Cecilia Murphy ’22
Grace Netherlands ’25
This January, Athletic Director Todd Fairlie announced that Episcopal is building new athletic facilities, including an indoor track, golf simulator, and ice rink. The construction will begin this June after closing ceremonies and is scheduled to be completed in time for fall sports pre-season, which will now begin the second week of July. However, due to a lack of space, these new facilities will be built as additions to current structures, including the Crawford Campus Center, Chapel, and campus green.
Fairlie explains that these new installations will allow Episcopal Athletics to flourish. Additionally, teams that normally have to travel, such as Hockey and Golf, will now be able to practice on campus.
The first of these major renovations, a state-of-the-art indoor track, will be added to the Crawford Campus Center to allow runners to practice year-round in optimal conditions. To prepare for the installment of the track, the roof of the campus center will be raised, and various art rooms and other spaces will be relocated. John Goens Girls Track Head Coach comments, “It is very difficult to run in the snow and cold, and the field house is simply not enough space for us. Likewise, when I learned about the renovation, I was ecstatic. I believe this could have immense effects on our performance.”
The second renovation consists of a golf simulator that will be set up inside the Chapel after school. The simulator allows for the Chapel to be used for its usual services in the mornings, but when the clock strikes noon, a team of caddies will be sent to set up the simulator to be used for after-school practices. Head Boys Golf Coach Douglas Borgerson comments, “When I heard about the new expansion for golf, I originally hoped we were making an on-campus golf course built around the cross-country course. However, a simulator is even more beneficial as the team can practice inside.” Co-Captain of the Girls Golf Team Addie Chang ’25 adds, “The fact that the simulator is being added to the Chapel just makes even more sense. Golf is really a sacred sport.”
The third and final renovation is the ice hockey rink. Fairlie explains that originally, they hoped to freeze the pool over to save space and create the rink inside the Burke Natatorium. However, after testing the chemical levels of the various ponds around campus, it was clear that they would not be a suitable or safe replacement for the swimmers, and it was decided that the new rink would be built on the campus green. Co-Captain of the Ice Hockey Team Matt Limaye ’25 adds his excitement for these renovations saying, “I would be so incredibly happy with this plan as not having to travel to a rink for practice would not only eliminate the fact that all our players miss a lot of class time for “home” games, but also would remove the safety issue that comes with all of our bus travel. Having our own rink would boost fan attendance and our program in general, bringing in more recruits to bolster our skill level. The Campus Green is a worthwhile sacrifice for all the benefits.”
Photo courtesy of episcopalacademy.org
These additions for Episcopal are only the first phase of planned renovations for our campus, which over the next decade, is projected to be transformed into an athletic powerhouse. Possible plans include transforming the student lot into additional athletic fields and turning the Science Center hallways into pickleball courts, with an eventual goal to reframe our mantra as “Body, mind, and spirit.”