Coaches’ offices move across campus

Many+athletics+coaches+found+themselves+moved+haphazardly+into+Black+Hall+for+an+undetermined+amount+of+time.

Xander Fu

Many athletics coaches found themselves moved haphazardly into Black Hall for an undetermined amount of time.

Simo Rul, Staff Reporter

Movezilla, the year-long push to make room for renovations across campus, has finally reached CWU Athletics. Many coaches have found themselves moved from the annex building –which  formerly housed the Primate Studies program– and is set to be demolished to make way for a dorm, into Black Hall.

The coaches know there is a chance they could be moving into the Psychology building once all of the moves are figured out even though no official plans have been decided.

Although the move to Black Hall isn’t permanent, men’s rugby coach Todd Thornley mentioned that there are some positives about the coaches taking office in Black Hall.

“It’s kind of nice being in the middle of campus in terms of when you have recruits on campus and things like that,” Thornley said. “We take them to the SURC to eat. Generally, I meet with the recruit at the SURC after the campus tour.”

The CWU moving crew and administration has had a lot of praise for how they have communicated with the coaches about the moves that are surrounding athletics.

Men’s rugby assistant coach and women’s rugby interim head coach Trevor Richards said that the administration has done a good job telling them all of the moves that are happening.

“The building itself is really nice, pretty [and] it’s kind of quiet as well, which I like. Not necessarily as convenient as the other building but no complaints,” Richards said.

At the moment, nothing is for sure on where the coaches will be going next or the impact this will have on athletics going forward.

“I think that still remains to be seen, I think right now we’re kind of in a holding pattern because we’re told this is technically a temporary building until summer but it could be longer. Right now we’re just taking a day at a time,” Richards said.  

Some of the coaches believe that being in Black Hall makes it tougher for coaches because they are farther away from Nicholson Pavilion, where most of their responsibilities, including practices, are centered.

“When we come back up and we’re closer to the athletics portion of campus, it’ll be easier for us in terms of the student contact,” women’s soccer head coach Michael Farrand said.

Track and field head coach Kevin Adkisson said it wasn’t easy going from a place where they were comfortable ito being dispersed throughout the building. Movezilla put the coaches in any extra space that was available.

“We’re kind of scattered down there. That’s a little bit different, you’re not seeing those same people you’ve known for a while and get along with because you share these common interests in athletics,” Adkisson said.

As for student athletes, moving their study hall to the Brooks Library is seen as a positive. Athletes have to complete a certain amount of hours of study hall each week, and by being in the library, they are closer to some resources that they may not have had at the Annex building.

“I’d say [the move is a positive] because you can check into study hall and then there’s the tutoring center right there if you need to stop in and use that,” freshman multi-athlete Braydon Maier said.

Over the next two years, the grounds around Nicholson Pavilion will undergo renovations in the form of improvements to the athletics facilities including  a new track and field area and  the eventual construction of a new dorm.