Marist facilties get extreme makeover

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:54PM

For years they resembled the Misers of Marist, unwilling to allocate the necessary funds to transform outdated athletics facilities into an eye-popping 21st century complex.

The football field was allowed to regress to a point where pigs would prosper and cows would starve.

The baseball field largely was ignored, a relic that was better suited for freshman ball at a CPS school, not varsity competition for a one-time state championship program.

Well, the unthinkable is happening at Marist, much to the delight of proud alums who had grown embarrassed by the lack of attention on the football and baseball fields.

When the 2011 football season begins, Marist will be competing on FieldTurf surface, complete with an imposing RedHawks logo at midfield, "Marist" spelled out in one end zone and "RedHawks" in the other.

The old baseball field, which sat just to the west, no longer will exist, replaced by a FieldTurf practice facility.

You wouldn't even know a baseball field existed if you walked there today. All that remains is dirt.

Where will the RedHawks play baseball?

For the upcoming spring, Standard Bank Stadium in Crestwood, home of the Windy City ThunderBolts professional baseball team, will be home.

For the 2012 campaign, a brand new facility just west of the school will be unveiled.

And let me tell you, it's going to be a beauty, one that will demand drivers heading down 115th Street take notice and may just cause a few fender-benders.

Make no mistake: Marist's two-for-one makeover catapults its facilities among the best in the Southland.

"I think this shows our commitment to our students," Marist athletic director Tom Schergen said. "We're getting a face-lift to give our students the best facilities around."

Yes, it's a pricey makeover. One, when all is said and done, that will cost in excess of $2 million. Tack that on to the major renovations to the gymnasium last summer and it's obvious Marist means business.

But that's the price to pay if one wishes to play ball with the big boys.

As far as private schools go, Marist was the last kid on the block to update its facilities.

Brother Rice, St. Rita, St. Laurence and Mount Carmel were well ahead of the curve and already had invested major bucks into their football and baseball facilities.

Now, instead of showcasing the interior of its school to prospective student-athletes, Marist will be able to flaunt second-to-none football and baseball facilities.

"I think it certainly adds to our attractiveness," Schergen said. "People have questioned our dedication to athletics. This answers that question. We will have state-of-the-art facilities. It's not a football/baseball project. Numerous groups, like our marching band, are going to have access to the facilities and they're going to benefit from it."

True, during inclement weather, myriad outdoor sports teams, such as soccer, will be able to use the football field to practice. And youth groups will be invited to play games and tournaments.

However, there's one major reason this investment is occurring: the RedHawks' success on the football field.

Marist president Br. Patrick McNamara, principal Larry Tucker and Schergen, as well as generous alums who donated considerable cash, deserve praise for turning this dream into reality. McNamara arrived at the school in 2008 from Christopher Columbus High School in Florida and is a major proponent of athletics.

But if the football program were stuck in the mud as far as progress goes, it's likely Marist would still be playing games in the mud.

Coach Pat Dunne has turned Marist football into a winner, and the administration has taken notice. Massive crowds, increased school spirit, increased revenue and increased publicity and exposure from the football program's success has greatly benefited Marist.

Dunne, a 1998 Marist grad, led the RedHawks to the Class 8A state championship game in 2009 and the playoffs this year. With a sophomore team that was 9-0 and 7-2 freshman squad, the good times are expected to keep rolling.

"I'm so excited," Dunne said. "Marist has always been a great academic school. This commitment shows how serious the school is about athletics. I couldn't be happier or more proud as an alum. This is a great thing."

As an alum of Eisenhower High School, I wish I could share in Dunne's joy. But my alma mater, along with the rest of District 218 schools Richards and Shepard, continues to exhibit short arms and deep pockets when it comes to installing FieldTurf. Instead of playing the role of Santa Claus and ear-marking funds for a much-needed makeover, District 218 resembles Scrooge, despite $60 million in its account.

It's a small investment if you want to play with the big boys.

Just ask Marist.

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