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OCTOBER 2018 11 Pedroso said the facility is laid out specifi- cally for a student-athlete. "We're going to have a tutoring room," he said. "We're going to have a room where academic advisors can come in and do their job with our players, mentor them and make sure they are picking the right classes, and are getting the tutors and the extra help they need to excel off the court. "I think the way the study lounge is set up and the tutoring room, and even the outdoor terrace, it's a nice place to study. … We did that on purpose because we wanted some quiet places in the facility so that players will not only train at this facility, but live there, hang out there and study there." The six competition courts will enable matches to be played in an intimate setting and allow fans to feel close to the play. The exhibition court will allow for select feature matches and provide for a training area for student-athletes to develop their skills. O'Leary said the players have seen the plans and are anxious to get into the new complex. "They can't wait, and the ones who are going to graduate are sad because they won't get the chance to play in this facility," O'Leary said. "The players are excited and so grateful that they are going to have this opportunity to play here. "They know it's a unique facility com- pared to all the other tennis facilities in the country with having this exhibition court." The exhibition court allows players to have individual lessons and, according to O'Leary, "the one-on-one experience is something that no other student-athletes are really getting at other programs." O'Leary noted another significant benefit of the new complex is the easier access that players will have to their coaches with of- fices and practice facilities all in one loca- tion. "Now, if players want to come talk to us, we have to figure out a place and time to meet," O'Leary explained. "This is going to give them the opportunity to come knock on our door or walk into our office. "We're right there. It's going to give us a chance to facilitate communication better, and we're excited about that." Finally, as Virginia Tennis has risen in status nationally, this facility will be a major recruiting draw. "When you're recruiting the best pros- pects in the world, these prospects are used to training in a very efficient, productive and innovative manner," Pedroso explained. "As a college coach and collegiate program, you need to try to emulate that and replicate that as best you can to attract those types of play- ers to your school. "I think this is going to attract a lot of our former players to come back and make Charlottesville a training base when they're not playing professional tennis on the road." The seating grandstand will have a capac- ity of approximately 1,000 and allow fans to enjoy matches surrounding all courts, creating a true "stadium feel." There is also room for temporary seating platforms to allow for bleachers to accommodate fans at larger events. A video scoreboard will keep fans updated on scores at all courts, with additional single-match scoring displayed on each court. "I think this facility is going to check every last box when it comes to recruiting, when it comes to providing our athletes with the best student-athlete experience in the country and providing our fans with the most enjoyable place to watch it," Pedroso said. "Andres and I are trying to build the pro- grams together and have the teams work off each other," O'Leary added. "It gives them the opportunity to learn from each other and have that support. "It builds camaraderie and a great atmo- sphere." The project is still in the design devel- opment phase and is projected to cost ap- proximately $10.5 million, plus annual op- erational and maintenance costs. Final cost estimates are expected to be finalized by December 2018. With the conceptual study completed, the fundraising campaign will intensify to com- plete the funding for the project. Construc- tion for the new facility will begin when fundraising is completed. If you are interested in making a dona- tion, please call the Virginia Athletics Foundation at (800) 626-8723 or go to VirginiaAthleticsFoundation.com. THE PARK UPDATE The University of Virginia Board of Visitors has formally selected a site for a new softball stadium, which will be located at the corner of Massie and Copeley Roads. The main focus of this project is to increase the capacity for player development by con- structing an indoor practice facility that in- cludes two batting tunnels and enhance fan experience. In addition, this facility will in- clude a locker room, administrative support space and a player lounge. — Greg Waters RENDERING COURTESY UVA Rendering subject to change