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Post by NebraskaVBfan93 on Apr 13, 2012 13:10:11 GMT -5
I really want to personally check out Minnesota's Pavilion because it seems really cool and unique. I can't speak about the Pavilion but I've been to Williams Arena twice and "cool and unique" doesn't even begin to describe it. You want a gym with some character? That's the place. From the pictures I've seen, the Pavilion is very much the same. Look forward to seeing a match there someday. Last fall they hosted NE at Williams.
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Post by Phaedrus on Apr 16, 2012 9:44:33 GMT -5
In 2009, Dayton completed the renovations at their volleyball-only facility. There are NO other sports markings on their floor other than volleyball. Not even light secondary lines for another sport. The historic Frericks gym floor that once provided the base of the court was replaced with a state-of-the-art Robbins Bio-channel court. The previous court was a Sport Court surface which was removed in favor of a return to hardwood. The multi-layered surface helps reduce the toll taken on a player's body during the explosive movements in volleyball. I think the jury is still out on the value of this court as related to leg/knee/ankle/foot injuries, but since this court was installed in 2009 I can't remember any player having a serious injury that kept them out of the lineup on this surface. Prior to the new flooring it seemed we had 3-4 serious or nagging injuries every year that affected starters. You need more than 2-3 years of data, but it looks to have made a difference. And the University is clearly making a huge commitment to the program by dedicating this facility to volleyball only. A short story about Dayton's commitment to volleyball. When UD was renovating Frericke Center, Coach Sheffield was walking by when he saw the workers getting ready to paint the lines on the floor. He stopped themn and asked them why they were painting in basketball lines, and they said they were told to do so. he went to talk to the AD about it and the AD got the two basketball coaches involved. Both basketball coaches said that Frerickes is their fourth or fifth practice spot. The play their game at the UD arena and can practice elsewhere. So Sheffield asked them why they wouldn't just not paint the basketball lines in, since that would send a powerful message tot he community and to the recruits. Both basketball coaches said to go for it and the AD made the determination right there. What looks like basketball hoops hanging around the building are actually setting targets for setters.
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Post by Phaedrus on Apr 16, 2012 21:11:09 GMT -5
I assume that all this talk of volleyball only stadium is a means to arrive at some kind of evidence pointing to signs of commitment to the volleyball program. Well, I have seen commitment and it's name is Louisville.
Seriously. I never knew what has been hidden at Louisville until i had the opportunity to travel there and received a tour of their facilities and goodness, it was impressive.
First the Yum Center on the U of L campus is shared by men's basketball, women's volleyball, and women's lacrosse. Women's laxcrosse doesn't really count because their practice field and playing field is just next door. There are two practice gyms, one for men's BB and one for women's VB. Jpined in the middle by the weight facility and cardio room, shared by the two sports.
Women's VB has their own training staff, shared by no other sport. They have their own academic counselor,vworking in the same suite of offices as the VB staff. The offices are amazing, obviously because their offices are in the same building as men's BB so they pretty much get whatever Pitino gets. maybe a little smaller footprint wise but very well appointed, and they don't skimp on the luxuries for women's VB. Lacrosse and volleyball shares an excellent training room, with full blown hot and cold whirlpools. The video room is state of the art and the locker room is amazing.
I have toured a good number of volleyball team facilities in my time, this one is incredible. This is what happens when someone takes volleyball seriously and treats it like it was football.
By the way, Louisville volleyball play their matches at the Yum Center in downtown Louisville, where the men's BB team plays because their original on-campus facility was sold out in season tickets alone when Anne Kordes became the head coach., leaving them without seating capacity for walk up ticket sales, great problem to have, eh?
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Post by leftout on Apr 17, 2012 0:14:33 GMT -5
The KFC YUM! CENTER sounds like a very impressive Structure. Its what BCS money and a wealthy sponsor are able to do for a university. However I don't think it's a good venue for the Louisville womens volleyball matches who's average attendance of 2,167 is only ten percent of the seating capacity. Their original on-campus facility (Cardinal Arena) sits only 840.
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Post by baywatcher on Apr 17, 2012 0:29:43 GMT -5
Earlier BearClause had a picture of Stanford's Burnham Pavilion; used about once every four years by the women and a few times a year for the men; a good example of how a floor can be sized for volleyball, so there is not excess room behind each end line, or even on the sides. Need to find a balance between room for defense and getting the crowd close and involved; Burnham has seen some great Stanford women's matches, even if years ago.
