 4:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, we will run our intramural program with soccer, flag football, softball. We will also have club sports games out there.  Our mens soccer and lacrosse teams will play on the new surface as well as our mens and womens rugby teams.”

New night time lighting extends the hours the fields are available whereas most evening intramural events last fall ended at dark, usually about 6:30 p.m. .

“Intramurals can now play an extra four hours,” said Wamsley. “Now we can play add more teams to our program and provide more playing time.”

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