New Field House Creates New Possibilities

Big things are happening at Northfield Mount Hermon this summer, as two new athletics facilities near completion. On Oct. 24, NMH will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Ice Barn, which provides a new home for the school's growing hockey program. Meanwhile, the conversion of McCollum Arena into a multisport field house promises to be a boon for the entire NMH community.

With expanded practice spaces for several teams and the versatility to serve as a meeting place for the entire campus, the field house is a linchpin in the school's vision for its future, on and off the court. The facility will feature four convertible tennis/basketball courts, surrounded by a 150-meter track, and new bathroom facilities.

The transformation, which began last spring, is on track to be completed by late fall, said Jeff Seymour, the director of facilities and grounds. "McCollum was basically a shed,” he said. “There were no walls, no insulation, no anything, so we pretty much tore it down to just the steel frame."

The structure was bolstered with additional steel beams and enclosed with insulated metal wall panels similar to those used in the Ice Barn and the Li Wrestling Center. Contractors are installing rubber compound sports flooring for use on indoor basketball and tennis courts. In addition, the exterior of the building is being upgraded to include expanded parking, new landscaping, and a walkway and gathering area between the field house and the adjacent facilities.

The end result will be a building capable of providing much-needed space for athletics programs and community events, said Telia Marks-McCall, NMH's athletics director. Larger programs such as basketball will have more court time for their teams without sacrificing their evening and weekend hours for practice; Teams that have lacked access to facilities in the colder months will be able practice in the offseason. And space in existing facilities such as Forslund Gym will be freed up for other activities and events.

"It's not only about adding that space, but freeing up a lot of space in [Forslund]," Marks-McCall said. "It gives us flexibility in our schedule, which is critical to remain competitive."

The space's versatility also opens the door to a number of potential programs throughout the year, from tournaments to summer camps and larger community events. 

"We're excited to figure out the possibilities of what can happen," said Marks-McCall. "We already have great facilities, and we're continuing to add to them. Hopefully, it's sending a message to our student population that these are bases for you to grow from."

Boys' varsity tennis head coach Bill Roberts said the addition of winter practice space and greater access to courts will help NMH recruit athletes and take advantage of the sport's popular resurgence. "Whenever I'm trying to recruit a serious tennis player, the first question they have is: 'Do you have indoor tennis courts?' Access to something like that in the winter months will completely revitalize the program and allow us to better compete. The team is very much looking forward to it."

"These indoor courts will be transformational for tennis at NMH," agreed Tommy Wey ’28, captain of the boys' varsity tennis team. "They'll give us a consistency we've never had before and could be a major turning point for the program. Facilities won't automatically help us win matches, but you can enter the season better prepared, maintain momentum throughout the year, and build a stronger, more competitive program over time."

The field house is another concrete example of the school's values and its investment in students, he added. "It's the people that make this community special. We've got nice facilities, we've got a nice location, but, ultimately, how do we combine those together and create the best community possible? [The field house] gives us the ability to discover and cultivate that talent within our own community and a lot more flexibility. It's a win for everybody."

—Max Hunt

Photos by Matthew Cavanaugh.