UCLA Intramural Field: History, Facilities, and Significance

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) boasts a rich athletic history and a wide array of recreational facilities catering to its diverse community. Among these, the Intramural Athletic Field (IM Field) stands out as a central hub for student activity, recreation, and a commitment to sustainability. This article delves into the history, facilities, and significance of the UCLA IM Field, exploring its evolution from a simple grass field to a state-of-the-art, eco-friendly recreational space.

A Historical Overview

The historical image of the heart of UCLA, taken from then-undeveloped land in the northwest corner of campus, is from 1930s and shows the familiar edifices Royce Hall, Powell Library, the Men’s and Women’s Gyms (as they were known at the time), Moore Hall and Kerckhoff Hall. Westwood Boulevard runs in front (immediately west) of the gyms and would continue to be a traversable thoroughfare connecting Westwood Village and Sunset Boulevard until the 1960s. The area west of Westwood Boulevard, where the IM Field is currently located, has long been designated for intramural and club sports. Historically, the IM field was even used as a driving range by UCLA golfers, at least for iron shots.

In 2018, Wallis Annenberg Stadium, the home of UCLA Men’s and Women’s Soccer, opened immediately north of the Wooden Center. The rest of the flat area west of Westwood Boulevard is still used for intramural and club sports, including football, lacrosse, rugby, soccer and softball. A 2019 Daily Bruin article stated that there were 55 different teams under UCLA Club Sports, including some that were not Division I sports at the University. For those teams, competition is against club teams from other universities. Women’s Golf Coach Alicia Um-Holmes said the team still practices on the north side of the IM Field.

The Transformation: From Grass to AstroTurf

In June 2015, a significant transformation took place as the IM Field's eight acres of grass were replaced by biobased AstroTurf. This decision was driven by a combination of factors, including increasing enrollment, growing concerns about water usage in California, and the need for a safe, playable, and sustainable field. The university had noticed both an increase in enrollment and also the growing concerns about water usage in California. With 42,000 students, there was a high demand for use of the IM Field. Previously, the grass field had to be closed for up to four months a year for reseeding and maintenance. It also required the application of pesticides and fertilizers, and regular watering.

The project, initiated about ten years prior, was a collaborative effort involving Facilities, Recreation, and Housing departments. The conversion to AstroTurf saves an estimated 6.4 million gallons of water per year and allows for 365 days of use for the tens of thousands of students and campus community members involved in recreation and sports at UCLA. Because of the field’s central location on campus, UCLA Housing contributed to funding the project, acknowledging the importance of have a large open green space that reflected the values of water conservation, active lifestyles and sustainability.

Components of the IM Field

The IM Field includes three components - the AstroTurf, the infill and an additional padded base to add cushion which makes it safe and playable. While the BioCel AstroTurf is the only biobased component, the infill and the padded base are both sustainable as well. The Brock pad base is a certified cradle to cradle product make of recyclable polypropylene. The Brock Pad not only makes the field safer and more sustainable, it also increases the overall lifespan of the field. UCLA expects the field to last 8-10 years before needing replacement.

Each component of the field was deeply researched to ensure the safety of students and community users. “All those integrated values [of safety, playability, and sustainability] were the drivers in us choosing the right product. The project cost $4.5 million and took two years from beginning to completion. The LA Department of Water and Power provides a rebate for water conservation for which the university was able to quality. By doing this, the University earned a rebate of $697,604 for the project.

Sustainability and Maintenance

While there is still maintenance associated with the AstroTurf field, both Deluca and Mylin expect the costs to decrease as compared to a sod field. Biobased turf is a fairly new product which means there is little historical data. To learn more, the UCLA team visited other PAC12 schools that had implemented artificial turfs like Oregon State University and Washington State University. UCLA contracted D.A. Hogan & Associates, a consulting group focusing on engineering and landscape architecture, to help them navigate the project.

One difference between Washington State University and UCLA is the effect of UV light. Some other schools in the LA public school system have had problems with their infill, including melting which result in the turf turning almost to pavement. The UCLA teams researched their infill options and are confident they will not have this problem with their infill and the heat. Mylin also emphasized researching the specific needs of a project, “Pick what is going to make your space the most safe, playable, and sustainable. I would hope people are always looking at what the product is made of, what the lifecycle is, and how it gets recycled before you buy it.

Looking forward, UCLA has plans to incorporate BioCel AstroTurf into other areas of campus. There are discussions about converting some of the parkways and small areas and courtyards throughout the campus. Deluca mentioned that in El Nino years when California gets more rain than usual, grass areas around campus get worn down and it can take those spaces out of commission for weeks to months at a time.

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Activities and Events

The Intramural Sports Field accommodates Intramural Sports, Club Sports, Open Recreation, Summer Camps, and various special event activities. It offers a space for recreation and activities that also showcases the university’s commitment to water conservation and sustainability. Former student and current Sustainability Coordinator of Recreation Sport Venues Katie Zeller added that the location of the field, in the middle of campus is important as well, “It is something to be proud of because it is very much a visible space. Students pass it all the time - even if they don’t use it.

