Column: New baseball stadium benefits program tremendously

New facilities can dramatically affect a team’s growth and success.

The IU baseball program starts a new beginning with the opening of Bart Kaufman Field. It is a facility that the baseball team will cherish for a long time.

Tonight, the Hoosiers will break in the new field against IU Coach Tracy Smith’s alma mater, Miami (Ohio).

IU has already kicked off the season on a good note.

The team has had more than a month of games in warmer climates against non-conference opponents.

The Hoosiers are 14-3 with losses to Connecticut, Georgia Southern and then-No. 28 Florida.

Big wins have come against then-No. 4 Louisville in the season opener and against the Gators twice in Gainesville, Fla.

This week is exciting for IU students and baseball fans around Bloomington.

Kaufman Field makes Sembower Field look like a little league field.

It’s a field that encompasses everything any college baseball team should have.

First off, it has a clubhouse that features the players’ and coach’s locker room, as well as a training area and team room. The dugouts and warm-up areas are much better than what the team had at Sembower Field.

Indoor and outdoor hitting cages will give the baseball team a great advantage for practice.

This feature means the team can practice at the indoor batting cage, instead of having to practice at Mellencamp Pavilion (IU football’s indoor practice field) during the colder months.

The new field will impact the IU fans as well.

The Bloomington community and students will really love the experience they are going to receive from now on, starting with stadium seating for 2,500 fans, replacing the bleacher seating at Sembower Field.

This will give the fans a more up-to-date seating system that they can enjoy while watching an approximately three-hour game.

Other amenities featured at the new field include an entry plaza, a new scoreboard, a PA/sound system and lots of parking.

Sembower Field lacked all of these things.

One of the most important aspects of Kaufman Field is the new stadium lighting, which will allow for night games. Night games are a game changer for full-time workers who can’t make it to day games because of their 9-to-5 workday.

The most important benefit from the new field is how much it will help recruiting.

When a high school athlete receives a scholarship offer, that person will compare facilities as one of their criteria for which school they choose.

Now, Smith can persuade the top athletes to come to IU because their facilities are as good or better than other top baseball programs in the country.

In time, Smith and the program will reap the benefits from the facility.

The baseball players will love the modern amenities that the field offers.

Fans will enjoy their experience and continue to come back to support their school.

The IU baseball program will be forever changed because of Kaufman Field.