We will build it, if you Give!” Moments before you see the welcome to the city of Prairie View marker, ending your long journey off of 290 West, you will encounter a billboard with that motto and the design of the new football stadium. The phrase has a meaning, without donations and successful profitable events that the alumni and the student body partake in this goal cannot be realized.
Prairie View students may wonder why a new sports complex is one of the administration’s top priorities. Athletic director Fred Washington explained that one of the biggest drivers for activity and support to attract interest to the University is athletics, Washington continued, “Athletics is the window of opportunity.”
Understanding that the average perspective student may not have done their research and not know that Prairie View has both outstanding engineering and nursing colleges, because our athletics program has had a losing tradition people considered Prairie View to be a poor institution academically.
On the other end of the spectrum, now that Prairie View athletics have been producing winning programs, people assume that Prairie View is a great academic institution.
One misconception is that the new facilities are only for the football program, and they only will benefit from them. Prairie View is not just building a football stadium, but an entire sports complex that will be the home to all of Prairie View. The stadium will be built south of Blackshear stadium on the tailgating area. Blackshear stadium will be renovated to where they will build an Olympic style track along with a collegiate level soccer field. The baseball and softball teams will also be playing on new fields as they plan to make their playing surfaces addition parking spaces.
Washington said, “Every field whether indoors or outdoors will be touched.” In a new found relationship with Cypress Creek Golf Course, the Golf program lead by coach Alvin Blake will now be able to practice on a higher grade courses. The bowling team will not be left out either, Washington said, “A new student recreational center where we hope to include bowling is in the final facility design.” The early plans of the student recreational center which may include a bowling alley are not a part of the athletics sports complex. They will also build new tennis courts next to the new gym which will have an extension added to the fairly new facility. Along with the extension will be brand new intramural fields which will stop conflict between intramural and Prairie View athletics.
Contrary to public belief the administration has not put a student fee on the student body in order to build the new sports complex. Washington said, “Right now there is no fee, no association that affects the student body.” The Student Government Association has the power to implement such a fee through student body vote. The athletic fee that is in place right now is one that give student free access to certain home games and discounts on other Prairie View athletic events. Washington noted that thee University of Texas is the only institution in the state of Texas that supports their athletics program without the help of their student body, due to a newly signed television contract. Through works of SGA the students at Prairie View have power to change the culture and speed the process of the building of the new sports complex.
Prairie View administration expects to break ground on this project after the 2011 season. In order for this to happen the University must reach capitol objectives of 30 million dollars, half of what it cost to build the complex. Mr. Washington came up with a few ideas for the student body and community to be involved with the building process. One concept is called the “Athletic Director’s Challenge.” Washington challenges Prairie View’s alumni and current students to donate a gift to www.helppvbuild.org and contact five additional prospective supporters and invite them to accept the challenge as well.