Truckee Meadows Community College broke ground on its new sports and health complex, as well as the future site of its soccer fields on Tuesday. For the community, this means more opportunities for future students from all backgrounds.

Officials hope the development of their new soccer program, with a men and women's team in the works, will help to quite literally level the playing field for all future students. 

The groundbreaking marked a big renewal for TMCC. Tina Ruff, Director of Athletics, Health and Wellness at the school explains, "We used to have athletics back in the 70's, and now we've brought athletics back to Truckee Meadows."

The sports and health complex will include a state-of-the-art fitness center, complete with weights, exercise equipment and basketball courts.  Ruff says the courts will likely be used for intramural basketball teams, adding, "Five to ten years down the road, maybe [we'll have] competitive basketball."

Officials hope this will open doors to a wider-range of students, being able to compete athletically, without the hefty price tag of a four-year university.   

The $12.2 million project was student-funded, and it's that inclusiveness that the President of the Student Government Association, Ahtziry Vasquez says, makes it worth the investment. Vasquez says, "A lot of students have told me they wanted to play sports, but they had to leave that dream behind in order to pursue higher education and that's really why I think we're taking on this huge project and why SGA has been so active with the project."

These projects will also create job opportunities for students when finished, and likely full-time jobs as well. Officials also hope fostering a more welcoming environment by including athletic opportunities for all--might also contribute to the growing community right here at home.

Original Story:

Truckee Meadows Community College plans on breaking ground on a new soccer stadium November 27. It will include a field, track, bleachers and a field house for things like locker rooms, restrooms and storage. The stadium will be on the east side of campus, near the corner of Dandini Blvd. and Raggio Pkwy. on a hillside. 

"It's a rocky terrain and we have to smooth that out," Jim New, Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services for TMCC said.

The grading will require a lot of dirt work and grading, including 10-foot fills in some areas. Part of that includes removing some topsoil and replacing it with dirt that is better suited for growing grass. 

Starting next year, TMCC will create a soccer program. The men's and women's teams will compete in the Scenic West Athletic Conference against teams including Southern Nevada College and some from states like Utah, Colorado and possibly Idaho.

"It's very exciting," New said. "We have a lot of students from around the Reno-Sparks area that have expressed an interest in coming to TMCC, specifically because we are fielding soccer teams."

The University of Nevada has a women's soccer program but men have to go to a school outside of the area if they want to play college soccer. This will allow some of them to stay home and play locally. New says that could help the university and Reno 1868 because it will provide local players to recruit.

The student government proposed the athletic complex in 2016, which includes a fitness center. The 20,000 square-foot building will have a basketball court, weight room, three exercise rooms, locker rooms, lobby, storage and restrooms.

"Knowing that they have one, a fitness center at UNR, having the opportunity to do that would just make it a lot more easier and I think it would attract more students to come here," Marisa King, TMCC student said.

"I think the peers and the students will have a lot to be able to have recreational activities here, get to meet other students, get some exercise," Victoria Costello, TMCC student said.

Students get to use the fitness center for free but they will pay a $5 fee per credit fee. 50 cents of that goes to the soccer teams. Non-students can buy a membership to the fitness center.

"We are separated from the community being up here on the hill, and we think this will help build a sticky campus where students want to hang around, engage with one another, create that sense of community," New said.

Students and administrators say the complex is a good investment because physical fitness goes hand-in-hand with education.

"We know that anybody that is physically fit is a better student," New said. "They're engaged with their fellow students and they simply perform better in life."

The stadium is slated to open by next summer. The fitness center should be finished by next fall.