Playing fields
MIT students learn the importance of perseverance and determination — and a host of skills like time management, communication, and teamwork — from playing sports. And the laboratory where they learn these skills is comprised of 30 acres of athletic fields in the heart of MIT’s campus.
For many years, these fields met the needs of the Institute’s student athletes. But while the football field and bleachers are exactly as they were when football came to MIT in 1978, times have changed:
- Varsity programs have doubled since 1970, from 19 to 41;
- the student body is now nearly split between men and women, which means women’s teams now compete for field time as well; and
- first-year students arrive on campus with more interest and experience in athletics, recreation, and extracurricular activities than ever before.
To address the issue, MIT has set some priorities, which are to —
- Offer playing fields that meet the same standard of excellence as any other Institute facility;
- add lighted, artificial turf playing fields (the standard at most colleges and universities now) to the MIT campus, to meet the practice and competition needs of the Institute’s varsity, club, intramural, and recreational programs; and
- provide safer and more durable playing surfaces that will also lower long-term costs and increase access.
To discuss specific ways you can support MIT’s drive to upgrade its playing fields, please contact Candace L. Royer, senior associate dean for student life, at clroyer@mit.edu or 617.253.0153.
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