ETSU students have shown a positive response to last week’s opening of the new Center for Physical Activity.
Many students were pleased with facilities that the CPA offers, such as the weight room and indoor track, however some felt that the center as a whole is not quite up to par yet.
“It has everything Brooks (Gym) had but better,” junior Chad Barnett said. “I wish they could get more stuff open, though.”
As of Thursday, April 18, the basketball and racquetball courts were not open, but there were a number of students in the weight room and running on the track.
Barnett was impressed by the facility overall and its new equipment saying, “Freakin’ Rocky could train here.”
Barnett pointed out that if the pool was larger and deeper, then ETSU could support swimming and diving teams.
Freshmen Jessica M. Minton and Laticia Humphrey expressed concern at the lack of indoor tennis courts. “We haven’t seen any indoor tennis courts, but if they don’t have them they need them, ” Humphrey said.
The two freshmen were pleased with the indoor track that wraps around the weight room and basketball courts on the second floor. Minton said, “We ran along the track and it’s a lot better than running outside.”
Sophomore Katie Henderson was pleased with her experience at the facility, “There’s a lot there, I liked it but it would be better if they had the televisions running,” Henderson said. “There a lot of opportunities though.”
But John Kroll, the associate director of operations for campus recreation addressed students concerns by saying, “It’s going to get better, but we definitely wanted to open for this academic year. We hope people will be patient with us.”
As for facilities that are not yet available, Kroll said, “We’re still getting equipment, we’re still getting different accessories and we’re still in the process of cleaning.”
For more information about CPA, see story below.

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