Softball Coach Wants New Facility Now

[BullDoug]

Sound like Mr. Eriksen is gonna go to another school very soon.

TAMPA - Ken Eriksen, who has been the University of South Florida's softball coach the past eight years and an assistant the previous 12, is among the winningest and most successful coaches in school history.

However, he's ready for a change. Especially if there aren't some immediate changes at USF.

As long as Eriksen can remember, he has been told by USF's administration about plans to build a new softball facility.

``All I'm asking is when,'' Eriksen said. ``I keep hearing `soon, soon, soon.' I want to see a shovel in the ground.''

Despite recruiting players to play at one of the state's worst facilities, Eriksen has led the Bulls to their fifth NCAA Tournament in his eight seasons.

And as an assistant for the U.S. Olympic team, Eriksen has become an even hotter coaching commodity. Last year he was asked to interview at Washington and in 2001 was offered the job at Tennessee.

Despite a chance to nearly double his $50,000 salary at bigger schools with better facilities, Eriksen turned both down because of his love and commitment to USF.

He admits, though, his patience is running thin.

``We're a perennial top 20 program, the only one among the nation's top 35 that doesn't have its own facility,'' said Eriksen, a 1984 USF graduate. ``We're still playing at the same slowpitch recreational area we started at 25 years ago.''

USF's softball facility is nestled among the school's intramural fields, which has led to stoppage in play because of intramural games.

``There's nothing worse than having Division I student-athletes chasing intramural soccer balls on the softball field so we can get practice done,'' Eriksen said.

``We should be upgrading our softball and baseball [stadiums]. Our administration has told us the last eight or nine years, we're moving in that direction. But it's been Band-Aid things - putting in 100 more bleacher seats. That's ridiculous.

``It's time for things to change. The more they stay the same, the more frustrated the coaching staff is going to be. We are not given the opportunity to win on a national level.''

USF senior associate athletic director Barbara Sparks- McGlinchy, the school's highest ranking athletic department official until new AD Doug Woolard takes over next month, did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

In Eriksen's eight seasons, the Bulls are 371-193. Ranked 17th in the nation, USF is 57-12 entering today's 10 a.m. contest with Ohio State in its NCAA Regional opener in Tallahassee.

Eriksen, 43, said the school's new athletic facility is a welcome addition, but not enough.

``I still have to parade recruits through the intramural fields to get to our softball field,'' he said, listing better in- state stadiums at UCF, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Florida and FSU. ``We play on a glorified recreation field.''

Eriksen said his staff raises about $45,000 a year to supplement the program in areas of recruiting and equipment.

``Everyone knows my heart lies with USF, but you have to listen [to other offers from schools] who want to better your life,'' Eriksen said. ``You'd be foolish not to. We're on our third five-year plan, or so I'm told. I'm sick and tired.''

[Jewbull]

All Valid Points, Now will someone please make a donation to have this **** thing built.

Anyone know what something like this would cost?  Have other Universitys built new softball stadiums in the last 5 yrs so we can get an idea price wise?

[The Sheriff]

Erickson is a genius... two years ago, the team was down and Coach left this alone... now, his words merit some reasoning! Way to go coach... I hope you get your facility!

[Apis Bull]

I hope all our sports get top-notch facilites eventually.

[Omniscientbull]

I hope he gets his a$$ fired.  No coach should ever hold a University hostage in the media.  Especially a coach who chokes in his conference tourney and hasn't made any real noise in the NCAA's.

Put up or shut up.  Win a conference title when you are suppose to  and make a run in the NCAA's, else shut you pie hole and quit crying to the media.

[No_Willie_Jokes_Yet]

Perhaps the engineering school could come up with a stadium design and build one as a class project.

[bulls96go]

Sound like Mr. Eriksen is gonna go to another school very soon.

this guy needs to be rewarded for his loyalty first with an increse in pay 50% at least and a new facility and i would say before a baseball stadium. IMO

[Velcro]

how much revenue does the softball program bring in?  not exactly sure where the money will come from for a new softball facility.

[bulls96go]

I hope he gets his a$$ fired.  No coach should ever hold a University hostage in the media.  Especially a coach who chokes in his conference tourney and hasn't made any real noise in the NCAA's.

Put up or shut up.  Win a conference title when you are suppose to  and make a run in the NCAA's, else shut you pie hole and quit crying to the media.

sarcasm: you are "right" he should take the next job offer that comes his way and.. we will replace him with what?  what will we use to get a coach of his caliber hint: the crappy intermural field?

throw away a very good coach who has done more with less to overspend on an unknown replacement.

you my fellow usf fan comrade just got the EGG HEAD award.

[No_Willie_Jokes_Yet]

People forget our coach was away most of this year. His assistants didnt do too bad....