Westfield State College welcomes you to The Woodward Center, a campus resource for academic and athletic programs, as well as college and community partnerships.
The mission of The Woodward Center is to serve the needs of Westfield State College students, faculty, staff, and the region, by providing a state-of-the-art academic and athletic performance facility to promote education, sports, recreation and life-long fitness.
The facility is named in honor of Frederick W. Woodward, the 17th President of Westfield State College, who served from 1997 to 2003. Through his leadership and perseverance, the college realized a collective dream: replacing the gymnasium in Parenzo Hall, which had become obsolete with the rapid growth of the student population in the mid-1960s. Dedicated faculty and staff carried forward evolving plans through years of setbacks and red tape, until at last, the $18-million Woodward Center opened in the summer of 2004. The project was a result of effective public/private partnership: $14 million from the state was supplemented by funding from the college's very successful capital campaign. Westfield State held a dedication ceremony on September 1, 2004, as part of the celebration of the 165th anniversary of the college's founding.
The Woodward Center is located next to Alumni Field, site of many of Westfield State's intercollegiate and intramural outdoor activities. The 80,000-square-foot facility houses a 35,000-square-foot field house, large enough to hold an official NCAA track and field meet. The main performance court provides seating for 1,100. The building is handicapped accessible.
Students use the spacious aerobics/dance studio, and four classrooms as well as exercise physiology, biomechanics, and motor learning laboratories, a multi-media computer lab, and conference rooms. The second-floor student lounge overlooks beautiful 275-acre Stanley Park, a private recreation, garden, and nature area.
Field House
First Floor of the Center
Second Floor of the Center
Athletics Hall of Fame
The college's Athletics Hall of Fame, established in 1994, honors former athletes and other individuals for notable contributions to the athletic programs at Westfield State College. A display area in The Woodward Center pays tribute to each and every inductee for their achievements, character, and contributions.
The Woodward Center is primarily a teaching and sports facility for Westfield State College. During much of the academic year, the facility will be heavily scheduled for college classes and intercollegiate and intramural athletics. As scheduling permits, the Center will be made available to the community and outside groups. Occasional reciprocal arrangements are made with local colleges. Contact Conference Services for scheduling information, 413-572-5580.
Anyone under 18 years of age who is not a Westfield State College student may use the facility only under the supervision of a parent, or as part of an organized community group. Coaches and/ or supervisors of such groups may be required to complete an orientation program prior to bringing their group to the facility. Contact the Woodward Center Director's Office at 572-8221.
Shoe/Footwear Policy
All users of the gymnasium, fitness room, dance/aerobic studio, human performance laboratories and athletic training room must bring a second pair of clean footwear for use during activity. For safety reasons, closed-toed athletic footwear is required in all areas.
Normal Hours of Operation
7:00 AM to 10:30 PM Monday through Friday
Community Walking
The Indoor Track is available for community walkers from 6:00 to 7:30 AM on weekdays.
Weekends
Open for scheduled practices, special events, and supervised recreation.
State and federal holidays
Closed unless previously scheduled.
There is a limited amount of designated Visitor, Handicapped, Commuting Student, and Faculty Parking immediately adjacent to the Center. Visitor Parking is for community guests using the facility or visiting offices. We ask that students and visitors not use faculty/staff designated parking.
Students and guests attending varsity games or special events at the Center or Athletic fields should park at 333 Western Avenue and the Commuter Parking Lot (signs will be posted). Please note: parking may be re-designated during special events scheduled at the Center or college athletic fields.
A detailed outline of Woodward Center parking regulations, including hours certain regulations are in effect, are available at the reception desk.
Please call Campus Police at 572-5262 for more campus parking information.
It is strongly recommended that all persons have a medical examination prior to using the Woodward Center for physical activity. All unsafe conditions in the facility, or injuries (major or minor) sustained in the Center or on the college athletic fields, must be reported to the nearest staff immediately.
Children
Parents are responsible for the supervision of young children at all times while on the athletic fields or in the Woodward Center, especially on field house bleachers.
Emergency Numbers
Users of the Woodward Center need to know and abide by the rules and regulations contained in the Woodward Center Handbook, available in the college's Athletics Department, Movement Science Department, or Conference Services office.
All requests for use of The Woodward Center must be made with the Office of Conference Services.
To those contributors who made these named areas possible:
Don and Jan Carignon Classroom
Donald and Deanna Clark Bleachers
Columbia Manufacturing Fitness Center
Commercial Distributing Scoreboard
The Davies Family Athletic Training Center
Tilia J. Fantasia Student Lounge
Larry French Bouldering Wall
Bob and Anne Goyette Viewing Area
Charles "Bud" Hagan Lobby and Westfield State College Athletics Hall of Fame
Brooks P. Julian Viewing Area
John S. Lane & Son, Inc. Aerobic/Dance Studio
The Mahoney Family Conference Room
Micro Abrasives Community Room
The Nyarady Family Climbing Wall
The Queenin Family Classroom
The Jeff and Lolly Templeton Family Multi-Media Lab
Westfield Gas and Electric Scoreboard
The Paula F. (Class of '72) and Nick A. Wojtowicz Family Viewing Area
Woronoco Savings Charitable Foundation Scoreboard
Westfield State College
Office of the Director
413-572-8221
Westfield State College
413-572-5300
Admission
413-572-5218
Westfield State College Web Site
www.wsc.ma.edu
