The view from head coach John Wristen's office at the Neta and
Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl provides the stadium's best view of the
field. Wristen and the rest of the coaching staff, as well as
the women's track and field coaching staff, will move in to their
ThunderBowl offices later this summer. (Photo by Anthony Sandstrom, CSU-Pueblo)
At an open house Thursday in the new Neta & Eddie DeRose
ThunderBowl, those who helped bring back football, wrestling and
women's track to Colorado State University-Pueblo took a peek at
where some of their money has been spent.
"It's nicer than I ever imagined it would be," said Eddie DeRose,
whose name graces the building. "It's better than what they have at
some of the bigger schools."
The complex, owned by Friends of Football and leased to the
university, was on display to its members and boosters. Even though
there remains much work to be done, general contractor Nick
Pannunzio said he was more than happy to show off his pet
project.
"We've been hauling in gravel all day to make a make-shift road
because of the rain," Pannunzio said as the skies cleared almost on
demand. "I had people call and ask if the party was still on. I
told them, ‘Are they playing the first game on Sept. 6?'
Heck, yeah, the party's still on."
Pannunzio is a 1985 graduate of CSU-Pueblo and former quarterback.
He even threw the last touchdown pass before the school dropped
football from its athletic programs after the 1984 season. Along
with donating money to the Friends of Football cause, Pannunzio
donated his time to build the $12 million stadium. If that wasn't
challenging enough, Pannunzio had just 13 months to complete the
massive project.
The football coaching staff already has used the meeting rooms and
several players have used the field for conditioning. The
contractor doesn't mind if people use the facility before it's
completed.
"The harder they work, and they more they use it, the better chance
we have of winning," he said. "I like it when people come before
it's totally done because I don't need a thousand critics (after
it's completed)."
University president Joe Garcia, athletic director Joe Folda, head
coach John Wristen and hundreds of guests toured the field house.
Friends of Football president Dan DeRose said the dream of
returning football to his alma mater more than came true.
"There's an excitement, a buzz, about the university, not just
football. That is something we hoped would happen and it's even
more than we expected," Dan DeRose said about the past 13 months.
"I'm completely blown away by all this. It's never been done before
and it'll never be done again."
In May of 2007, the CSU System Board of Governors granted the
university permission to expand its athletic department.
Immediately following the proverbial blessing, the school
re-instituted the three programs.
Not only did the school agree to compete in the Rocky Mountain
Athletic Conference in 2008-09, Friends of Football pressed on with
the multi-million dollar stadium.
It will be built, it was promised, by Sept. 6 - the ThunderWolves'
home and season opener against Panhandle (Okla.) State.
Work began last July on the ThunderBowl. The complex boasts a
football field complete with a synthetic surface, a nine-lane
all-weather track, a 28,000-square foot field house and a visitors'
locker room area.
Inside the field house are coaches offices, meeting spaces, a
multi-use outdoor deck area, locker rooms, an expansive weight room
(which the student-athletes will begin using next week), training
room, laundry room and an officials room.
The visitors locker room can accommodate two teams as well as serve
as the stadium's storage area.
"There's still a lot of work to be done, but we're getting close,"
Pannunzio said. "It'll be ready in time, no doubt."
