ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University employee Scott Blower and his wife, Crista, a 1985 Ohio University graduate, recently contributed $70,000 to the Ohio University Department of Athletics.
The majority of the gift, $60,000, will be spent to renovate the playing surface of the Shafer Street Soccer Field, making it the university's largest private gift to women's athletics. The remaining $10,000 will be used to improve the landscape near ticket gates 2 and 3 at Peden Stadium.
The soccer field renovations will include the installation of a state-of-the-art laser-leveled and widened grass playing surface, an underground drainage system and an improved irrigation system. Other planned improvements at the soccer facility include the construction of a press box and the addition of a simulated wrought iron fence adjacent to Shafer Street.
A resident of Lancaster, Ohio, Scott Blower was hired as Athletics and West Green grounds supervisor in February 2001 after many years as a private-business owner. Since his arrival, he has been in charge of the maintenance of the soccer field and says he felt the team deserved a top-flight playing surface.
"I feel privileged to work at Ohio University and I am grateful for the opportunity to make a career change," he said. "The people here, including the athletes and coaches, have been great, so this was a way for me to show my appreciation. Since soccer is a new program, it didn't have a lot of alumni to turn to for support, so I decided to help."
The widening of the playing surface to the NCAA maximum allowable size will make the field more capable of hosting NCAA postseason games and is expected to help the team's play.
"With the larger field, we will have an opportunity to adjust the dimensions of the field to better match our planned style of play against each opponent," Ohio University Soccer Coach Stacy Strauss said. "This renovation will place our field among the best in the Mid-American Conference."
Other facility changes include the grandstands being moved from the east side to the west side of the field and the scoreboard moving from the northwest corner to the northeast corner to increase visibility.
"We are extremely grateful for Scott and Crista's gift to fund the renovation of the women's soccer field," said Ohio University Director of Athletics Thomas Boeh. "The project was planned several years ago as a component of our initiative to achieve gender equity. However, we clearly would not be positioned to move forward at this time without their generosity and leadership."
To honor the couples' gift, Athletics intends to rename the facility's playing surface, Chessa Field, in honor of their 8-year-old daughter, Chessa Blower. Athletics also plans to name the soon-to-be renovated area outside Peden Stadium, Drew Park, in honor of Drew Blower, Scott and Crista's 6-year-old son.
The gift is part of Ohio University's Bicentennial Campaign, which has raised more than $146 million toward its goal of $200 million by 2004, the university's 200th anniversary. The campaign will provide money for scholarships, technological enhancements, innovative programs, and selected capital improvements.
