When ‘home field advantage’ really isn’t

I was pleased to hear Acadia University was going to undertake long-needed improvements to Raymond Field – and even happier to learn former Axemen head football coach John Huard was footing the lion’s share of the cost.

It shows the importance of the “old school tie,” especially given Huard isn’t an Acadia graduate, but rather a former coach who obviously enjoyed his time here, which included a pair of Vanier Cup titles.

The improvements will include a new artificial FieldTurf playing surface, an eight-lane all-weather running track and enhanced field lighting, which will make Raymond Field one of the showplaces of the Atlantic region.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is, the field won’t be ready in time for the football Axemen home opener Sept. 8 against Mount A. The delay will also impact Acadia’s men’s and women’s soccer and women’s rugby squads.

While one might argue someone should have made sure the work was done on time, there always seem to be delays in any project of this magnitude.

As much as you hate to say it, as long as someone else is paying the shot, you don’t really have a whole lot of choice.

At the same time, Acadia does seem to have gained a reputation for dragging its feet when it comes to major projects or decisions - like hiring new coaches, for example, or new athletic directors.

The root of the problem is a lack of communication between the university’s senior administration – most of whom have little if any experience with athletics, and the athletic department staff - who have little say in what decisions are made.

This is something new athletic director Brian Heaney needs to address. Until the athletic department is given the autonomy to make its own decisions and the university administration trusts them to do so, things like this will continue.

Will the delay, and the reality the football Axemen will have to play their “home opener” at someone else’s home, have an effect on the team? It’s a short season in the AUFC, and any advantage is a welcome thing.

Given Acadia’s opening-day opponent is Mount A, it may not have a huge impact. The Mounties will likely be improved over last season, but they also had a way to go to be truly competitive.

The real problem will occur if the field still isn’t ready for the Sept. 29 home game against SMU. Two home games played on the road translates to a quarter of the regular season.

Axemen and head coach Jeff Cummins might be able to use “opening at home on the road” to their advantage. Normally, Acadia would visit Huskies Stadium just once in the regular season. Now, they will get to play there twice, at least. With the Uteck Bowl national semi-final scheduled for Huskies Stadium in November, it might be to Acadia’s advantage to have played an extra game there.

The football Axemen will be looking for a third straight conference title in 2007, something Acadia likes to mention as often as possible in its promotional material. It would be nice if the football team was able to compete for that third straight championship on a level playing field. Or even on their own field.