BOUNCE: Speaking of upgrades, is it time for the basketball world in northeast Indiana to play catch up?

The hype has been real over the past several years regarding football facility upgrades in northeast Indiana.

I remember when OTH was in its infancy and it was a big deal that Northrop was finally getting turf, thus bringing forth a big update to Spuller Stadium. Almost everyone has followed suit, most recently with this season’s debut of a stadium at Snider High School; something that has been long overdue.

But what about the hoops scene?

The most recent effort into this space has come with Leo’s new fieldhouse set to open this fall. While the project had a lot of energy behind it early, there has not been a lot of talk about it in the area hoops stratosphere since the groundbreaking.

But why is that? Why is there so much buzz behind new football facilities northeast Indiana, but not about basketball?

I’m sure we’d get the obvious present-day answer to that question on social media: “Indiana is a football state now.” (Insert eye roll here. Yes, football in this state has become massive and yes, that is exciting even to this roundball-loving amphibian, but just because this may be a football state does not mean that Indiana will ever not be basketball country.

Leo’s new fieldhouse is going to be dynamic: 34,000 sq. ft. that will support basketball with three new courts, but also so many other spaces for the entire athletic program. Batting cages, wrestling rooms and a track will all be part of this facility.

But you know I am talking basketball, so let’s talk about how this upgrades Leo basketball. Currently, the main gym and a middle school gym exist in the same building for Lion basketball players. The main gym is a favorite of mine, but isn’t exactly the most sprawling and spacious spot. The middle school gym has two full courts, but has long been in need of a major upgrade.

This new fieldhouse takes Leo from a place with two playable game courts/four useable practice courts to a space where you can legitimately play five basketball games with spectator space at once. It also provides a significant upgrade from the current middle school gym for whoever may be practicing at any time, be it basketball or even volleyball.

So with the money that is being put into football across the area, why is there not more clamoring for other schools to do this? Why isn’t every school that is capable doing this?

Yeah, I get it, not everyone is capable. Funding may not exist for some districts like it does for others, while smaller schools may struggle with capital funding. But at the enhancement of athletics, fieldhouses like what Leo is building should become a priority on the same level as new turf and football stadium upgrades have become.

In northeast Indiana, Leo’s new look is far more rare than common, like the rollout of turf has become. East Allen County Schools added turf to all of its fields about eight years ago, while Fort Wayne Community Schools has rolled out turf across its schools over the last half-dozen or so years. Schools like South Adams and Bluffton have added it too. But how many fieldhouses exist? How many schools have this space? Or is getting a new or refurbished court the best that basketball (and by extension, volleyball) can get?

Huntington North was way ahead of its time with its fieldhouse, which opened several years ago. It has been a big part of the Vikings’ ability to host events and spread out their space amongst various sports, from volleyball to track to tennis. Schools like Homestead and Carroll have the gym space; especially at Homestead where basically an entire new school was built, but neither prioritized a fieldhouse like what Leo is constructing. New Haven has a nice multi-court fieldhouse that was part of its reconstruction over the last decade that shows how EACS is prioritizing these kinds of spaces.

The only other really good example in the area is Fairfield, whose new space also wasn’t as celebrated as it should have been when it opened in 2025. The ribbon cutting for that new facility occurred last October.

That space, like Leo, was completed by Wiegand Construction with a gymnasium featuring three basketball/volleyball courts, a three-lane 50-meter sprint track, batting cages, a golf simulator and bleachers to seat 640 spectators.

But the lack of investment into basketball facilities isn’t just a local problem.

For decades, schools across America have invested heavily in football infrastructure. New stadiums, upgraded bleachers, artificial turf fields, scoreboards, locker rooms and press boxes have become common projects funded by districts and communities alike. While those investments have undoubtedly improved the football experience for student-athletes and fans, basketball facilities often remain an afterthought despite basketball serving just as many students and, in many communities, drawing just as much interest.

Schools should begin viewing basketball facilities with the same long-term vision that has transformed football environments.

Too often, basketball facility upgrades amount to little more than sanding and refinishing an existing floor every few years while calling it an ‘improvement project.’ While maintaining a court surface is important, simply putting a fresh coat of finish on aging hardwood does little to enhance the experience for athletes, coaches, spectators or the community. Basketball programs need facilities designed for the demands of modern athletics, not simply maintenance plans that preserve the status quo.

Fieldhouses represent the future of basketball infrastructure. A true fieldhouse provides significantly more than a single game court. Multiple practice courts allow boys and girls programs, youth leagues, middle schools and community organizations to operate simultaneously without competing for gym time. Leo serves as a shining example of that with its highly-successful Paw Ball Youth basketball program and the new facility will help streamline the schedules for those teams.

The benefits of a fieldhouse extend well beyond basketball. Volleyball, wrestling, cheerleading, physical education classes, youth recreation programs and community events can all utilize the space. In many communities, fieldhouses become year-round gathering places that increase community engagement while maximizing the return on investment for taxpayers. Football stadiums may host a handful of home games each year, but a fieldhouse can be active nearly every day of the calendar.

Communities routinely justify football upgrades as investments in school pride and community identity, and the same argument applies to basketball. A quality fieldhouse sends a message that a district values all student-athletes and is committed to providing opportunities across multiple sports.

If communities are willing to spend millions on turf fields, stadium renovations, and football amenities, they should also be willing to think bigger for basketball than just another floor refinishing project or new bleachers. The next generation of athletic facilities should include fieldhouses that serve students year-round, support multiple programs simultaneously and provide basketball with the same level of commitment and vision that football has enjoyed for years.

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