Against a background of dirt, dust and laborers pouring concrete in the lower east side of Redbird Arena, Illinois State University Director of Athletics Perk Weisenburger declared that the time had come to put the finishing touches on the 14-year-old facility.
The concrete pour is just the start of a project which will produce a 9500-square foot strength and conditioning facility to serve all 19 sports and more than 350 Illinois State student-athletes, as well as a first-class room for members of The Redbird Club and a Hall of Fame to honor Illinois States more than 100 years of intercollegiate athletics.
Weisenburger, joined at the makeshift podium by Redbird football student-athlete Boomer Grigsby and volleyball setter Kelly Rikli, set the strength and conditioning center as the projects top priority and indicated that about one-third of the approximately $1.5 million needed to finish that phase had already been raised.
All of our 19 sports and all of our student-athletes study and train, said Weisenburger. We have, in the Karin Bone Study Center, one of the best academic centers for student-athletes in the Midwest. But our current strength and conditioning facility doesnt measure up. Its not what Illinois State is all about.
Weisenburger emphasized that champions are built, literally, in strength and conditioning centers and the new one would be more than four times the current facilities where head strength coach Robert Lindsey and assistant Brendan Beckett have had to use creative scheduling to provide opportunities for all athletes.
You have to be bigger, stronger and faster these days to be competitive, said Weisenburger. Also, Ive seen situations where a championship attitude started in the strength training area.
Grigsby, an all-American linebacker, saluted Lindsey and Becketts efforts and appreciates how the new facility will give them even greater opportunities.
Coach Lindsey and coach Beckett do an incredible job with the facility we have now, said Grigsby. A new facility will give all athletes will have a chance to improve.
Rikli acknowledged that more space and more equipment would help.
Just the ability for more of us to access the facility at one time would be a great help, said Rikli. This is so exciting.
Weisenburger recognized the background work on the project by three of his aides: associate athletics director
Larry Lyons, who manages finance for the department, and assistant athletics directors Todd Reeser (development) and Doug Dowdy (internal operations).
There are a lot of people on our staff and in the community involved in this effort, said Weisenburger. This is an exciting and significant day ... as we go forward to complete this project, which will enable us to continue to have our program move forward as the home of champions with the best strength and conditioning facility in the Missouri Valley and Gateway conferences.
