page 10 • sports • sept. 4, 2009
Clemens Stadium press box undegoes renovation
SiLU MA • s1ma@csbsju.edu
The newly renovated Clemens Stadium press box will be completed for the Johnnies first home game against UW Eau Claire on Saturday, Sept. 12.
By Chad Henle
cahenle@csbsju.edu
Clemens Stadium, once mentioned by Sports Illustrated as one of the top ten stadiums in which to watch a college football game, improved over the
summer. The renovation to the press box overlooking the football field will enhance the experience for the corporate donors of St. John’s football, the President and his distinguished guests.
Construction on the press box began in mid-May just after students left for summer break. The renovations on the new press box not only include a new level, but many more additions to the general
facility.
“The first reason for the renovation was for the press box to be brought up to code,” St. John’s Athletic Director Tom Stock said.
The construction on the press box will be done for the Johnnies’ first home game versus UW Eau Claire. The first project that was completed was a new structural support installed for the ground floor which houses the concession stands at Clemens Stadium. The second tier, which was once a mess of media, coaches and corporate donors, is now a well designed area with separate boxes for each.
The new section of the press box is located on the third tier of the building. This tier is labeled as the President’s Box. The new tier will raise the bar of the viewing experience for the President and his honored guests as well as the corporate donors. The tier is organized to enhance the experience for those watching and cheering for Johnnie football.
Other renovations have also made their way into the
redesigned press box. It is now equipped with a new water main for the restrooms located on the second and third tiers. A new deck has been built on the back side of the press box for the traffic of people who will be inside. The last renovation is an elevator, allowing easier transport up and down the new levels.
The cost of the renovations to the Clemens Stadium press box is estimated to be $500,000, and has largely been financed by private donors.
“The construction did not tap into a single tuition dollar of
students,” Stock said. “In addition we expect this project to have a great return on investment.”
A better place to build
affinity should translate into more
dollars from donors used toward improvements.
“The new press box in Clemens Stadium is one of the best in the nation for viewing football games and fits right into Johnnie football’s long-standing tradition of excellence,” Stock said.
Kimble takes charge of Blazer soccer
Johnnies strive for success
JOHN BIASI • jbiasi@csbsju.edu
The Johnnie cross country team is lead by 11 solid seniors.
By Maggie Berg
mpberg@csbsju.edu
Members of the SJU cross country team lace their running shoes in excitement to see what the 2009 season will bring.
“I think we have a stronger team this year than last,” senior runner Andrew Stevens said. “The core group that are racing at the front are great, as well as good supporting members. It’s gonna be a good year.”
Stevens is one of 11 seniors on the team. He joins Ryan Noack, Patrick Lowder and Matt Harren, who are also looking forward to a rewarding season.
These seniors have formed a strong bond after training and running together for four years. They have also helped each other grow as athletes.
“The senior class has a lot of very competitive runners,” Noack said. “As freshmen, we had similar skills and work ethics that pushed us to get better together.
Preparing for his senior year has been a four-year-long process, Harren explains.
“Our coach sets it up to be a four year program, where you are your best in the last year,” Harren said. “The ones who seem to want it most seem to succeed.”
Since there is a large group of seniors this year, finding a running partner is easy. Team members work together to motivate each other during peak competition, as well as in training during the off-season.
“Whether you want to go for a run or not, you have people pushing you to go,” Noack said. “Then you come into the season in your best shape.”
This year, the Johnnies hope to improve their finish at the conference meet. Noack explains that the MIAC is one of the toughest conferences in terms of competition. This means that everyone needs to show up and run their best, in order for the Johnnies to have a successful season. Going to Nationals is the ultimate goal.
“If we are able to push each other during regular season races, it will boost us to go to Nationals,” Lowder said.
Members know in order to compete at Nationals it will take work and perseverance.
“We need to take one race at a time,” Lowder said.
To run well and race healthily are goals for this season. “The years we are successful are the years we are the healthiest,” Noack said.
The team will start this fall by hosting the St. John’s Invitational on Sept. 11, in Collegeville.
SOPHOUEN T. CHINN • stchinn@csbsju.edu
New head coach Steve Kimble goes through film to prepare the Blazers for another successful NCAA Division III National Tournament appearance.
By Anna Brackin
akbrackin@csbsju.edu
Entering into the 2009 soccer season, the Blazers will be led by a new but familiar face to the CSB/SJU campuses. This year, St. John’s Alumnus Steve Kimble will take charge of the Blazer varsity soccer team.
“I, like most alum, enjoyed my experience here,” Kimble said. “So I’m really excited to be back. It’s like being a super senior except this time they’re paying me.”
Since graduating in 1999, Kimble has worked at numerous places, but his years of experience led him back to CSB/SJU. Kimble spent the last seven years as the head soccer coach at Brainerd High School in Brainerd, Minn., in which he finished with an overall record of 99-23-8.
He was previously an assistant girls’ soccer coach and varsity track and field throwing coach at Sartell High School from 1998-2002. Following college, he was an assistant track and field coach at St. John’s University during the spring of 2000.
The Blazer soccer team finished the 2008 season in a four-way tie for third place in the MIAC with a 7-4 conference record and an overall record of 13-5. For the 2009 season, Kimble will share leadership with seniors Alison Tourville and Shannon Strohm in hopes of improving this record.
“We expect bigger and better things from every person, on and off the field. It should be a great season with a team that has lots of potential,” Junior Kelly Suter said.
With CSB losing 10 seniors to graduation, the Blazers are counting on some of their younger players to play well. Juniors Chelsi Larson, Maija Schmelzer and sophomore Heather Beshears will be looked toward to step up and fill some of these key roles. The women will also add 12 first-year players who they hope will give the team a fresh look.
“Coach Kimble is bringing many new ideas of training to our program that will hopefully open a lot of doors for our young team,” Tourville said.
Although many challenges lie ahead of the Blazers, they are eager to start their season.
“So many things are different from last year ... new coach, new assistant coach, new freshmen, new training room, finally a locker room ... we’re very privileged as a team and with the fresh legs and a new energy, with so much input coming from the new coaches and student coaches,” Suter said. “We’re a whole new team from last year.”
The Blazers will kick off the season with a home game this Saturday where they will play the University of Wisconsin-Eau-Claire.
