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| SportsSunday, August 26, 2007 11:53 PM CDT |
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More sports? Heartland plans to take it slow
NORMAL — Eventually, Nate Metzger can see Heartland Community College fielding teams in men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and men’s golf. Current high school athletes, though, shouldn’t plan on playing those sports at Heartland when they graduate. Metzger, who is Heartland’s athletic director, said there are no immediate plans to expand the athletic program from the four sports — baseball, softball and men’s and women’s soccer — the Hawks are starting this school year. “In all honesty, Jon (Astroth, Heartland’s president) doesn’t like to talk about it. He said we’ll talk about that later. In his mind, he wants us to get established,” said Metzger, who also is Heartland’s baseball coach. “I know long-term, I’m going to say it will be five to eight years before we have men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and men’s golf. Those would be the other four. I never see us going beyond that.” With the Fitness & Recreation Center, which will include a gymnasium and weight room, part of Heartland’s Phase II $60 million construction project that could begin as early as November, many assumed basketball teams would follow shortly. Metzger pointed out that when the Heartland campus on Raab Road opened in 2000, student enrollment under the age of 20 was 15 percent. This year, Metzger said that percentage is almost 50 percent, or 2,500 students. “Because of that, student life is a huge focus and not just athletics, but to make it more of a true campus feel,” said Metzger. “When you think of community colleges, it’s of being more commuter. That’s where the Rec Center will be part of that (campus life). Even though we don’t have basketball coming tomorrow, it will give faculty, staff and students more here.” Heartland has joined the Mid-West Athletic Conference, which includes Lincoln College and nine other schools. All the MWAC schools offer men’s and women’s basketball except for Springfield College, while Spoon River in Canton is the lone school without volleyball. Metzger knows the MWAC would like Heartland to eventually offer those sports. “They were very open with us from the beginning that they wanted to do a few sports,” said Parkland College athletic director Rod Lovett of Heartland’s intentions. “We would certainly like all the members of our region to have a full complement of sports. It’s not mandatory, but the more the merrier.” Lovett, who used to be Parkland’s baseball coach, acknowledges that basketball generally is “the marquee sport” at most community colleges. Only three two-year schools in the state offer football. “The names are more recognizable in that sport (basketball), plus it’s easier to market,” said Lovett. “We’ve had a lot of success at Parkland in baseball and softball, but it’s tough to market baseball and softball at a Midwest school when you’re playing games in March, April and May. Have many times in April is it 42 degrees and windy? In basketball you’re able to control things a little better.” Being in the same town with the University of Illinois, Lovett knows what lies ahead for Heartland with Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan in its backyard. “We’re maybe a more affordable option than spending $40 or $50 for a football ticket or sitting in the 25th row of the C section for a basketball game (at Illinois),” said Lovett. “For a 5- or 6-year old who wants to watch a basketball game, we feel we’re a good option to be down in the third or fourth row. They can see what’s really going on and feel like they’re a bigger part of it.” Heartland came under criticism from many in Bloomington-Normal for the role of athletics in the Phase II construction plan, which also includes baseball, softball and soccer fields. A petition drive to stop the Heartland board from voting in June on selling general obligation bonds came up well short of the 12,600 signatures needed. Astroth has said that only 6 percent of the construction budget was for athletics and no tax dollars are used to support the athletic department, which is funded entirely through student fees. Metzger notes that about 95 percent of community colleges across the country have athletic programs. “Some of those detractors voiced their opinion, but we’ve had more positive feedback than anything,” he said. “It has been received well.” Get area high school sports scores and statistics at Varsity Sports. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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