Renovated gymnasium a new draw at South Arkansas Community
An almost $700,000 investment in SouthArk’s on-campus gym will be another highlight of the 2020-2021 Stars season.
The school’s gymnasium, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is undergoing a largescale renovation to make the building suitable for games next year.
In addition to a few cost-saving energy efficiency updates, a brand new basketball court floor, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant bleachers, a scores table and a new scoreboard will be added inside the Gym.
Stars Coach Nate Davis said holding games on campus will engage student players and non-players alike.
“It’s going to give students more to do on campus and with the school,” he said. “I think you’re going to have students who want to go check it out and if that person goes in with a couple friends, more are going to follow.”
In their first season, the
Stars’ men’s team was in the top 10 for attendance numbers in the National Junior College Athletic Association. Heath Waldrop, marketing and public relations director, said he thinks those statistics will only improve.
“There’s obviously an interest in the program here if you’re talking about those kinds of numbers,” he said. “We’re looking forward to playing on our own campus. The gym is coming along, we’re probably two months out from having it completed and we’ll be playing there next fall, so that will give students an opportunity to have something else to participate in, cheering on the Stars. “
Waldrop said there’s also a potential positive economic impact to adding programs like on campus men’s and women’s basketball at the college.
“We’re definitely very positive and upbeat about what adding women’s basketball will add not just to our campus community, but to SouthArk in general, especially since we’ll have some young women and men who are from only a little further away, not so far that their families can’t travel, so you’re talking about bringing in families from Hampton, Hermitage, Monticello,” he said. “With the men’s team, you have guys from north Louisiana, Monticello, eastern Arkansas, the Delta area, Crossett, Magnolia, and their families were very loyal (last season), and if they’re coming into town they might be buying dinner, gas, they may shop. … Anecdotally, I’ve heard some of the families talk about being interested in the (Murphy) Arts District, possibly buying concert tickets and coming back to see shows.”
Recruiting for the 20202021 season has largely been put on hiatus by the NJCAA due to the coronavirus pandemic; however, Davis said he is confident next year will be a good first season for the Stars women’s team.
“[In addition to women players who have already signed], we’ve also got four very solid verbal commitments; two of those were supposed to sign yesterday and the other two right after Spring
Break,” he said. “I’m not sure what route we’ll have to go for that with school being closed til April, but we’ve got 11 definitely coming in next year, 12 is very doable, and I’d love to have 13 or 14.”