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Field of Dreams Newsletter
May 2009
Dominican University of California is planning to build a new 110,000 square-foot outdoor athletic complex in preparation for its move to NCAA II in September 2009. Project news and updates follow:
Dominican's women's softball is the University's only collegiate sport, other than golf, that has to practice and play all of its games off-campus. This year, in particular, has been rough on the team--their home games are being played at McInnis Park in San Rafael, which was closed until early April due to required field maintenance and repair. The team has had to spend more than $5,000 renting winter practice and spring game facilities at various community colleges and high schools.
The team has been practicing at 6:00 a.m. in the gym, but there is a limit to what they can do indoors, says Coach Bob Herman. "They really can't work on outfield play or hitting. And there are certain things you just can't simulate in a gym, like judging the wind or playing off uneven surfaces."
Coach Herman was the Drake High School softball coach prior to joining Dominican's coaching staff in 2007. The 2008-2009 team marks his first full recruiting class; nine freshmen have started a game this year. He is committed to building his program around speed. "We're not a fast team at the moment," he says. "Power is great, but you have to be able to manufacture a run."
The Penguins recently toured Los Angeles, playing five tough teams from the Golden State Athletic Conference. Each of these schools had already played 20 games outdoors; the Penguins had just completed their sixth outdoor practice. "Simply stated," says Coach Herman, "it's not a fair playing field. The competitive conditions are not comparable."
Coach Herman sees Dominican's move to NCAA II as a draw for potential recruits, but the issue of the University's playing field is an equally big deterrent.
The team is raising money to build a temporary infield at Forest Meadows and purchase an indoor or outdoor batting cage, but in the long run it's only the Field of Dreams that will make a difference for the team. "Having a facility on campus is central to our program's vision of being competitive on a national stage," he says. "Dominican's Field of Dreams would give our team the tools and resources we need to practice and compete."
| Car Raffle Drawing Just Days Away |
The grand prize drawing for a Honda Fit Sport or $10,000 cash will take place in Forest Meadows at the conclusion of Dominican's undergraduate commencement on Saturday, May 16, 2009. Net proceeds benefit Dominican's Field of Dreams campaign. Tickets cost just $20. Winners need not be present to win. Click here or visit www.dominican.edu (search: Car Raffle) for more information and to purchase tickets today. Thank you for your support.
| A Parent's Perspective on the Field |
Bill Pinella is a regular on campus, having attended every men's soccer game and almost a third of the women's. He knows the players, the coaches, and the field--and he knows that it's time for change.
"When my son, Tim, decided to attend Dominican and play soccer there, we had no expectation of any sort of move by the Athletic Department beyond NAIA. So, the announcement about this fall's move to NCAA II came as a surprise and a very pleasant one at that," says Pinella.
NCAA affiliation, he says, brings a new level of interest in Penguin Athletics. "Both on campus and in the community, there is a whole new level of awareness of Dominican. Increased exposure for Penguin Athletics benefits the school as a whole, not just the Athletic Department."
"The move to NCAA II status goes hand-in-hand with the new field," he continues. "It works in concert: to increase the level of competition, you have to have facilities that attract athletes who will be competitive."
The current Forest Meadows field, Pinella argues, is barely suitable for its current use, and definitely inappropriate for NCAA II play. "I can honestly say that for the safety of the players and the integrity of the game, a new field is a necessity," he says, citing the uneven surface and irregular dimensions among the drawbacks of the current playing field.
"The entire Dominican community needs to stand behind the proposed Field of Dreams project because in the end it is going to benefit everyone--from those using the facility to spectators to the community," Pinella says. "Both the field and the move to NCAA II are imperative to the development of Penguin Athletics. Better competition will yield a better experience for our student-athletes and bring more exposure to the University, increasing Dominican's standings not only in the athletic world, but also in the academic world."
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