Theo Heap Gym undergoes renovation for summer
The Theo Heap Gym recently underwent new changes. “Today when a fan, family member, or a community member walks though the doors of the Theo Heap Gym we want them to see what MCC athletics is all about,” said John Mulhern, director of athletics. For the last few years, MCC has honored the past 18 national championship teams with team rosters from that season that were hung up around the lobby area of the gym. As one walks in, the first thing one should notice is the eighteen new banners honoring each of Mesa’s 18 national championship teams. “Don’t worry, the rosters of the championship teams are not going away,” Mulhern explained. Athletics is currently working on putting together a slide show to run announcements and championship team rosters on a new TV that sits along the wall close to the office area.
TANIA RITKO / Mesa Legend
Another change to the Theo Heap Gym is the addition of two 4×8 foot photos of the recent championship teams. “If you look above the women’s basketball photo you will see the two banners that represent the two recent championships which included women’s basketball and baseball,” Mulhern said. The banners go all the way back to 1968, when Mesa won the men’s outdoor track and field title just three years into intercollegiate play. Another addition made over last summer was the installation of the improved display of MCC’s current teams and head coaches. Also, a poster was added listing all the 2013-14 athletes who had advanced to four-year schools from MCC. In the lobby area, there are some red seats that were given to athletics from another department that we refurbished.
“Over the summer, the Theo Heap Gym will see more changes coming in preparation for the upcoming basketball season,” Mulhern said. First, the floor in the gym and the lobby area will be ripped out and be replaced. Last season, the basketball teams were playing on a floor that was about 25 years old. “After a while, there is not much you can do in terms of sanding the floor to make it look brand new,” said Mulhern. Sanding the floor means sanding the court down to the bare wood and applying seal, paint, and finish to restore the luster of the older wood floor surface. “So after those many years of playing on the current court we thought it was a good time to change the floor,” Mulhern said. Also, during the summer break, the bathrooms inside the lobby area will be renovated. “With all this, we hope that when fans, family, or community members come into the gym they feel that this is a place where future stars are being born,” Mulhern said.
Also, when the floor is redone and the bathrooms are remolded, it will not be finished but just at the beginning of the many changes coming to the Theo Heap Gym in the near future. “So let’s hope that once athletics wraps up this season we have a few new banners to hang before basketball season starts again,” Mulhern said.
