Something that Head Coach Al Bagnoli believes is a transformative moment has begun in Inwood: the construction of the bubble over the soccer field that will allow our football team to practice in indoor conditions year round.
Sometimes symbolism means more at Columbia. It doesn't mean we don't wins and championships above all else, but it does mean it's a big deal that when the athletic department finally makes progress on everything from publishing obituaries on the web site to building things quickly and less than a year after they were first mentioned. The previous athletic department administration actually did make great progress on our facilities at the Baker Athletics Complex. But it would never have been able to get something like this bubble project up and running as fast as this regime did.
Bagnoli knows that better facilities are a key to recruiting, and he simply doesn't have 10 years to wait around while the administration drags it feet on a bubble or something like it. Bagnoli has a keen ally in A.D. Peter Pilling and the results have been obvious.
The simple fact is, despite promises to the contrary and brutal attacks on those who said otherwise like me, the previous administrations at Columbia Athletics did not do all they could to improve our teams' performances on the field. They did not care as much about wins as the players and the committed alumni. They did not really care primarily about what we wanted.
Caring about what we want, acting quickly, and improving facilities won't guarantee a winning football season or an Ivy championship, but doing those things certainly makes it a lot easier.
5 comments:
The famous gym in the park is a classic example of delay combined with a lethal dose of incompetence. It was approved in 1962 and construction was set to begin in 1963. Had the administration been even slightly competent back then it would have gotten done and we would have been set with a first class facility. Instead they waited until 1968 to break ground and the rest is history.
What happens for home soccer games? Bubble goes up and down that easily ?
Probably only used in the offseason
Makes me think how spoiled we are in California. We do get some bad weather but not enough that athletic programs would need a bubble.
For a NY school I do agree for recruiting, it makes a difference. You need training dedication all year and appropriate facilities for athletes is a selling point. I hope it pays dividends immediately.
where will the soccer teams play?
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