Here are three pictures I shot yesterday showing progress on Dartmouth's new indoor practice facility. Click the photos to enlarge them.
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| Here's a look from the front. Keep in mind that the playing field will be at the level of the old "sunken garden," practice field, probably a full floor below the level of the parking lot. |
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| A few from ground level in the back puts the size of the building in better perspective. |
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| From the side |
CLICK HERE for the Dartmouth Campus Services weekly update on the 70,000 square foot facility that the college has projected will be ready in the first quarter of 2020.
For those unfamiliar with the indoor practice facility, CLICK HERE for more background. From that page:
The primary feature will be a 56,000 square foot FieldTurf surface which is nearly three times the size of the temporary turf used inside Leverone Field House’s track. The building will also include a lobby, meeting room, rest rooms, storage areas, a satellite sports medicine space, two video filming platforms, two baseball/softball batting tunnels, and netting to protect the facility and to divide the space when desired.
To put that square footage of turf in perspective, a regulation football field covers 57,600 square feet.
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Speaking of athletic facilities, Jeff Jacobs takes a look in the Middletown Press at the somewhat controversial installation of artificial turf at the former swamp know as Yale Bowl. The story includes an aerial photo of the Bowl that really does look pretty sweet. (LINK)
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The Post Independent in gorgeous Glenwood Springs, Colo., has a story under the headline USA Football pilots program to attract more young players that includes the following about USA Football's Football Development Model:
“The FDM is a progressive approach for the development and safety of our players as they are learning the game,” said Dartmouth coach Buddy Teevens, a member of the council. “This is 21st-century football that embraces the value of the team experience, fundamental skill instruction and contact reduction in an effort to teach the sport in a smarter and safer fashion.”
Green Alert Take: That ESPN story the other day certainly did not overstate Buddy Teevens' impact on the future of the game of football. CLICK HERE if you missed the story.
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In-depth Colgate and Jacksonville season previews have been posted on BGA Premium the last two nights and Marist will go up this evening as I wrap up a look at Dartmouth's nonconference opponents.
Brown will be the subject tomorrow as the series moves on to Ivy League teams in alphabetical order over the next seven days. The opponent previews will conclude with a look at Yale one week from tonight, with practice coverage commencing one week from tomorrow. To sign up for BGA Premium, CLICK HERE.
