Editorial: Trackless, nowhere to run

For years, the university has been upgrading its athletic venues — the football stadium has expanded, the basketball court is more vibrant, and we’ve added a new, full softball stadium.

The program that has gotten the short end of the stick, however, is FIU Track and Field, who travels to the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar to practice on a track with throwing circles and jumping pits.

We believe that if the Athletics program wants the track and field to succeed that within the foreseeable future a facility must be procured for the Panthers that is more accessible.

With Ryan Heberling making the transition within the last six months from assistant head coach and throwers coach to interim head coach to now, full time head coach the question is raised as to whether or not during his time at the helm if Executive Director of Sports and Entertainment Pete Garcia will decide to put money into putting a track on FIU property. However, as good of an option as that may be, another may be hiding right under the noses of athletics.

Out of many options for putting it at an on campus location, there is really one main place where an addition of a track and field facility would make the most sense at MMC. A plan would be to update the soccer facility to also fit the necessary track, pits, throwing circles and etc. One of the other main options would be if FIU were to acquire the fairgrounds, which holds plenty of place for not only more athletic venues but other buildings. This would be the most ideal location, given that the fairgrounds are acquired.

Of course, with currently more room, a facility could be put  at BBC. At Biscayne Bay, there are several locations that it could be placed. Those include the piece of land that is southeast from the Kovens Center, where there is currently nothing but a trail surrounding trees and barren grass. As well as the area in between the tennis center and where Bay Vista Housing currently sits.

The options that may be hiding currently from Athletics, besides the multiple places at BBC include already finished and in-use facilities near each of the two main campuses. Off campus options include Tropical Park near MMC and Ronald L. Book Athletic Stadium near BBC. It may be simple to rent one of these facilities or even buy one of them from Miami-Dade County and make it the home facility for the Panthers.

If Athletics did not want to spend the money on building an entirely brand new facility, and they wanted to buy one the best option – in the opinion of the editorial board – would be Book Athletic Stadium near BBC. It would cost a lot less money to purchase the facility and make it look more FIU themed, than it would to build a completely new one.

However, even though Heberling may not believe so, it would not be surprising if some potentially great track and field athletes passed on coming to FIU simply for the reason of not having a track on campus.

eboard@fiusm.com