Olsen Stadium
Ryan Tellinghuisen
Olsen Stadium, originally called Roberts Stadium until 2005, has been around since 1940. It is the site for all the Mustang home games including soccer, track and field, and football. In 2005, along with a name change came a renovation to install a new field, lights, track, and parking lot. It is here that I chose to observe.
I am sitting on the front row of bleachers on the visitor’s side of Olsen Stadium. There are little gusts of wind felt on my arms as I start to take in the stadium’s surroundings. I can smell the aroma of the outdoors and green grass in my nostrils. The bleachers begin to feel cool through my shorts as I sit. I look to my left down the individual bleachers to see the sun flickering off of them. I look down on the floor below me and notice that the ground is unclean. There is also a pattern of ware from where feet have been for many a game. Underneath the bleachers rests dried out sunflower seeds from games past. The seeds are mixed in with more dirt and lawn creating a darker complexion on the ground. As I look on, I notice the walls on the base of the bleachers. The paint is sprinkled with age at spots throughout the wall. There are also spots on the wall that appear different. These spots are chipped and have a lighter shade of maroon.
I look on around the field. I notice the raised hills with grass. The grass is dull in areas, and coated a light brown in certain spots. The grass is short and does not move in the light crisp wind. I look down the hill and notice a man and boy riding their bikes between where I am sitting and the chain link fence bordering the track. They pause a few feet in front of me to lean against the chain link, and take a breather from pedaling. Both have their bikes stopped to admire the track team as they make a turn. Man and boy each have sweat dripping from their brows, a sign of the distance they have traveled together. The boy is enjoying this time; it is evident in a smile that he emits. The man seems all in taking a big breath and using the chain as a crutch to keep him level. I too follow their gaze and notice the track team coming in for another lap. The runners are all breathing heavily as they pass, most wearing as little as possible as they continue on down the track. There is a sense of determination in the runners, fueled by coaches yelling encouragement as their runners rush past them.
My eyes now move to the field where I see football practice in full swing. The players are in separate groups throughout the field executing different drill assignments according to the stern instruction of the coaches watching closely. The field is a warm inviting green, with white markers and two maroon end zones. The field is all artificial making it more appealing to the eye. It looks soft while also being quite uniform, almost as if it was just rolled out. I can hear the crack of pads smashing together as I sit and observe. Every so often a whistle is heard and the sound of a play shortly following.
My mind comes back to the bleachers. Even though they are not filled at this moment, there is the expectation of full crowds to watch an event on the field. The stadium is quite for now. The energy in the stands is dormant waiting for a spark of feet to bring it to life.