DeKalb | In 1989 the famous quotation “If you build it, he will come,” came from “Field of Dreams.” This fits perfectly for NIU’s new Outdoor Recreation Sports

Complex.

Just three weeks into the semester students are taking advantage of the new-state-of-the-art facility on the west side of campus. The facility is made of artificial and natural turf fields that can be used for a variety of sports. There are fields for everything from football to quidditch.

“The facility is awesome,” said Collin Mruk, senior marketing major and intramural sports supervisor. “The fact that we have so many different fields for so many different sports is awesome. It is under the lights and has flat, even turf. Everything is so nice.”

One student who made his first trip to the new facility on Monday night, Dylan Donnelly, junior physical education major, enjoyed seeing all the people at the facility.

“You can meet a lot of people out here,” Donnelly said. “We got blessed with this. Now we have to take advantage of it and put it to use.”

Monday, a softball intramural game was taking place in one field. Next to that was quidditch practice. On the artificial turf there was a pick-up football game next to lacrosse practice and people playing Frisbee.

It seemed most at the facility enjoyed their time there and had great things to say.

Not only is the facility a place for students to participate in pick-up games and intramural sports, the facility will serve as the home fields for many of the sport club teams.

Saturday, rugby had its first home game at the new facility and Osama Shayeb, team captain, was pleased with it.

“I’m really happy with the facility,” Shayeb said. “It’s great for fans who have a chance to come and watch us now. They know we have a good field and now we are excited to play on our home field.”

The west side of campus has become a hot spot for students.

“This is next level, …having your own facility that is not just for the football team or the sports teams is cool,” Mruk said. “It’s cool just to be able to call this place yours, too.”