MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Briarcrest Christian School broke ground Friday on a new $12.8 million Athletic Training and Development Center.
“We are serious about our athletics. We are serious about competing at the highest level,” said Walker Jones, Chairman of the athletic campaign.
“We have about 70% of our student body that participates in athletics and that is all the way from our junior kindergartners through our seniors. So, there will be a number of students and families that will benefit from the Petrie Athletic Center,” said Caron Swatley, President of Briarcrest Christian School.
“Every great facility has a nickname,” said Jones.
“And this is going to be called the PAC," said Swatley.
Briarcrest leaders said the facility will include a state-of-the art training room based on Campbell Clinic best practices, a media room with graduated seating; a girls’ locker room accommodating more than 90 student athletes, a new boys’ locker room with nearly 60 lockers for student athletes, and a new 6,000 square-foot weight room.
“You’re talking about 19 varsity sports here, men’s and women’s, and there’s something for everyone of those 19 sports,” said Jones.
There will also be a 70-yard artificial turf covered practice field, adjacent to the center, which the school said will be used by football, lacrosse, soccer, cheer, and many more outdoor sports teams during inclement weather.
“This building, having everybody in the same location, allows us the ability to create winning culture,” said Jones.
“Our students will be directly benefited though this project. First and foremost, it gives our coaches an opportunity to build relationships and use athletics to get to know our students better and eventually to be able to help them become better student athlete. But also, to be able to point them to the hope that they have in Christ,” said Swatley.
Construction of the facility is estimated to take twelve months.
“We hope by this time next year that we will be in the major part of this facility,” said Jones. “We looked at it to be about a 12-to-14-month process. You can see dirt has already been moving.”