As an athlete, having access to athletic facilities is a nice bonus at EMU. There is a lot to offer for athletes, whether it be a weight room, a place to play pickup games, or a place to run, EMU has that. Some of these facilities have unique designs, or features, others are just bland. I liked the idea of doing a numbered ranking for these facilities, as I have used all of them aside the baseball and softball fields. Below, then, is my ranking of EMU’s sports facilities.
11- Track: Thankfully, the track is getting an upgrade soon, as it needs one. Track and Field Director Bob Hepler said, “It’s like running on hard, jagged glass.” In all lanes of the track you can find holes, missing rubber, and rocks galore. Running on this track results in painful shin splints, and possibly sprained ankles if you misstep into a hole. While it may not be concrete, which is downright disgusting to run on, it’s not much better. The rubber has no give or cushion, it’s the most stiff rubber track I have ever ran on. I do not feel joy when running on this track, only pain.
10- Turf Field- The turf field is terrible. I have played two football games on turf in high school and hated it then. However, comparing EMU’s turf to those fields is laughable. The turf is severely outdated, and the track is next in line for an upgrade. The rubber pellets that get stuck in your shoes are extremely uncomfortable. I am always worried about getting injured when I do anything on the turf. Plus if it’s a hot day, I feel like I am being placed onto a grill when I step on the turf field. The surrounding area is not terrible, you get a view of taller buildings down the road and a good bit of buildings on campus. I just prefer grass so much more over turf. After the track, the turf field getting renovated is an absolute must.
9- Indoor Track- Three lanes make it hard for runners to turn the corner. The colors are not very attractive either. A very dull blue and white make the indoor track area feel very boring. The surface of the track is not great to run on either. I get the occasional shin splints after running on this track. Just like the track, it is in need of a rebuild.
8- Weightroom- Clips missing on all the equipment, dull colors, and dated barbells. For what the weight room is, it’s serviceable. It has all the standard equipment needed to create full workouts, is decently sized, and has enough equipment to where you likely won’t have to wait very long if someone is using something. The coloring is fairly bland. The weight room works for what it is, but is fairly middling in terms of quality. The equipment could use an upgrade. However, the space the weight room has is very nice. You likely won’t feel very crowded here.
7- Outdoor Basketball courts- I have never been a fan of outdoor basketball courts. Unless it’s a prestigious court, such as; Dyckman Park, Rucker Park, or the Venice Beach courts, it’s just not my style. The outdoor courts aren’t bad by any means, but they are once again, bland. Had these courts had some colors, such as a blue and white design, or just a more interesting color scheme, they would be much higher. Outdoor courts with personality are great, these are just meh.
6- Softball field- The location of the field is not the most scenic. Half of the field is right next to the Cedarwood dorms. Then to your left, you get to view the hideous track yuck. Behind the bleachers, you get a look at Elmwood and the road. The atmosphere of sports facilities can do a lot for it, but the softball field seems as if someone closed their eyes, threw a dart at the EMU campus map, and put it wherever it hit. The bleachers can hold 15 at most, and the stone seats are far from comfortable. The infield isn’t great either. The softball field could be so much better! It makes me wonder if there’s any chance of it getting redone at some point.
5- Sand Volleyball courts- Nothing too special about these, but they aren’t terrible! The sand feels fairly good. For rec sports, it’s very fun to play. It’s an easy spot to bring friends to for a quick volleyball game. The view isn’t the best, but it could be worse (looking at you, softball field).
4- Tennis Courts- I do not play tennis, so I cannot rank this based on how it feels playing on. Aesthetically, it’s a normal tennis court, which is not bad. The coloring is nice, and the nets do not look horrible. If you’re an avid tennis enjoyer, you would likely enjoy playing on the tennis court!
3- Baseball field- The baseball field is fairly out of the way compared to other facilities on campus. The viewing area for fans is much better than the softball fields, however. The infield is much more pleasing to the eye, and the surrounding area of the baseball field is much better than every other outdoor sports facility. However, this facility would be a little better if it had a press box
2- Indoor courts- Standard basketball courts, but they don’t need to be much more than that! The hardwood looks and feels amazing. I could not find any dead spots when dribbling a basketball. There is the main court (where games are played) and two side courts for practice. Playing on these courts recreationally is great. The courts are aesthetically pleasing, as you get a nice view of the banners hanging on the way, and the reflection of the hardwood court has always been pleasing to me.
1- Grass field near turf field- Grass supremacy. Nice, soft grass field to run on if you want to stay off the track and sidewalk. While not much can be done aesthetically to jazz up a grass field, the natural vibe to it is perfect. Feeling surrounded by nature as you take a leisurely jog around the grassy area is very soothing. While it doesn’t have a lot of design or style, it doesn’t need it, it’s perfect as is. Grass is the best surface to run on, no matter the sport.
