‘Celebration’ honors Hoeppner

Sometimes you just need a celebration. \nIn moments of tragedy and sadness, pressing on is all that can be done, all that should be done to deal with the pain. \nWith this in mind, hundreds gathered in a tent outside Memorial Stadium on Tuesday afternoon for the groundbreaking ceremony of several projects aimed at expanding and updating IU’s athletic facilities over the next two years. \nIU President Adam Herbert, men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson and IU Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan, among others, headlined the ceremony that began as a groundbreaking and became a tribute to head football coach Terry Hoeppner, who passed away Tuesday morning of complications from a brain tumor. Associate Director of Athletics M. Grace Calhoun and several trustees were also in attendance.\nFighting back tears, Greenspan called the ceremony “a celebration.” He said the Hoeppner family mandated that the event not be canceled due to Coach Hoeppner’s death.\n“They said, ‘Absolutely not. This was Terry’s dream,’” Greenspan said. \nHerbert echoed that sentiment, calling the new facilities “a major part of Hep’s dream.”\nHerbert, who opened the ceremony with remarks and closed it with direction of the groundbreaking, acknowledged the significance of IU’s loss and the sadness Hoeppner’s death brought to the University community.\n“(Hoeppner) inspired us with his enthusiasm and optimism,” Herbert said. “We are united in our grief over our coach’s death. I will personally miss his warmth and especially his friendship. Our hearts go out to his family.”\nInterim Provost and President-elect Michael McRobbie applauded Hoeppner’s contributions to IU football and the University community in general.\n“Coach Hep brought to Indiana University football a strength of spirit ... (and) persistence in the face of tremendous odds,” McRobbie said.\nGreenspan spoke of Hoeppner’s dedication to the project and his commitment to seeing it through, regardless of his health. He said IU student-athletes needed better facilities in which to train and learn and Hoeppner wanted to realize such projects for IU.\n“Our student-athletes and coaches must have the facilities to compete,” Greenspan said. “The physical landscape of IU athletics will radically change over the next two years.”\nThose changes include construction to close off the north end of Memorial Stadium, new baseball and softball stadiums, a 18,000-square-foot academic resource center and a basketball development center that will house practice courts, strength/training rooms, meeting rooms and locker rooms, among other things.. All of the additions will be made around Memorial Stadium and Assembly Hall, and they will provide new offices, locker rooms, studying and training facilities for IU student-athletes and coaches to use on a regular basis. \nSampson said the new facilities would be a boon for IU athletics in terms of recruiting. He made special mention of the importance of the academic support center. \n“These new facilities are going to make a profound impact (on recruiting),” Sampson said. “Let’s not lose sight of how that academic support center is needed and is really gonna help us.” \nSampson also spoke through misty eyes when he talked about the times he discussed recruiting with Hoeppner. He said Hoeppner was one of the most optimistic and enthusiastic people he knew.\n“It never rained a day in his life,” Sampson said.\nSampson also thanked IU fans, saying their support meant a lot to recruiting efforts and the IU athletics in general. \n“If I was recruiting the fans at Indiana University, I wouldn’t need a thing. I’ve got you guys,” he said. \nHerbert said the new facilities are a step toward pushing IU athletics to a place among the elite universities in the country. He said, however, that the new facilities are just one initial step toward such a goal. \n“We cannot, we must not and we will not rest on our laurels,” Herbert said. “Our goal is to be the best in the country in all that we do.”\nSenior fullback Josiah Sears said he believes the groundbreaking and new facilities themselves will be part of Hoeppner’s legacy at IU.\n“We are ensuring that Coach Hep’s dreams are carrying on,” Sears said. “These new facilities also give Indiana University a competitive advantage. I would like to thank Coach Hep and his family. Because he said so, we will not quit.”