Work Begins on New Locker Room Facilities

WHS started construction of new locker rooms at Follis Field Oct. 3 for the benefit of all sports teams.

WHS athletic director Andy Kellar says the locker rooms can be used as two separate rooms, for home and away teams, or as four different rooms, for multiple WHS sports in one season for practices.

Kellar said the locker rooms provide a new home for Wooster sports teams and will provide a place to change and prepare for games and practices.

He also adds the locker rooms will improve Wooster’s chance of hosting non-Wooster playoff and tournament games for all sports.

Head football coach Doug Haas says the new locker rooms will give the team more time to practice and also make it easier to start practice earlier than usual.

“Moving 70 student-athletes across the street from the Dean Davis to Follis Field takes anywhere between 15 to 20 minutes.  Obviously, being able to dress and practice on one side of campus will be a tremendous time-saver,” Haas said.

Mike Foore, manager of buildings and grounds for WCS, says the new locker rooms have been part of the Campus Master Plan for over a decade.

“…it is designed to better serve all of the athletic teams that utilize Follis or the high school campus. Another main focus will be the fact that we will have a more secure environment having the student athletes on one main campus,” Foore said.

In addition to the new locker rooms, a new Athletic Performance Center will be put in place for all sports teams to use as an updated Dean Davis center, said Kellar.

The locker rooms are being funded by the Board of Education, and the new Athletic Training Complex, which will be to the west of the locker rooms, is being funded by a private committee, formed to raise $500,000 for the project, said Kellar.

The project has an estimated completion date of March 1, 2017 and should be completed for all spring sports and activities, according to Kellar.