By EDEN LITTRELL ’14
Sports & Wellness Editor
The Nannerl O. Keohane Sports Center (KSC) is in some ways the ugly stepchild of the Wellesley campus. Located far away from the center of the College, and consisting of a hodgepodge of buildings, it lacks both the elegance of the Tower Court complex and the charm of the surrounding fields. But the KSC is also host to a group of dedicated staff members. This staff ensures that the KSC runs smoothly and provide services to the student body, faculty and staff.
“A lot of people think we just fold towels, but we take care of 14 athletic teams, as well as membership services, outside visitors and alumnae. There’s a lot of good challenges and multi-tasking involved,” Bruce Baker, assistant department co-ordinator for physical education, recreation and athletics, said.
In addition to the varsity coaches, athletic trainers and strength coaches are employed to support the varsity athletes.
“It’s not a nine to five job, being a strength trainer, I have to fit at the tail ends of everyone else’s schedule. We do what we do because we love it,” said Rebecca Kimball, director of strength, conditioning and fitness.
Students comprise part of the KSC workforce.
“I have been working here since September of my first year. It’s a nice place to be, to see friends and get to know athletes,” said Emily Ahn ’16, a student worker at the front desk.
The KSC will be undergoing renovations beginning in March 2014, a fact that is appreciated by the people who work there.
“It’s a great facility, better than most Division III schools, but it’s time to renovate, to be bigger and better. It changes the morale, the school spirit. We are taking our sport performance to a higher level,” Kimball said.
At the moment, the KSC contains an indoor track, cardio machines, a weight room, a climbing wall, dance studios, a multi purpose gym and the Chandler Pool. It also contains hidden resources that are not so obvious to the casual gym goer.
“A lot of people don’t know you can sign out camping equipment, snow shoes and cross country skis, plus all the regular equipment like soccer balls,” Baker said.
To sign out equipment at the front desk, all you need is your student ID.
The KSC is also home to martial arts and dancing orgs, not to mention recreational classes that range from core conditioning to zumba. The fitness classes schedule is available on the Wellesley College website.
“A lot of orgs use the space, and there are a lot of fun recreation classes. I welcome people to come here more,” Ahn said.
A visit to the KSC can be daunting for newcomers who might feel embarrassed to ask how to find the weight room or how to get a locker in the locker room, but the members of the KSC staff want to make the facility more inviting.
“If you come over here I’ll be happy to give you a one on one tour of the place, show you where everything is,” Baker said.
The KSC is open from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.
