This fall, student parking has been a complaint around the school. Students have a limited amount of space to park and find it to be annoying. This is because of the new construction in the trash lot. Although this construction can be a challenge, there are many positive effects that will come out of it, such as the brand new sports complex known as “The B.E.A.R.” which stands for Berkley, Education, Athletics, and Recreation. Berkley Athletics has long been in need of something like this. The brand new sports complex being built on Caltalpa Drive will be beneficial for all sports teams and will give them a better chance to compete at a higher level. This will be an area where teams and individual players can improve their skills year-round. The new facility will be fantastic for all of Berkley athletics, so get excited!

The brand new construction comes as part of an $88 million bond that was recently approved in 2023 through the Berkley community. Many students can’t wait for this project, so I had a conversation with a student who will be using The B.E.A.R. in the future. Sophomore Jordan Marx, an avid soccer and basketball player, highlighted the benefits of the complex saying, “You don’t have weather constraints, there’s more room, and there are more places for different teams”. He even says, “At times I have to practice with another team on the same field/gym as me,” which won’t happen with the next upgrade. Marx feels very passionate about the new complex and thinks that Berkley can feel “more legit” as a whole program. Marx sees this new investment as an opportunity for kids to pursue any dream they might have. The B.E.A.R. will only help to strive for that achievement.

Students seem pretty amped up for The B.E.A.R., It’s a dream come true for an upcoming athlete. Everything that you can imagine to improve your game. So let’s see what our very own Athletic Director, Matthew Rawlik, has to say. When asked about the interior of The B.E.A.R., he said, “The inside of the entire complex is going to be a 60-yard turf field, so 50-yard line to the back of the end zone. It’ll be lined for lacrosse, soccer, and football. There will also be markings for the baseball field and softball field.” All these details make it so a variety of sports are benefited. Mr. Rawlik added that there will be “drop down cages for baseball and softball. A trainers’ area, a team room, and a brand new weight room.” He also mentioned that there will be an outside area with a “full 120 yard football, soccer and lacrosse field with a scoreboard, and moveable stands, so we can host middle school football and JVB soccer”.

As an athlete myself, I feel that all of Berkley athletics can be improved just by this new astounding feature. The project supposedly should be done around October or November of 2026. “Eventually, the goal is that people in the Berkley community will be able to use it,” Mr. Rawlik stated. Since this is completely new to Berkley, we have to see what that will look like for everyone, assuming that there will always be at least students using the equipment from the moment we get out of school.

The new complex is expected to provide more space for athletic programs to train and practice, potentially benefiting a variety of sports teams. A mix of equipment that students will be able to use to develop. Once this new complex arrives, the athletic department will take off and only go up from there.