American University in Washington D.C. experienced an anniversary of sorts this month. One year ago, the school erected a 15-foot-tall highway-grade noise barrier separating Jacobs Field from the homes of nearby residents.
Jacobs Field hosts field hockey, lacrosse and soccer games and practices, but little else.
As reported by The Eagle, AU's student newspaper, the noise wall was built at a cost of over $500,000 and represents American University’s latest attempt to appease its wealthy neighbors at the expense of the growth of athletics, according to athletes, coaches and administrators who spoke to The Eagle.
Wrote Avi Paulson of The Eagle, "Since building Jacobs Field in 2005, American has vied to balance the often competing interests of developing the athletics program and maintaining good relations with their neighbors. In response to demands from neighbors and the city government in recent years, the University has banned amplified music at Jacobs, in addition to banning outside groups from using the field."
These restrictions hinder AU Athletics both monetarily and competitively, university athletic director JM Caparro said. The restrictions on Jacobs cost the University millions of dollars in potential revenue from summer camps and after-school clinics that are not allowed to take place due to the neighborhood agreement.
Moreover, the inability to use music could turn recruits away from the program, Caparro said.
“Imagine trying to recruit some of the best players in the world when you can’t have music, [and] there’s almost no atmosphere at the games,” Caparro said.
According to field hockey coach Steve Jennings, American is one of just a handful of schools in the country that cannot play music on their fields.
"Lizzie de Guzman, who played on AU’s lacrosse team for four years, described the lack of music as a mixed bag," Paulson wrote. "Sometimes it worked to the team’s advantage — American’s teams are accustomed to the quiet, unlike their opponents. However, she would still rather have the sound."
AU’s athletic department and the lacrosse and field hockey teams are fighting for things to change. There are ongoing talks with AU’s Community Liaison Committee to allow music to be played at games.
According to de Guzman, pregame music would only last around 40 minutes, and there are already restrictions on how early games can start. For example, no one can use the field before 12 p.m. on Sundays, Paulson reported. Additionally, neighbors are provided game schedules by the University far in advance of the season, though they expressed some frustration at not being able to impact the schedule.
“Maintaining strong relationships with our residential neighbors is a priority for AU,” Matt Bennett, University vice president and chief communications officer, said in a statement to The Eagle. “No immediate changes in the use of the field are being actively contemplated and any modifications in the conditions limiting use of the field would be discussed collaboratively with neighbors through the Partnership’s Facilities Planning Working Group.”
Paulson reported a ripple effect. The noise restrictions have prevented AU for installing lights at Jacobs Field, and in turn players' ability to practice on the field is limited. Lack of night games limits attendance.
AB Today found the following language as part of a document concerning field use on the AU website:
Amplified sound on the fields is quite limited and is used intermittently. Amplified
soundis used on the fields primarily for intercollegiatecompetition, but limited exception "special events" may use amplified sound. Practices for athletics never use amplified sound. The number of events on the fields using amplified sound averages 35 to 40 events or games annually, and theduration of amplified sound during anevent is quite limited. Forexample, during a regular season field hockey or lacrosse match, the total time for amplified sound is 60 minutes for music and 10minutes for announcements. Athletics Department staffmonitor the amplified sound levels at games. The staff take readings (at the fence line, which is 25-50 feet inside AU's western property line) during pre-game activities, during the first half, and during the second half. They will make all reasonable efforts to reduce the sound when the volumes exceed 60 decibels. When readings do exceed 60 decibels, it is typically because ofa spike in noise from spectator cheers or from some briefevent during the game; rarely does noise exceed 60 decibels for a prolonged period of time. Records of sound recordings at athletics events with
amplified sound at JacobsField for the year spanning June 2010 to May 2011 are attached to this document. AU began this sound monitoring process on its own initiative during the last Campus Plan. AU willagree to aformalconditiondetailing thisprocess in the 2011 Campus Plan.
Over the past 20+ years AU has implemented anumber ofmeasures to mitigate impacts from use of the athletics fields on neighboring properties. For example, AU installed one way/key access gates to allow neighbors to enter university grounds (but not allow AU students or staff to usethis gate); removed the roadway encircling the fieldsalong the property line; removed campus parking in the area along the property line; invested approximately $250,000 in landscaping to form a significant green screen; installed a decorative fence ranging from 25-50 feet from the western property line on AU property; placed restrictions on non-athletic "special events"; and restricted athletic use ofthe fields to daylight hours.
