Groundbreaking on Renovated Track and Field

After years of deteriorating conditions, Edgewood High School announced that construction will begin this summer on a $1.5 million outdoor athletic complex through a generous $1.025 million gift from the Goodman Foundation with additional major gifts from Edgewood families and their associated foundations. The facility will provide new, cutting-edge running surfaces for track and field training as well as state-of-the-art artificial turf for outdoor sports, including football, baseball, softball, soccer, track, lacrosse and ultimate frisbee. 

Executive director of the Goodman Foundation E.G. Schramka said, “The Goodman Foundation is proud to partner with Edgewood High School in the renovation of its track and field complex. At the University of Minnesota, Irwin Goodman was a track star, and Irwin and his brother Bob throughout their lifetimes had a passion for physical activity. This complex will continue their legacy by being a community-wide venue that will serve all of Madison from children to seniors through games, camps and other activities.”
 
Other major sponsors of the project are the Wahlin Foundation, Inc., Park Bank–the Heggenbarth and Senty Families, Jerry and Carol Kelly, an anonymous Edgewood family, with additional support provided by Kevin and Sheila Conroy.
 
Edgewood High School President Mike Elliott notes, “This is a game changer for Edgewood and the Madison community. Our students will benefit greatly with the best possible conditions to train and compete on. Plus this complex will allow us to hold many more of our practices on campus. In addition, neighbors and members of all ages in Madison will benefit because of our commitment to the community and our central location.”
 

Soggy spring field conditions and a crumbling track surface have frequently prevented students from safely using the facility in recent years. Donors and those involved in the design and reconstruction process joined Mike Elliott in happily kicking off the latest high school renovation. In the past few years, classrooms in the old wing have been redone, hallways and bathrooms have been repainted and reappointed, lighting and drinking fountains have been updated. In addition, the Commons received a facelift, music classrooms were rebuilt as the Walker Music Center and the Wilke Gym floor, bleachers and walls were redone.

The central artificial turf area’s full length will have competition fields for football, soccer, lacrosse and softball while the width can be divided into three 50-yard practice fields, allowing different teams or sports to practice at once. One of the biggest beneficiaries will be the sports of baseball and softball. Spring field conditions often prevent practicing outdoors and the artificial turf and appropriate drainage will ensure more outdoor practice time.
 
The track area will allow high school, college and area youth athletes to benefit from the engineered running surface. In the past, Edgewood provided its track and field facility for 8-10 area parochial schools to practice and hold an annual meet, the only early track and field development for many grade school students. Due to the deterioration of the track, this event has not been held in recent years. The improved running surface would also allow the school to once again partner with groups like the Madison Westside Track Club. The facility could also help older people interested in elevating their health and fitness by providing a measurable, safe, walking surface for older people to use.
 
According to Edgewood High School athletic director Chris Zwettler, “This new facility is something that has been in the works for a long time, it is a dream come true for us. This field is the continuation of our school trying to provide our student-athletes and coaches with the best facilities possible for practice and competition. I’m excited by how many student-athletes will benefit from this great venue.” 

Read more in article by Dennis Semrau at madison.com