Spring Break
Burke plans facilities upgrades
Burke wants to integrate fundraising into mix
Dan Cusack/Staff Reporter
Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: Sports
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She said she has outlined a five-year plan to try to update Eastern facilities that compete with other schools at the Division I level.
"If we are not competing visually, we are not competing," Burke said. "If we are not competing from a scholarship standpoint, we are not competing. So all of those things play a role in our success. Our success on and off the fields plays an important role with the community. Our success makes people want to come out and participate with what we are doing. It all flows together."
Burke believes an important role in the athletic department is to update facilities.
One of her projects is an encompassing athletic center, a venue she calls "a front door of intercollegiate athletics."
The facility would be a mecca for the athletic department. It would contain practice facilities for men's and women's basketball, places to train for tennis, baseball and softball, as well as a building that could bring together coaches and administrators.
"Right now we are all spread out," Burke said. "This would get everyone together to meet our needs. Not our wants, but our needs as a Division I program. That is our goal as a program, and I think that would accomplish that."
She said right now Eastern has some great facilities, but they are competing with other groups on campus and relying heavily on Lantz Arena and Lantz Fieldhouse. Sports teams must balance times with facilities between each other, classes, camps and events.
Eastern women's basketball head coach Brady Sallee said a facility like this would be priceless.
"We struggle so much with gym space and availability there's not enough time to do everything you want to do," Sallee said. "To be able to get access to a building where you can have athletes like that where it is convenient to their schedules would be tremendous."
She thinks a new structure would help alleviate that pressure and look good to prospective recruits.
"I think it's really important when recruits come here that they say 'This is pretty neat. This is where I want to go,'" Burke said. "First impressions are extremely important."
She said when recruits come to visit, they compare arenas, locker rooms and venues to other schools they may want to play at.
Sallee said Eastern does not have a facility like the one that is planned, and that it would give recruits a Division I feel.
While all plans for the facility are in fundraising status, Burke said there are plenty of places the planned encompassed athletic center could go. Her ideal spot would be on the other side of the academic center near Lantz Arena, because there is a lot of grass space the department could work with.
On the horizon
Burke is beginning to plan a facelift to other Eastern facilities. She wants to make upgrades to Lantz Arena, as well as other campus facilities.
Last summer, the interior of Lantz Arena got a facelift with a new paint job on the floor along with graphics on the walls outlining the court.
She said this summer, more graphics will be added to Lantz Arena, as well as an upgrade to locker rooms.
An ultimate goal in the future for the athletic department would be to connect the top of balcony of Lantz Arena to the lower level.
She said the topic has been discussed, but there is no timetable on when that would happen because of the money needed.
"I think it would be great to reconnect the balcony to lower level," Burke said. "It would allow people to stop going down stairwells. I just think, visually, it would make a more fan-friendly environment. It would be important to reconnect."
She said looking in about 10 years, they would like to have a new competition facility.
O'Brien Stadium is another area the athletic department will continue to improve.
Right now, it is undergoing a cosmetic look to the field to highlight former players and postseason highlights.
"I think this will help when we bring in recruits as we display our history and tradition to them," Burke said.
Another building the athletic program hopes to add to O'Brien Stadium would be an end zone building.
The softball, baseball and soccer stadiums will get a cosmetic update next season. Burke said they hope to add windscreens, new fencing and graphics.
She said plans for lights for the baseball stadium are not in the works for right now, because they want to address the brick columns and bathroom facilities for the stadium.
Financial planning
Burke said they are in the midst of fundraising for the new facilities, renovations they want to do in the future and the Leadership, Achievement, Integrity and Responsibility Scholarship fund, which benefits student-athletes.
"We are in the middle of the Panther Club Fund Drive," Burke said. "It is culminating May 2 with the Spring Fling at Lantz Arena. Our cash goal for the Panther Drive is $350,000."
She said it is important to go out and talk to people who donate to athletics to describe what the goal is for the program.
"The way I have been going out and talking to people is describing our mission plan," Burke said. "I go to them and share our vision and goals for the program. Later, it is about going back in detail; going back for assistance."
Burke said assistance has remained consistent among donors even with tough economic times, but corporate sponsorship has been affected.
Marketing Director Ryan Gilmore is in charge of talking to corporate sponsors.
He said Eastern has not lost any corporate sponsors they have had in previous years, but other businesses have been careful with their money.
"It has been a bit of a challenge, because companies are holding onto their money to see what happens with the economy," Gilmore said.
The heart of the entire operation, according to Burke, is the student-athlete.
It's my job, as the head of the department, to not only grow the program, but sustain it," Burke said. "Our facilities are important to us, but our No. 1 thing is to educate and our second is competitive excellence."
Dan Cusack can be reached at 581-7944 or at dscusack@eiu.edu.
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