Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
#FacilityFriday Q&A with Larry Maples
6/17/2022 8:00:00 AM | General
MT's Associate Athletic Director for Equipment and Capital Projects has kept Blue Raiders informed on Build Blue projects via social media
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Larry Maples is a social media guy.
Between his personal handle (@MaplesLarryD) and his equipment staff's (@MTSU_Equipment), fans can get an inside look at many of the day-to-day operations Maples runs for the Blue Raiders, from equipment production to design processes.
So as Build Blue got underway over the past couple of years in Murfreesboro, the associate athletic director for equipment and capital projects began to share behind-the-scenes looks at many of the various processes that need to be undertaken when pursuing all of these capital projects. Including design, product sampling, coach and student-athlete feedback and much more.
MT staff writer Sam Doughton sat down with Maples last week to discuss the fun on social media, his role in the capital project process, design philosophy and what he's learned throughout the past few years of meetings as these projects start to get very close to breaking ground.
(The conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity).
You were the first one in the athletic department to really get #FacilityFriday rolling. What led you to post that first tweet?
I started Facility Friday just because I'm a social media guy. And just being in the weeds of knowing what's going on, people want to see that stuff. It's one thing to talk about, it's another thing to be in the room when these decisions are being made. So, giving people a behind-the-scenes look is the same concept as my equipment role here. People come to a game on Saturday and get to see what the guys showcase, but there's a lot that goes into that.
Being able to be in the room and understand that we're about to take $66 million dollars and invest it in all of these athletes, what does that look like? What is that process? It doesn't happen overnight. It's meetings on top of meetings on top of different people's philosophies and trying to understand the inner workings of a Division I athletic department, and package it to where we'll all be proud of it.
How did you get into the room where it's happening? Or, to be more specific, what is your role in these meetings that you're sharing updates from?
The biggest thing is operations. Every football team and athletic department functions differently. You've got designers that build buildings, and you've got people that have to live in the buildings. Those are two totally different things. These designers have built sports buildings before, but every team works and functions differently.
So, I understand from the operations side of things like when our coaches are meeting, what do our football players actually do while they're in the weight room. What's the correlation between the weight room and the sports medicine staff, what's the correlation between the sports medicine staff and the equipment staff? How should that all play out? What is the timing of things? You have to capture the everyday flow of our program
I think many Blue Raider fans are obviously interested in the Student Athlete Performance Center. Where are we in that process?
We're in the design/development stage. We're (designing) in the rooms and we're (designing) in the spaces. (The first step) was understanding where the building was going to be located. We had three options on where it could possibly live. Then once we got through that process, then how is it going to shape? There was an option where it detached from the stadium. There was an option where it attached to the stadium. There was an option where it detached, and also wrapped around.
We got through that phase, then we started to do blocking diagrams. Now we know it's going to be attached to the stadium, and what lives where? We've got our main areas on the first floor: strength & conditioning, sports medicine, the locker room and equipment. Then the next floor, what's going to live there? We went with coaching offices, meeting spaces, all things football. And then floor three will be our premium seating areas, as well as space for when we want to have a team meal.
You're also working closely with the on-campus tennis facility, which will likely break ground later this summer. What has that development process been like?
The biggest thing going into that one was understanding the scope and the budget. The budget drove a bit of the scope. But sitting down again, you've got coaches and you've got designers. My background is in engineering technology, but I just so happen to work in athletics. So, I understand what designers are trying to pull from coaches and I understand what coaches are trying to tell designers. It just kind of works perfectly that I'm right in the middle, that I'm in the weeds and I get to work with it and understand what our end goal is.
Jimmy (Borendame) might say 'I'm trying to do XYZ, and Tayo (Bailey-Duvall) may say 'I'm trying to do XYZ.' And I can go to the designers and say 'these guys are trying to do this,' and just comes off a little bit better, because I understand coaching terminology and some of the engineering aspects of it.
