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April 8, 2014The athletics program at Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School has continued to build upon the tradition that has existed for years, and this summer, it will be taking another step towards ensuring that the established legacy maintains a strong presence at the corner of East 185th Street and Lakeshore Boulevard with a plan to renovate the 64-year old gymnasium.The old bleachers will be replaced with state-of-the-art, molded plastic seats from the Hussey Seating Company, boasting a capacity of 1,250 seats with end and back railing, along with and aisle railway, giving a college-like atmosphere to the gym with an obvious upgrade that will advance both the safety and aesthetics for all fans.
The stage will have platform risers in front, creating VIP seating with cushioned folding chairs, adding an exciting new cheering section behind the basket with a great vantage point.
The banners, a daily reminder of all of the storied accomplishments of past and present Vikings, will also see a new look. There will be a consistent color and theme, with new Final Four, State Championship and branding banners adorning the rafters.
The bathrooms in the gym will also be enlarged to accommodate the large crowds, becoming ADA-compliant. In doing so, space will be created for new concession stands and a Spirit Shop will be added to the Viking Village. Replacing the metal railings above the north end bleachers, will be sleek, new, glass five-feet-wide panels with stainless steel rails. The glass will be branded with VASJ logos as well as provide advertising opportunities. The current and current scoreboard advertising will also be renegotiated. Finally, the basketball hoops will become suspended from the ceiling rather than movable posts.
First-year Athletic Director Nate Zavorek ’94, has spearheaded the effort.
“We have all reaped the benefits of this gym,” said Zavorek. “Now it is time to give back and give this special place, which has housed so many memories, a face lift. This gym has shaped the growth from adolescence to adulthood for many of the people who walked these walls and I think all of those people want to see it being taken care of and upgraded for future generations to enjoy just as much.”
All of those items are only part of the first phase, but Zavorek has a vision that includes more than just the gym. Zavorek has joined forces with the Euclid through the Euclid Athletic Field Foundation (EAFF) to enhance Dibiasio Stadium. The agreement will allow the Vikings to co-brand the new field turf and share revenue through gate sales and concessions. While the Panthers will remain across one end zone, the Vikings logo and colors will mark the north end zone for the duration of the season.
The gym renovation will serve as a great ending to an extremely successful year for the Vikings as both the girls volleyball team and boys basketball team played for the state championship title, the football team reached the first round of the playoffs and the cheerleading squad won the state title.
With a rich tradition of producing professional, legendary athletes and a current spot among Northeast Ohio’s elite competition, VASJ is capturing the unique combination of a strong foundation with a fresh outlook.
Construction on the gym began on Tuesday, April 8, after Zavorek began removing bolts from the current bleachers.
