Lamar University held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new intramural field, Aug. 18. The ceremony included speeches by Lamar leadership and a preview of the marching band’s game day routine.
Lamar University President Jaime Taylor said the intramural field, located next to the Reaud Administration Building, will benefit the Lamar community.
“I thought about it a little bit and I started thinking, ‘Who would benefit from a turf field out here,’” Taylor. “And the first one was the marching band. It’s hard on the ankles, knees, practicing on our parking lot and it’s hot. This would be great for the marching band.”
Taylor said moving practice to the field also frees up the parking lots for students.
The location is also convenient for students to use.
“You’ve got the dorms right here, and if you had an intramural field here where everybody in the dorms could see it, well that would be an amazing thing for intramurals,” he said. “The field intramurals played on used to be the golf practice facility. Well, then, the golf team would get a practice facility back.”
The field is also lined with a walking path open to students and members of the community at large.
“All of the sudden, I got a win for the marching band, a win for the students at the parking lot, a win for intramurals, a win for golf and a win for the community,” Taylor said. “That’s five wins. How do you get five wins out of one thing?”
Ben Kern, director of recreational sports, said the field provides an opportunity for LU intramural and club sports to flourish.
“We have some very rainy weather here down in Beaumont, both in the fall and spring semesters and in the summer and the winter,” he said. “Historically, the outdoor sports of our intramural program were frequently halted due to weather and field conditions. Now we’ll be able to provide a more consistent game schedule, cementing our program’s foothold within the robust programming of our community.
“Our outdoor sport club teams now have a place to practice, and host matches against other university club teams, a place that feels like a true home field. It also provides an opportunity for cheer and dance to practice on a field that’s similar to the football field.”
The space will be available for student organizations to reserve for events, from movie nights to field days, Kern said.
“This space will serve as another hangout spot for students,” he said.
For more information, or to reserve the field, visit lurecwell on Instagram.
