Bender upgrades planned

BY SHAUNNA BENNETT

A number of upgrades designed to provide a higher quality playing venue for athletes and a more enjoyable viewing experience for fans are underway at Bender Arena. The facility, built in 1987, is a work horse among AU buildings when it comes to continual use, according to Ed McLaughlin, assistant athletic director, facilities. "We try to accommodate everyone as much as possible," he said, "but we have activities going on here from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. every day," including classes, intramurals, practices, events, and games. The facility also hosts more nonathletic events, such as this week's Newt Gingrich speech, than it hosts competitions, said McLaughlin.

The $40,000 portable floor, delivered last week in six by six foot pieces by Conner Sports Flooring, will be set for basketball action when the women's team plays an exhibition game Nov. 4. "On our [old] court, bounce a basketball on different spots in the floor and you can see the dead spots-which means poor bounce, and a player could lose the ball," said Shann Hart, head women's basketball coach. "A better quality floor can minimize injuries. You definitely want the best floor for performance."

Jeff Jones, head men's basketball coach, agrees. The other floor was "too hard," he said. "It takes a toll." Jones calculates basketball players spend two hours a day, six days a week, for six months practicing on that floor. The quality of the floor can make a difference over 288 hours of practice, he said. In fact, the new floor was, in part, "the fulfillment" of Jones's request when he was hired last year, and he said it shows the university's commitment to the athletic program.

"It's easy to say we want to win, but when you put that [the renovations] into action, it shows the coaches, and our students, athletes, and our alumni that you're serious." The Bender upgrades show that AU's student-athletes are valued, said Jones. "It shows student-athletes how important they are when we treat them well comparable to the other teams we play." The changes are also valuable as a recruitment tool, as facilities are a factor considered by athletes weighing their options about which school's team to join.

In other improvements, the locker rooms that serve the general student population have been renovated. Hitt Contracting, the firm that renovated the second floor of Mary Graydon Center and the entire Ward Circle Building, renovated the shower area, bathrooms, and lockers, and laid new carpeting.

Some time in the next two months, a new, seven by nine foot scoreboard system will afford fans a closer view of the action on a TV video board with instant replays, game highlights, and player introductions. Running constantly, adjacent to both sides of the screen, are about eight sets of electronic statistics to provide viewers with up-to-the-second information beyond the game score.

New chair back seating is also in the works for both sidelines, leaving only the end zones with traditional bleachers. As soon as classes end in December, work on the chairs is scheduled to begin, and seating should be in right after the holiday break.

New baskets and courtside tables are among the additional details of Bender Arena's refurbishment.

"These improvements are not only an athletic issue," McLaughlin said. "They're for the greater good of the university. When we have new seats, people are more comfortable. We can use Bender for more events, and can film and put things up on the screen. This is good for everyone," he said.