Beyond athletic pursuits, the IM Field has also served as a venue for concerts and festivals, hosting major musical acts such as Jack Johnson, Rogue Wave, Culver City Dub Collective, and many others.

Size and Location

Field Size: approximately 10 acres (709' x 474')The IM Field's address is 336 Charles E. Young Drive, North, Los Angeles, CA 90095 | Phone: (310) 206-8307. It is located west of the John Wooden Center and north of Pauley Pavilion off Charles E. Young Drive in the center of campus.

Policies and Procedures

Access & Age Restrictions

Must have an active membership or approved reservation for access to facility. Youth must be accompanied at all times and supervised by an adult, 18+ years, who is responsible for the supervision and conduct of the child.

Facility Policies

Only UCLA Recreation coaches and Personal Fitness Trainers may conduct training sessions in any UCLA Recreation facility. All coaching and training sessions must be scheduled and approved by UCLA Recreation. Facility will be closed in inclement weather, unsafe conditions, and scheduled activities/classes. For assistance: Report any blood, injury, equipment malfunction, or facility feedback to staff immediately. For special accommodations, see staff.

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Participant Policies

A top, bottom, and shoes are required unless otherwise determined by instructor-led activity or program. Closed toed/closed heel athletic shoes are required. Recreation Community Expectations Read full Recreation Community Expectations (updated as of 1/27/2023).

Hours

Hours Monday - Friday, 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM Saturday - Sunday, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PMClosed or limited hours on holidays or when UCLA classes are not in session. Check schedule on EMS to confirm availability: Intramural Field full schedule

Other UCLA Athletic Facilities

While the IM Field provides a central space for intramural and club sports, UCLA boasts a variety of other athletic facilities catering to different sports and recreational activities.

Pauley Pavilion

Pauley Pavilion has served as one of the most iconic sporting facilities on UCLA’s campus for nearly 50 years and is considered one of the most historic college basketball arenas in the country. This largely has to do with UCLA men’s basketball’s success under coach John Wooden in the 1960s and 1970s. This success, when UCLA won seven straight NCAA titles from 1967 to 1973, corresponded with the opening of Pauley Pavilion as the basketball team’s new venue in 1965. The arena, named after University of California Regent Edwin W. Pauley whose donations helped fund it, underwent renovations recently and was closed from 2011 to 2012. It reopened in fall 2012 after the $136 million in renovations were completed, adding a larger concourse area around the stadium, new food options, more restrooms, a UCLA team store, updated locker rooms, an HD scoreboard and additional seating.

Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams. The men's and women's volleyball and women's gymnastics teams also compete here. The building, designed by architect Welton Becket, was dedicated in June 1965, named for University of California Regent Edwin W. Pauley, who had matched the alumni contributions. Pauley donated almost one fifth of the more than $5 million spent in constructing the arena.

Pauley Pavilion contains 11,307 permanent theater-style upholstered seats, plus retractable seats for 2,492 spectators (466 seats without backs used by the band and students), making a total basketball capacity of 13,800. The capacity prior to the renovation (12,829) had been exceeded several times for several men's basketball games by adding portable seating alongside the retractable seats. The Bruins reopened the newly renovated Pauley Pavilion on November 9, 2012, in front of a record crowd of 13,513. When the floor seats are retracted, there is space for three full-sized basketball courts. These courts are used for team practice, intramural games, and pickup basketball games. When used for men's volleyball, the basketball court is striped with colored tape. The volleyball net is erected at the half court line. There is a tunnel on the south side through which trucks and service vehicles may enter.

Before the construction of the Pavilion, the on-campus home to the UCLA Bruins men's basketball team was the 2,400-seat Men's Gym, currently known as the Student Activities Center, but then disparagingly known as the "B. O. barn." After John Wooden led the Bruins to the national championship in 1964, fans and Wooden felt that a more suitable arena needed to be constructed. However, it had been obvious even before then that the Bruins needed a new arena; since 1955 the Men's Gym's capacity had been limited to 1,500 by order of the Los Angeles fire marshal. Pauley Pavilion was constructed so that there would be some space between the crowds and the action on the court. Wooden cited the example of the close quarters of Cal's Harmon Gym (now Haas Pavilion) where fans would "pull leg hairs from his players' legs".

John Wooden Center

The John Wooden Center serves as UCLA’s student gym, complete with treadmills, ellipticals, free weights, racquetball courts, basketball courts and a number of instructional and fitness classes. Collins Court, the Wooden Center’s basketball courts, played host to the UCLA men’s and women’s volleyball teams as well as the women’s basketball team in 2011 while Pauley Pavilion was undergoing renovation. The women’s volleyball team won the NCAA title during its season playing in the Wooden Center. The John Wooden Center is a multi-faceted facility.

Drake Stadium

Named for longtime UCLA track coach, trainer and athlete Elvin C. Drake, Drake Stadium hosts the men’s and women’s soccer teams as well as the track and field team. The stadium, which can hold approximately 11,700 fans, became the home field for track and field in 1969, with the soccer teams calling it home starting in 2000.

