In the Future, the Demand for Indoor and Outdoor Recreation Facilities by Students and Club Sports will be Greater Than What the Kent Campus Now Offers; Athletics Has a Facility Plan to Achieve its “Game Plan” Goals

According to a June 2017 student survey, Kent State offers high quality recreational facilities.  Nearly half of students utilize the Student Recreation and Wellness Center two or more times per week.  Overcrowding and inconvenient parking deters students from pursuing more indoor recreational sports and fitness activities on campus.  The majority of survey respondents reported never utilizing outdoor facilities, but of those that do, the campus hiking and biking trails are most used.

Due to the currently high activity of KSU students and anticipated enrollment growth, the greatest future demand will be for more self-directed fitness facilities.   More weight & fitness areas, group fitness and mind/body studios, and indoor basketball courts will be needed.  When adding more indoor recreation facilities, the existing deficit of facilities in the west and north areas of campus should be considered.

There is a demand for more outdoor recreation fields to support KSU’s club sports.  The university can either formalize the scheduled recreational use of Manchester Field, Centennial Field, and University Commons, or it can provide additional recreational fields.

The Athletics Game Day Strategic Plan and Facility Master Plan will address anticipated Athletics needs, including the addition of Women’s Lacrosse in 2018.  Planned improvements include student athlete academic support and practice court improvements in the MACC and MACC Annex, moving the outdoor track to the indoor field house, and moving Women’s Softball to Schoonover to share practice facilities with Men’s Baseball.

If additional indoor recreational facilities are provided, where on campus should they be located?