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September 15, 2010

LOCKER ROOM FACILITY IS STUNNING

By: Jimmy Robertson

The Hokies’ $18 million, 41,900-square foot locker room facility should rank among the best in the nation.

1. The second floor of the locker room facility features a 2,900-square foot balcony off of the lounge area that looks out over the practice field. The grills on the balcony allow for team cookouts while also providing an area for recruits to gather on game days.

2. One of the hallways features a replica of the bowl ring from each of the Hokies’ bowl appearances. The Hokies have made 23 bowl appearances.

3. The locker room itself is 14,800 square feet and reportedly has the biggest lockers in the country. The lockers, which are 42 inches wide and made of wood, include a ventilation system to keep equipment dry as well as individual safes for players to store valuables. They also have electrical outlets for cell phone chargers, hair dryers, etc.

4. At the entrances to each small hallway of lockers are words that define the Virginia Tech football program. These words include family, loyalty, trust, consistency, dependable, etc.

5. The locker room includes showers, a cold tub, a hot tub, a steam room and a sauna that will be used extensively to help players recover from injuries and everyday aches and pains. The coaches also have their own locker room, which will be adjacent to the large room with the hot and cold tubs and the steam room and sauna.

6. What else defines Virginia Tech football? Hard work. That’s why there will be a time clock in the locker room. It serves as a reminder to the players as to what it takes to be successful.

7. The sports medicine staff will do taping on new taping tables located in an area adjacent to the locker room.

8. Finally, the second floor, which is 12,900 square feet, includes a players’ lounge and a study lounge. The lounge area has multiple 65-inch high definition televisions, pool tables and an area for players to sit and rehydrate after practice. The study lounge will feature 12 study stations with a computer at each station.

Click here to view a football locker room photo gallery.