Ambria Hammel/CATHOLIC SUN

Jason Eccles points out some of the features of the new sports campus under construction at Brophy College Preparatory.

New sports complex promises more room to practice

Home-field advantage will soon take on a whole new meaning for the Brophy Broncos.

The school’s new $5.2 million sports campus — which boasts separate practice and playing fields, a running track and a host of other amenities not offered in Bronco history — is nearly complete.

Construction workers are laying down the track, installing bleachers for some 800 fans and taking care of other finishing touches in time for an early April opening. They’ve been transforming the nine-acre campus from a rundown apartment complex to a multi-use sports haven for two years.

Its strategic location on the southwest corner of Seventh Street and Camelback Road sandwiches the sports campus between Brophy and Xavier College Preparatory. Commuters will see students from both schools using it daily for physical education classes.

Follow the construction progress of Brophy’s new sports complex

Soccer teams from both schools will claim the artificial field as home turf each winter. The athletes broke in the natural grass field as a practice area when it opened in December. The lacrosse team is using it now.

“It’s a beautiful, huge, open space,” said Ben Anderson, captain of the varsity soccer team. Although Anderson didn’t get to use the playing field, he’s glad that the top-quality facilities finally mirror Bronco agility.

Marc Kelly, his coach and a 1987 Brophy grad, agreed.

“It’s a 21st-century facility that will honor the athleticism these guys have shown,” Kelly said.

The soccer team won state championships in 2008 and frequently fares well in league and division matches. Brophy football and lacrosse earned the state title in 2007 among other awards in its trophy case.

Kelly expects faster, more accurate play when the sports campus opens.

He also foresees fewer rained-out games thanks to a drainage system on the artificial field and wouldn’t be surprised if other schools ask to use the field to avoid cancellations.

Kelly also looks forward to holding simultaneous practice drills and speed training at the new sports campus. Loyola Field, Brophy’s sole practice field for all levels of play in four different sports — plus intramurals — rarely provided adequate space.

By the time spring sports teams hit the field, the trampled grass often became dirt and divots that bordered on unsafe, said Bob Ryan, principal. He’s happy that the sports complex will eliminate such problems.

It will allow for better scheduling opportunities too, he said.

Limited space made early morning and evening practices necessary. Pile that on top of long commutes for athletes hailing from Ahwatukee, New River and the far West Valley, and that made for long days.

Freshmen football resorted to 6 a.m. practices. Other athletes were bused daily to a school-owned practice facility at 20th Street and Campbell Avenue for practices, returning to campus around dinnertime.

“It’s going to cut down on travel so they can spend more time on homework,” Ryan said of the sports complex.

Other logistics problems will vanish too. The sports complex has team locker rooms, equipment storage and maintenance areas and restrooms.

Jeff Glosser, Brophy’s assistant principal for activities, estimated that nearly 900 students would regularly use the sports campus.

Once fully open, it will bring the track and field team home. The athletes had been running up and down Central Avenue for training and using the track at nearby Central High School for meets. The runners will soon use the new eight-lane, Olympic-sized track surrounding the artificial turf field.

The north end will feature other dedicated competition areas including long jump and shot put.

Varsity football games will remain at Phoenix College to better accommodate fans, when its season resumes in the fall.

Brophy administrators are planning a formal dedication of the sports campus April 15.