Students frustrated, buses absent

The location of the new club sports complex makes it difficult to get to, resulting in frustration for the students who use the complex.

“The location is far from ideal,” Heidi Knoblock, the captain of the women’s lacrosse team said. “I have to plan an additional 15 minutes to make it out there on time, especially with traffic. Also, it is frustrating that a bus does not travel out there, unlike the intramural fields.”

The $2.5 million complex on South Milledge Avenue opened for use by club sports teams on March 23. However, there is no UGA bus service to the location and the nearest bus stop is 1.4 miles away, said Ron Hamlin, the manager of UGA transit.

“I know it does affect some of the guys on our team,” said Peter Dempsey, the captain of the men’s ultimate Frisbee team. “In the past they rode their bikes to the intramural fields. It’s a little bit harder to get out there to the new complex on a bike.”

Many of the club teams have chosen to carpool to the new complex. Phillip Stice, co-captain of UGA men’s soccer club team, said the location has not been a problem for his team because they carpool.

However, the new location may hurt recruiting for club sports teams because it will reduce the number of spectators, according to Kate Daniels, the captain of the women’s rugby team.

“We've gotten plenty of players that saw us playing, thought it looked like fun and joined in,” Daniels said.

Still for some the quality of the fields is more important than the location.

“I’d rather have better facilities that are a little bit farther away,” Dempsey said.

Stice said the intramural fields were nothing more than a “dirt patch” that had been ruined by fans tailgating. He, Dempsey, and Kloblock were all excited that the fields at the new complex have grass.

Students were also glad that the university used green features at the complex.

“Composting waste underneath the restrooms is a wonderful way to reduce waste and do something positive for the environment,” Knoblock said. “I support their efforts in this 100%. One thing that is still needed out there though--recycling bins.”

Hear what Phillip Stice had to say.