L.A. Tennis Center

Home of the UCLA men’s and women’s tennis teams, the L.A. Tennis Center has served as the venue for several professional and international events. Most notably, the L.A. Tennis Center hosted the tennis events for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In addition to the Olympics, the L.A. Tennis Center has also hosted the L.A. Open, which is part of the Association of Tennis Professionals tour. Opened in 1984, prior to the Olympics, the L.A. Tennis Center can hold 10,000 spectators. It has hosted the NCAA championships four times, and since the L.A.

Spieker Aquatics Center

The Spieker Aquatics Center is the home pool for UCLA’s swim and dive team and men’s and women’s water polo. Opened in 2009, the aquatics center was named after Tod and Catherine Spieker. Tod Spieker swam for the Bruins from 1968 to 1971. In its relatively short history, the Spieker Aquatics Center has already hosted its fair share of prominent competitions. In 2010, the women’s water polo Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship Tournament was held there. The following year, Spieker Aquatics hosted the men’s version of the tournament, as well as the 2011 AT&T; National Diving Championship.

Easton Stadium

The home of the UCLA softball team, Easton Stadium, sits on the same site as softball’s old stadium, Sunset Field, where the Bruins started playing in 1979. Easton Stadium opened in 1994 with a seating capacity of more than 1,300 and underwent renovations from 2004 to 2005. national softball team used the stadium to train for the Olympics in Atlanta.

Jackie Robinson Stadium

Located about two miles off campus, Jackie Robinson Stadium gets its name from one of baseball’s most famous players. Jackie Robinson played for the UCLA baseball team while he attended UCLA from 1939 to 1941. Beyond just naming the stadium after him, the stadium also features a statue of Robinson, and on April 14 of this year, UCLA unveiled a new commemorative mural of Robinson. Opened in 1981, the stadium can hold about 1,800 people and is the home field for UCLA baseball, which recently won its first national title.

Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl is not only one of the most famous stadiums a UCLA team plays in, but it is also arguably one of the most famous stadiums in all of college football. Completed in 1922, the Rose Bowl has been the home field for UCLA football since 1982. Its 91,000 seats have allowed many fans to take in some of the most memorable moments in sports history, including the annual Rose Bowl games, the five Super Bowls it has hosted, the 1932 and 1984 Olympics, the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup. It has also been the site of the college football national championship game three times and will be for a fourth time in 2014. Located in Pasadena, 30 miles from UCLA’s campus, the Rose Bowl has seen the Bruins fall from being the No.

UCLA Recreation: Mission and Vision

UCLA Recreation is committed to providing high-quality recreational experiences that benefit the campus community. Reflecting the varied leisure and wellness needs of the University community, UCLA Recreation provides extensive access to a broad range of recreational activities and services. The Department offers programming which encompasses the competitive, passive, social, cultural, and instructional aspects of recreational activity. In addition, UCLA Recreation manages 14 of the University's recreational and athletic facilities offering recreation, sport, and numerous multi-use options for student and university events.

UCLA students, faculty, staff, emeriti, retirees, alumni and community affiliates (and their household adults) can access our many programs and facilities. Most UCLA students, through their tuition and fees, have access to recreation facilities and may purchase additional services. All other campus affiliates are eligible to purchase a membership for access to our many programs and facilities. Institutional studies indicate that over 80% of UCLA students utilize recreational facilities or services during their tenure at the University.

Mission Statement: To create inclusive and accessible spaces and experiences where all are empowered to pursue their wellbeing.

Vision Statement: Health equity and wellbeing for all Bruins.

Student Involvement and Oversight

The Student Activities Center Board of Governors oversees the Student Activities Center. The SAC Board of Governors is a majority student run board whose membership is composed of tenants of the SAC, with four graduate representatives and four undergraduate representatives. The Student Leadership Employee Advisory Council is made up of a minimum of 12 students appointed from the program, facility, or service they represent (i.e., Intramurals, FIT, Aquatics, MAC, etc.) within UCLA Recreation. Each of the at large members must have prior participation and involvement in the programs and services of UCLA Recreation. The purpose of the Student Leadership Employee Advisory Council is to provide an opportunity for student involvement with Recreation related business in an advisory role, interaction with professional staff, and to promote student employee leadership development.

Commitment to Inclusivity

In keeping with the University’s policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression, UCLA Recreation supports and values an individual’s right to access and utilize recreation facilities, restrooms, locker rooms, programs, and services in accordance with an individual’s gender identity and gender expression. Participation in club sports may have policies related to player eligibility that are stipulated by the national governing body of each sport. The UCLA Committee on Sports Equity utilizes the power of sport to help create social change and a movement towards celebrating all people and communities in and around the sports culture. Our mission is to explore policies and guidelines, program offerings, and opportunities to advocate for a diverse and inclusive sports community. The UCLA Committee on Sports Equity is a collaborative initiative between the Campus Life Office of Sports Equity, UCLA Recreation, UCLA Athletics, and the Office of Residential Life.

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