More elbow room for hockey and student recreation in WFSC
by Jamie Gonzales |
Look for a new Seawolf logo to go up on the glass wall of the renovated hockey offices in the WFSC soon. (Photo by Ted Kincaid/University of Alaska Anchorage)
If you wandered through the Wells Fargo Sports Complex (WFSC) this summer, you probably took note of the Seawolf Athletics office construction zone, shrouded in secrecy. Okay, not secrecy, exactly, but view-obscuring and dust-capturing plastic sheeting. The plastic has officially been dispatched and the doors are now open to the renovated suite of UAA Hockey offices. Plans are also underway to improve the hockey locker rooms and bring them up to the new Alaska Airlines Center (AAC) standards for UAA's student-athletes.
When basketball, volleyball, track & field, cross country, skiing and gymnastics coaching staff, as well as Seawolf Athletics administrative staff, made the move to the AAC last month, they left behind some empty spaces in the WFSC that are in the process of being reallocated. Hockey space renovations were first priority on the punch list since the team's main headquarters need to remain close to their practice ice. The team also claims some space in the AAC where they're currently working on conditioning in preparation for their upcoming season.
Concept image by architectural consultants Livingston Slone of UAA Hockey locker room renovations, slated to begin in 2015. (Image courtesy of Livingston Slone and UAA Facilties, Planning & Construction)
"The AAC is such a great addition to our athletic program," said Head Coach Matt Thomas. "As a result, it's created a little better working area for us."
Hockey players obviously come with a lot of gear. That gear was threatening to crowd the guys out of their own locker room last year, but this year they're able to store gear in their dry locker room and have room to breathe in their regular locker room, a typical set-up for a Div. I team. And when hockey season ends, planned upgrades to both locker rooms will commence.
Early season action, opportunities for young fans
Coach Thomas, building on the momentum of Seawolf Hockey's win-studded '13-'14 season, is excited to get the guys out on the ice and the fans in the seats at the Sullivan Arena this year. The team roster has eight rookies this year, two of which will be tapped to strengthen Seawolf goal tending, an area where he's anticipating a big rookie impact. The rookies join eight sophomores, six juniors and five seniors, so the scales are tipped toward young blood overall, but with strong leadership from returning upperclassmen.
Concept image by architectural consultants Livingston Slone of UAA Hockey locker room renovations, slated to begin in 2015. (Image courtesy of Livingston Slone and UAA Facilities, Planning & Construction)
Don't miss your first chance to see them in action (and take a quick peek at their WFSC office improvements) on Friday, Sept. 26, at the Green & Gold scrimmage. They play at 7:07 p.m. in the Wells Fargo.
On Saturday, Oct. 4, also in the Wells Fargo, they'll take on Western Ontario in an exhibition game. Coach Thomas was quick to point out that Western Ontario is the best program in their province, which is saying something since Ontario boasts a high concentration of hockey talent.
"It'll be a real good tune-up for us," he said. "We'll be tested right off the bat."
Their first match-ups at the Sullivan Arena, against Maine and Wisconsin in the Kendall Hockey Classic, are also great opportunities for youngsters to use their first Spirit's SeaPups Club tickets. Find out more about the new program for 12-and-under Seawolf fans here.
Increasing options for student recreation at the Wells Fargo
The great sports team migration to the AAC also makes room in the WFSC building, and schedule, for more student recreation.
Head of Hockey Operations Steve Thompson surveys the current locker room setup. (Photo by Ted Kincaid/University of Alaska Anchorage)
Kristin Reynolds, a project manager with UAA Facilities, Planning & Construction (and an alumna of the UAA Master of Science in Project Management program), is currently working with UAA departments and design partners to determine the best way to reallocate space in the WFSC.
"Students haven't had much rec space for years because our teams have taken it up," she said. "We have a lot of designing to do to figure out how hockey and rec facilities will complement each other."
Renovations will happen in stages, as funding dictates, and are expected to take several years. Some of the early renovations, like electrical upgrades and ice plant improvements, won't be terribly visible, but are aimed at improving building efficiency and addressing deferred maintenance items for the 35-year-old building.
"One of the driving factors behind the AAC was trying to make more rec facilities available for students," she said. "We took the teams out and now we have a building we can renovate for students and make some terrific improvements for hockey."
Written by Jamie Gonzales, UAA Office of University Advancement
"More elbow room for hockey and student recreation in WFSC" is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
