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| The Black Hills Gold Swim Team meet is just one of many community events held at the Black Hills State University’s Donald E. Young Sports and Fitness Center. |
For more than 20 years, Black Hills State University’s Donald E. Young Sports and Fitness Center has been a hub of community activity that brings in thousands of visitors. Next weekend the best Division II track and field competitors from South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico and Nebraska will converge at the Young Center for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Indoor Championship.
The two-day competition begins Friday, Feb. 22.The RMAC Indoor Championship is just one of several events that will be hosted at the Young Center every weekend throughout the spring semester.
The multi-purpose facility provides not only a home for BHSU athletics, student organizations, and academic classrooms, but also a community fitness center and regional event center.
The Young Center brings in new people and events every year by hosting numerous University, community, state, and regional events, as well as camps, clinics, tournaments, and meetings, which annually draw in tens of thousands of people to Spearfish. From the day it was built more than 20 years ago, it has been a facility that has been used by both the University and community.
BHSU hopes to continue to build upon current annual events as well as look for new opportunities to host events, which will bring people on campus and to Spearfish, according to Jhett Albers, BHSU director of athletics. There has been new equipment added to the gymnasium this year with the intentions of providing a venue for gymnastics and Albers said he hopes to host future local and possible state and regional meets in the future.
“We are extremely fortunate to have a multi-use facility like the Young Center located in Spearfish. It has such a positive economic impact for the businesses in and around our community,” said Albers.
Currently, there are events scheduled for every weekend through May’s graduation, at the Young Center, Lyle Hare Stadium, or the softball complex, and in some instances all three locations during the same weekend. There are a variety of events being held including, basketball, indoor soccer, wrestling, softball, pow wows, track, and many more. Besides the spring semester, there are summer sports camps or academic camps scheduled every weekend starting with the S.D. State Special Olympics hosted in the middle of May which brings more than 1,500 people to Spearfish.
For more information on the Young Center or list of events, visit the Campus Calendar at www.BHSU.edu or contact the Young Center Aquatics and Facilities Director, Joshua Roadifer at (605)642-6196.
2013 Spring Semester Young Center Events: Estimated Number of Attendance:
Friday, Feb. 15
- BHSU Basketball Games 1,000
Saturday, Feb. 16
- Rock & Jock Open Indoor Track Meet 500
- BHSU Basketball Games 1,000
Friday, Feb. 22
- Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Indoor Championship-teams from Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, & New Mexico 1,100 – 1,300
Saturday, Feb. 23
- Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Indoor Championship-teams from Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, & New Mexico 1,100 – 1,300
Saturday, March 2
- Home Show 1,200
- BHSU Basketball games 1,000
Sunday March 3
Saturday, March 9
Sunday, March 10
Friday, March 15
- Pavich Wrestling set up and weight ins 500
Saturday, March 16
- Pavich Wrestling Tournament times TBD 1,200-1,500
Friday, March 22
- Queen City Classic Basketball Tournament-teams from throughout S.D. 1,000
Saturday, March 23
- Queen City Classic Basketball Tournament- teams from throughout S.D. 1,000
- Softball 100
Sunday, March 24
- Queen City Classic Basketball Tournament -t eams from throughout S.D. 1,000
- Softball 100
Saturday, March 30
Friday, April 12
- Lakota Omnicye Wacipi 1,500 – 2,000
Saturday, April 13
- Lakota Omnicye Wacipi 1,500 – 2,000
- Softball 100
Sunday, April 14
- Lakota Omnicye Wacipi 1,500 – 2,000
- Softball 100
Saturday, April 20
- Spring BHSU Football Game 300
- Volleyball Alumni Tournament 100
- Softball 100
Sunday, April 21
Friday, April 26
- Music Festival in Gym 600 – 700
Recent Events:
Friday, Jan. 19
- AAU Wrestling in gym 1,000 – 1,200
Saturday, Jan. 20
- Wrestling dual in gym 1,000 – 1,200
Friday, Jan. 25
- Indoor track meet (High School) 800
- BHSU Basketball Games 1,000
Saturday, Jan. 26
- Swim Meet 400
- Alumni Indoor track meet 500
- BHSU Basketball Games 1,000
Sunday, Jan. 27
Friday, Feb. 1
- Middle School Science Fair 500 – 600
- BHSU Basketball Games 1,000
Saturday, Feb. 2
- BHSU Basketball Games 1,000
Friday, Feb. 8
- Indoor Soccer 1,500 – 2,000
Saturday, Feb. 9
- BHSU Basketball Games 1,000
- Indoor Soccer 1,500 – 2,000
Sunday, Feb. 10
- Indoor Soccer 1,500 – 2,000