The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

SF State athletes must cope with run-down field at Cox Stadium

“It should not look like this,” said men’s soccer coach Joe Hunter. “This is getting to the point now where it’s an embarrassment not only to the University, it’s an embarrassment to my team. (The University doesn’t) see the big picture. Nobody wants to take the time to say this is a priority, we need to get this figured out. That’s the biggest problem. That’s the biggest frustration that I have.”

He likened the situation to a teacher in a classroom with inadequate supplies and facilities for the students, and emphasized the dangers that come with an inferior field.

“We were down here the other day and they’re putting sand in it and I’m finding rocks in it. If a kid decides to go down and slide and cut open his leg, who’s responsible for that?” Hunter said.

As it is, there is a lot of work that the athletes have to put in on their own. The baseball team in particular dedicates several hours to the upkeep of Maloney Field.

“It’s definitely a big part of our practice,” said Will Meckler, catcher. “We do a lot of the cleaning (for) the dugouts, field, bring more clay in and put more dirt on the infield. If we had more money and stuff we could (put in) a better irrigation system so that the water would drain better.”

Baseball head coach Mike Cummins says it isn’t unusual for the players to care for the field.

“We maybe do more work than our players would like but I think it’s an important part of building a program,” he said. “With the budget issues we have here… it all kind of depends on the structure of the school. The nature of baseball is, you’re going to work on the field.”

Cummins understands the demands the grounds crew have on their time.

“They have a lot of areas to cover,” Cummins said. “Could it be better? Sure. Could it be worse? I’m sure it could be worse, too.”

A few years ago, the University started to explore the possibility of putting in a turf soccer field, according to Hunter, but that idea was scrapped because the track team would need to move some of its events elsewhere.

Monterey Bay, another California State University with similar weather woes, completed a $6.1 million upgrade to its athletics facilities in 2008. In addition to two soccer fields with plans for another two multiple-use fields, the school switched to turf for baseball and softball.

Both soccer and baseball players alike agreed that turf would be much better in the University’s meteorological atmosphere.

“In the long run, it’d probably be cost effective,” Cummins said. “But, up-front costs, it’s going to be a good price tag. Obviously, we’d love to have that, but with the economy the way it is I don’t think it’s in the foreseeable future.”

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SF State athletes must cope with run-down field at Cox Stadium