Lacrosse Stadium to get permanent press box -- Thursday Cardinal Couple

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON LACROSSE PRESS BOX

THE REMOVAL OF THE BLEACHERS HAS STARTED
FOR THE NEW PRESS BOX FACILITY'S HOME.

The Louisville Lacrosse program is getting a permanent press box facility. This may not be hold-the-presses, get out another special edition news...but to the SID's, reporters, official scorekeepers and staff associated with the dozen or so home lacrosse matches per season...it is a cause for celebration. Another reason to smile when we think ahead to the 2016 lacrosse season.

It will replace the "two story, state fair concession stand" type structure that has served as the official scoring and limited staff housing on the player's side of the field and provide a permanent setting for the statistics-gathering, media venue location and video-taping of games.

Every time I'd saunter across the field to gather halftime or post game stats and wait for the sheets to be handed down to me (when the printer was actually working)...I'd think about jokingly asking:

"And can I get two dogs with mustard and a large lemonade with that, please?" 

Over the past several years, Worldwide and I have covered lacrosse matches...along with the Cards TV and ESPN3 crews...from the bleachers. In every imaginable type of weather. Rain...below- freezing blustery winds, steaming-hot and humid scorchers and absolutely-perfect spring afternoons. 

Statistics sheets being blown out of reach by sudden gusts of wind. Watching Don Russell and Patty Norton construct a cardboard shield over the laptop screens to block the sun for viewing purposes. Seeing water cascade off of the tarp overhead onto the color commentary and play-by-play announcers underneath. 

Those days are gone.

Lacrosse deserves the upgrade. 

In their eight seasons of existing as a UofL women's sport , they've had but one less than .500 win/loss record. Over the past three years...they've made the NCAA Tournament, won the BIG EAST Conference and complied a 38-17 record. They now compete in the best lacrosse conference in college athletics and have had an All-American for the second year in a row....starting with Nikki Boltja and continuing with Kaylin Morissette. The program is nationally recognized and so is their head coach Kellie Young. 

The other outdoor women's sports we cover here at

CARDINAL COUPLE have press boxes for the most part. Softball just got a press box upgrade. Field Hockey and Soccer have nice game coverage permanent facilities. So does Track and Field. Golf, Tennis, Rowing and Cross Country really don't need press boxes (although the idea of a floating and self-propelled press box to cover rowing would be a novel concept...) 

We see Lacrosse continuing their successes and becoming a relevant competitor in the ACC. A conference that has three of the final four teams in the NCAA Lacrosse semifinals in Syracuse, Duke and North Carolina. The fourth team (Maryland) was a ACC member for many years. 

Although the advent of a press box will not affect player recruitment to any major degree...we see it as a commitment from Tom Jurich and UofL President James Ramsey to the continued excellence of all UofL sports. Best teams, state-of-the art facilities.  

And, it will be nice to cover this excellence in a facility that offers shelter from the elements. Players, obviously, play in all kinds of conditions. Fans attend and watch in all types of weather.

When it comes to the actual coverage and administration of an event, though, a permanent facility with dedicated electrical outlets and capabilities, accessible and convenient viewing venues and working Internet, communication and information gathering ports is mandatory.   

Thanks for the upgrade, Cards! 

paulie