Ask the A.D. is back for 2018-19. Each month, Appalachian State fans and supporters can reach out to Director of Athletics
Doug Gillin with questions regarding Appalachian State Athletics. Please submit questions via email at
AskTheAD@appstate.edu.
What's the latest on the end zone project at Kidd Brewer Stadium?
We are near completion of the advanced planning stages of the north end zone facility. As we work with architects, we will be releasing drawings and more details in the near future. This project has been in the works for some time now, and I am excited that it's about to be a reality. With plans to include athletic training and nutrition science research, conference and continuing education training space, dining facilities, a team store, hydrotherapy, an additional 1,000 premium seats and offices for coaches and athletics staff, this facility will be transformational for not only App State Athletics, but also our campus and community at large.
As many of you know, construction is scheduled to begin shortly after the last home football game of 2018. We have decided not to put temporary bleachers in front of Owens Fieldhouse this year, primarily because we want to be able to start construction at that end of the stadium as quickly as possible. As a result, the band will move to the east side of Kidd Brewer Stadium this year.
The architects for the end zone facility will be working hand-in-hand with those planning the construction and renovation of the residence hall complex near Stadium Drive. The game day experience in 2018 will be largely unaffected by these projects, and we have communicated with the 34 Stadium Lot accounts whose parking has been impacted for this season. As more information becomes available regarding parking plans for the 2019 season and beyond, we will share those details with Yosef Club members.
It's really important to all of us that we maintain and build upon the great game day atmosphere that makes weekends at The Rock so special. We're being intentional in how we develop a plan to restructure parking, for instance, and how we design the shape of the new end zone facility, because we know it's very important to you that there's still the iconic view of Howard's Knob.
The construction of new residence halls is a positive, both for the university as a whole and for our student-athletes. Having brand new residence halls will be attractive and beneficial to those student-athletes and serve as a great recruiting tool for our university and our head coaches.
Since the track is being removed from the football stadium, where will the new one go?
Construction of a new track complex at the old Watauga High School property off Highway 105 will be a priority once we begin construction on the end zone facility. While we'll be working with Chancellor Everts, the Board of Trustees and the Board of Governors to receive official approval on everything that's planned for both App State Athletics and the University at that site, the track is part of a plan that also includes a softball facility, six outdoor tennis courts, four indoor courts and a fieldhouse with locker rooms and coaches' offices.
While there will be no home track and field meets during the spring of 2019, there should be about three-fourths of the track remaining so that our student-athletes can still train in Kidd Brewer Stadium during that part of the construction phase. Eventually, more turf will cover the areas where the track currently sits, and having a larger space in which to spread out will help our football team as it goes through its daily workouts on the field in Kidd Brewer Stadium.
With the newly constructed field hockey building at Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field, a new locker room for volleyball in the Holmes Center and the ongoing projects to upgrade our wrestling facilities in Varsity Gym as a few examples, and the plans for track and field, softball and tennis at the old high school site as further proof, we want all of our student-athletes to have world-class facilities at App State.
Thank you to everyone whose support has made these facility improvements possible. If you're not a Yosef Club member, haven't purchased season football tickets or haven't made a gift to A Mountaineer Impact, we encourage you to consider those options, because they truly make a huge difference for our student-athletes.
What new things can we expect during home football games this fall?
As we do each year, we reached out to fans to get feedback on how to improve the game day experience at Kidd Brewer Stadium, and your answers helped us move forward with several enhancements.
First off, when you arrive next month and check out the plaza area near "The Rock" where the pregame radio show is held, you'll see a new feature called "The Rock Garten." We hope the addition of a beer garden with local beverages available outside of Kidd Brewer Stadium will create an even better pregame atmosphere and give fans who may not have a tailgating spot a place to gather before kickoff.
We're also excited about the creation of a game day camp for kids at the Sofield Indoor Practice Facility. Parents will be able to register online so they can drop off their children before kickoff and have them participate in sports clinics with our coaches and student-athletes during each home football game.
Additionally, we're thrilled that we'll be collecting food at every game for the Hunger and Health Coalition.
App State's Auxiliary Services has taken over the operation of concessions, so you'll see changes that will create more menu options and make purchasing concessions easier.
The Marching Mountaineers will perform on the field after home games this season, and we also plan to open the field to fans after the first home game on Sept. 15 as well as the final regular-season home game on Nov. 24. It's a positive experience for both our fans and members of our football team when they're able to interact with each other.
Thanks to so many of you for responding to our requests for input on the music that's played in Kidd Brewer Stadium and sharing your recommendations. Those suggestions will be taken into account as we develop a game day playlist, and we can't wait to see all of our fall sports teams take the field for what will be an exciting year in 2018-19.
The early portion of the fall schedule resumes this weekend with Friday night and Sunday afternoon home matches for field hockey, while the cross country teams have a home meet next Friday, Aug. 31. That will be an action-packed day in Boone with home events as well for field hockey, women's soccer and volleyball. Men's soccer will have a 7 p.m. home opener a day later, after the football team has begun the 2018 season at No. 10 Penn State.
Come out and support all of our hard-working coaches and student-athletes.
Go Mountaineers!
