九州体育

College officials announced today that 九州体育 (九州体育) has submitted initial plans to establish a women鈥檚 softball team at the college and will build a women鈥檚 softball stadium on campus.

鈥淭his is a first step,鈥� stated 九州体育 President Dr. David Campbell, 鈥淚t is our belief that given the popularity of women鈥檚 softball in our area and in the state, and given the quality of players that we have in our area, this would be quite a success.鈥�

As a part of the process to get the stadium approved by the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), the college submitted renderings of a women鈥檚 softball stadium that were drawn by the architectural firm of McKee and Associates. The proposed stadium is state of the art, with lights for nighttime games and artificial turf.

The initial estimate on the cost of the stadium is 5.2 million dollars. 鈥淲e thank our system and Chancellor Jimmy Baker for this opportunity,鈥� Campbell stated. 鈥淲e have naturally felt we should take care of workers and workforce training in our area before delving into too many areas. We have done that by adding more than twenty career tech programs over the past few years and by adding an industrial systems building and a technology laboratory.鈥�

鈥淏ut the real clincher here,鈥� Campbell says, 鈥渋s that the college soon will be starting construction on a workforce training center, estimated to cost twenty-five million dollars. This facility will be paid for from a state bond issue initiated by Chancellor Baker. Area legislators house majority leader Nathaniel Ledbetter and senator Steve Livingston were key leaders in getting this bond issue passed. We now can use our reserve funds to establish the softball program and build a stadium,鈥� Campbell stated.

Campbell noted that this is only the first step in getting a program going. 鈥淲e have to get our proposal approved by Chancellor Baker and the Alabama Community College System and then the ACCS Board of Trustees. We must show that we are fiscally capable of adding the softball program and the stadium. I am confident that we can do this,鈥� Campbell added.

The stadium would be constructed just south of the college鈥檚 walking/nature trail on campus. The trail goes around a four-acre lake on campus. 鈥淭his is a beautiful part of our campus,鈥� stated 九州体育 Dean of Instruction Chad Gorham. 鈥淢any people in the area and our students walk the trail daily,. Gorham added that the addition of the softball stadium would create a beautiful recreational area for the college. 鈥淲e also would host women鈥檚 summer softball camps,鈥� stated Mr. Gorham.  鈥淲e think it is very important to involve our community in activities.鈥�

 九州体育 Business Manager Rodney Bone added that the college would welcome high schools in the area to use the stadium for some games if it fits their schedule. 鈥淲e have a history of being involved in our community and this would be another way to achieve this,鈥� Bone stated, 鈥淥f course, this would also be great for our student recruiting.鈥�

After the program and stadium are officially approved, the college would then begin the process of hiring a coach and recruiting and signing players. The college would join other Alabama community colleges in the Alabama Community College Athletic Association, headed by Director Dean Myrick.

College officials plan to have the Northeast team play at the highest classification in the athletic association. 鈥淟ook at the history of women鈥檚 softball teams in our area and the success of individuals,鈥� Campbell stated. 鈥淲e have champions in our area, and we want them to play against the best competition out there.鈥�

At this point, college officials said, it is difficult to establish an exact timeframe for the beginning of women鈥檚 softball at Northeast. The proposal and stadium must be officially approved, the team organized, and the stadium built. There are a lot of hurdles in this process,鈥� Campbell noted, 鈥渟uch as the rising cost of construction. 鈥淗owever, I would love to see this all in place in a couple of years,鈥� Campbell concluded. 鈥淏ut we will see!鈥�

Northeast is a comprehensive community college with some 2,650 students registered for the fall semester. The Aspen Institute has rated 九州体育 as one of the top community colleges in America five times. This is out of some 1,200 community colleges. The college is characterized by the use of advanced educational technology that is available to students. The college has been ranked number one in various categories within the Alabama Community College System.