A lot of change has come to Longwood since the university gained Division I status several years ago. All of the sports teams, from basketball to baseball to soccer, are playing bigger-name opponents and are competing for victories more often. Just look at the schedule for men's basketball this year. They start the season at Kansas and will also compete against schools like James Madison, William & Mary and Virginia Tech. Women's soccer is 7-4 this season, including a victory against Big South school and in-state rival Liberty. Just look around. Student interest in Lancer athletics is slowly but surely on the rise around campus. There's just one problem. The infrastructure at Longwood is not quite up to par with some other universities.
Now when I say infrastructure, let me clarify what I mean. I'm really talking about the facilities that are associated with the sports teams on campus. There is a lot that can be done to improve the overall quality of these facilities. I've got a few suggestions that I think are feasible. Not only are they feasible, but they would add to the overall quality of the product that Longwood has to offer, that being its NCAA program.
The grass parking area across from the soccer field at the Athletics Complex needs a facelift. There is very limited parking next to the stands and the press box at the soccer field. That paved lot can only hold around 40 cars, if that many. After that lot fills up, everyone who shows up to a soccer match has to park in the grass lot and walk around the field to get to the stands. A lot of Lancer students and fans might agree with me about this. That dirt and grass parking lot is very bumpy and rough, especially on low-riding cars. I own a Honda Civic and I hate driving across that lot, even if it is only once or twice a week. I worry constantly about flat tires or hitting a bump wrong and scraping the underside of the car on the ground. That area is just not in good shape. There's no getting around that. I suggest either smoothing the dirt over to get rid of the bumps or paving the whole area. Paving it would be a welcome improvement to a lot of fans and students. Fans and students who go to the soccer and field hockey matches deserve to have a better place to park. I don't want to sound like I'm nit picking, but it is something that can be done.
Longwood's golf course could also use some attention. Some of the tee boxes need to be redone so that there are no dime-sized rocks in the way that can damage a club. I know the fall and winter months are on their way, but keeping a course in decent shape should be a priority for the staff at the course. Money is always a concern, but financially the golf course could only benefit from some additional funds. Apathy is not a positive state of mind, but having pride and working hard to move forward is.
It will be interesting to see what changes come to Willett Hall and Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium in the next few years. I will be long gone from here by the time any additions are put in place at those locations, but it would be cool to see Willett Hall capable of holding more people some day. The same goes for the baseball field. Longwood's enrollment numbers continue to grow will each passing semester, which can only mean additional fans of Lancers athletics. I know that economically times are still a little tough. These are, again, just suggestions from a concerned student and fan who wants to see Longwood reach new heights. A nip and a tuck here and there can make a world of difference going forward. Longwood not only needs to keep building new things, it also needs to improve on what it already has.
Again, I'm not trying to split hairs just out of spite. What I am trying to do is hold the athletics department and the decision-makers accountable for making this school all it can be. This school and its athletics programs are yours to care for and nurture. Embrace some of these improvements and see them through, even if it means pouring a little asphalt along the way.