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Post by mplssetter on Apr 17, 2012 4:07:40 GMT -5
I like the Sports Pavillion at MN, but the one thing that bothers me is that you can see the thick layer of dust on top of the big blue pipes. LOL! When I looked at the photos YOU CAN SEE THE DUST! Nothing a ladder and some dustbusters can't solve. I know right!
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Post by salsolomon on May 7, 2012 19:23:32 GMT -5
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Post by avolleyfan on May 8, 2012 14:32:45 GMT -5
BC, JMU, UVA, Villanova, UCF
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Post by Mocha on May 8, 2012 20:20:05 GMT -5
I agree! Seems bright and about the right size for a volleyball crowd. and it's air conditioned ;D Of course it is, it's Texas.
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Post by gtvb1 on May 8, 2012 21:16:02 GMT -5
Is it really a volleyball "only" arena when there is also a swimming pool, track, 10 racquetball courts, seven group fitness rooms, and a friggin climbing wall in the same building? UGA grads never cease to amaze me.
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Post by BearClause on May 8, 2012 23:52:10 GMT -5
Earlier BearClause had a picture of Stanford's Burnham Pavilion; used about once every four years by the women and a few times a year for the men; a good example of how a floor can be sized for volleyball, so there is not excess room behind each end line, or even on the sides. Need to find a balance between room for defense and getting the crowd close and involved; Burnham has seen some great Stanford women's matches, even if years ago. I don't think it was ever really used for women's volleyball except in 2004 when Maples was out of commission during the remodel. For the most part Burnham was the home of their men's team. The men's VB offices were upstairs there on the balcony. For a few years the men's VB team regularly playing at Maples, but I think their permanent home is Burnham now unless they really want to be at Maples if they think there will be enough fans.
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Post by Mocha on May 9, 2012 3:01:51 GMT -5
Is it really a volleyball "only" arena when there is also a swimming pool, track, 10 racquetball courts, seven group fitness rooms, and a friggin climbing wall in the same building? UGA grads never cease to amaze me. Make that three swimming pools.
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Post by gtvb1 on May 9, 2012 9:46:29 GMT -5
Is it really a volleyball "only" arena when there is also a swimming pool, track, 10 racquetball courts, seven group fitness rooms, and a friggin climbing wall in the same building? UGA grads never cease to amaze me. Make that three swimming pools. Yea, true. And don't get me wrong. The Ramsey Center is totally a cool place, but it is a student rec center that has a volleyball gym. Probably as nice of a student rec center as you will find anywhere in the country.
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Post by lonewolf on May 9, 2012 9:57:40 GMT -5
Is it really a volleyball "only" arena when there is also a swimming pool, track, 10 racquetball courts, seven group fitness rooms, and a friggin climbing wall in the same building? UGA grads never cease to amaze me. Make that three swimming pools. I woulda been ok with 1 swimming pool. But I looked up the definition of 'Volleyball Only' on wikipedia and 3 definitely breaks the definition
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Post by jgrout on May 15, 2012 17:49:54 GMT -5
I don't think [Burnham] was ever really used for women's volleyball except in 2004 when Maples was out of commission during the remodel. For the most part Burnham was the home of their men's team. The men's VB offices were upstairs there on the balcony. For a few years the men's VB team regularly playing at Maples, but I think their permanent home is Burnham now unless they really want to be at Maples if they think there will be enough fans. After Maples Pavilion opened and their earlier arena was remodeled into the Burnham Pavilion (inter-scholastic sports) and Ford Center (intermural sports), Stanford WVB might have used Burnham, but I have no data. When I do know is that regular-season Stanford WVB had been Maples-only for some years before I arrived in the late 1990's (except for the 2004 season when Maples was closed). Scrimmages during the spring and before the regular season starts have also used Burnham Pavilion, the Ford Center and (now that it is open) the Arrillaga Practice Facility. About two years ago, Stanford stopped selling tickets for most of its Olympic sports, including MVB, so they could drop ticket takers, ushers and food service for those sports [see explanation later in the thread]. Given that, the break-even point for Olympic sports at Maples is lower than it used to be. Stanford MVB has settled into a pattern where they have one Friday or Saturday match at Maples per home week and all other matches at Burnham.
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