By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
For the past six years, Barton Community College’s athletic department has finished in the top three of the annual NATYCAA Cup standings. The National Alliance of Two Year College Athletics Administrators judges all the community colleges across the country and how their teams finish at national competitions.
Barton Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs said to continue to be one of the top departments in the country, the facilities need an upgrade.
"We just keep growing and we're just bursting at the seams," said Rolfs. "We take our athletics very seriously. We've put our money where our mouth is over the years, but we have a number of decaying facilities that need attention."
Five years ago, the Barton athletic department set out to determine the needs of their 20-plus sports teams. Construction and renovation documents revealed a $16.8 million project with options or phases.
RELATED STORY: Images of proposed athletic facility upgrades at Barton CC
Following the Barton women’s indoor track and field national championship and men’s basketball national title this spring, Rolfs is hopeful to make more progress on obtaining private funds.
"With basketball being one of those flagship sports, no matter what college, we have created a marketing frenzy for our college," said Rolfs. "In a two to three month timespan, winning a national championship has probably paid more dividends than 10 years of any marketing we could have paid for or set up. We all need to realize how much of a positive thing this has been for the college as a whole, not just the men's basketball team."
No structural additions to the main gym have happened since 1995. Along with a major addition to the south of the main gym, Barton’s athletic department would like to add locker rooms, a press box and restrooms at the track and soccer complex.