The University of Alabama began construction on a new boathouse facility at Manderson Landing for the rowing team. The result will be a state-of-the art facility that will set the UA rowing team apart from many other competitive programs in the country.
Nathan Sheehan, assistant director of athletic communications, said the construction at Manderson Landing is just one part of the new rowing facilities being built.
“It will be where the team launches, stores and repairs their boats,” Sheehan said. “The other part of the construction, going up with the new Presidential Village, will be where the locker rooms, lounge and coaches of?ces will be.”
Larry Davis, head coach of the women’s rowing team, said the new facilities will help the team make the next big step in developing into a nationally prominent rowing program.
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“There are only a handful of collegiate rowing programs in the United States that will have the kind of direct campus access to their practice and race site our team will have with the advent of the new boathouse,” Davis said. “Beyond the day-to-day operational boost this will provide, the new facilities will have a major impact on our off-campus recruiting of top-level national and international athletes. Recruits will see ?rsthand the commitment the University has made to our rowing program as they tour the facilities during campus visits.”
Deborah Lane, associate vice president for University Relations, said the rowing team’s operating budget in 2013-14 totaled $447,400, compared to the football’s program’s $7,572,561 budget.
“The UA Athletic Department is ?nancially self-sustaining,” Lane said. “Revenues come from ticket sales, donations, merchandising/licensing, NCAA and SEC television revenues and postseason play. Athletic department revenues fund all sports. No state funds are used for athletics. Eighty percent of all revenue generated for the athletic department is generated by football.”
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Many changes for rowing at the University have taken place within the last 10 years. Rowing was once a club sport and was made a full NCAA sport at Alabama during the 2006-07 season. With that change in effect, the construction of a new facility is the next step toward meeting the women’s rowing team’s expanding needs.
Davis said he cannot wait to see the ?nished product at Manderson Landing.
“I know I speak for our entire team when I say we are excited to see the boathouse and team facilities taking shape on the banks of the Black Warrior River, and we are anxiously waiting for the day we can ?rst step foot into them and call them our home,” he said.