What's something you've learned throughout this process that maybe surprised you that you didn't know before?
Understanding the process as a whole. Again, you start out with budget and scope, and you give it a blind shot, not knowing what you don't know. Once you know that these are realistic numbers, does this work? Does this not work? Then you go into another round. Baby stepping yourself through the process.
You assume what things might cost, but once you actually get into the weeds and get actual estimates and start piecing this together, you can make more educated decisions.
Do you have a post of any of the #FacilityFriday ones that sticks out to you as a favorite?
I think some of the coolest ones are when we have product samples in house and being able to show people that 'hey, we're actually touching and feeling stuff now.' So anytime you see me with carpet samples, what the floor may be, or even with the Murphy Center, we had piece of that glass come in and saw what it looks like in the light, what it looks like if we tint it all the way dark, what it looks like if we leave it as is. To be there when it happens, I gave y'all a preview of that, but now y'all see 500 panes of it, that's two totally different things.
We're far enough along in the design process now that I know some of the coaches are starting to get into their own personal spaces and what they might want in those areas. What's it like for you to help manage them through that process as they get more into your world of design?
Everybody has a difference of opinion when it comes to design. Everybody's design eye is different, everybody has their "tweaks" and whatnot. The biggest thing for me going into it is understanding that we still have a Middle Tennessee brand and there should be some consistency across all that range.
It's being able to say 'yes, let's do that. But think about this coach.' And understanding what they're trying to do. I think I do a good job of trying to relay some of that stuff. Yes, you can have some of your own personalized this here and that there that makes the program unique to you, but also look at the big picture for us all.
To wrap things up, what do you want Blue Raider fans to know on where we're going with Build Blue at this moment in time?
Be proud and understand that this is the price of progress. The next two, three years are going to be headaches for most of us, especially if you're in the weeds, you're going to be able to see moving pieces. Understand that didn't happen overnight. I've been here full-time since 2016, and some of this visionary process has been put in before I was even a full-time employee.
Be proud of the progress that we're making, understand that things are constantly changing. Our world is hectic, but we're trying to put products on the field that our fans enjoy.
Between his personal handle (@MaplesLarryD) and his equipment staff's (@MTSU_Equipment), fans can get an inside look at many of the day-to-day operations Maples runs for the Blue Raiders, from equipment production to design processes.
So as Build Blue got underway over the past couple of years in Murfreesboro, the associate athletic director for equipment and capital projects began to share behind-the-scenes looks at many of the various processes that need to be undertaken when pursuing all of these capital projects. Including design, product sampling, coach and student-athlete feedback and much more.
MT staff writer Sam Doughton sat down with Maples last week to discuss the fun on social media, his role in the capital project process, design philosophy and what he's learned throughout the past few years of meetings as these projects start to get very close to breaking ground.
(The conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity).
You were the first one in the athletic department to really get #FacilityFriday rolling. What led you to post that first tweet?
I started Facility Friday just because I'm a social media guy. And just being in the weeds of knowing what's going on, people want to see that stuff. It's one thing to talk about, it's another thing to be in the room when these decisions are being made. So, giving people a behind-the-scenes look is the same concept as my equipment role here. People come to a game on Saturday and get to see what the guys showcase, but there's a lot that goes into that.
Being able to be in the room and understand that we're about to take $66 million dollars and invest it in all of these athletes, what does that look like? What is that process? It doesn't happen overnight. It's meetings on top of meetings on top of different people's philosophies and trying to understand the inner workings of a Division I athletic department, and package it to where we'll all be proud of it.
#FacilityFriday Update...
— The 4th Dimension (@MaplesLarryD) June 26, 2020
Rack Out Maple - Complete
Acclimation - Complete
Nailing Maple - Complete
Sand and Seal - Complete#Engaged pic.twitter.com/f7gZproPhA
How did you get into the room where it's happening? Or, to be more specific, what is your role in these meetings that you're sharing updates from?
The biggest thing is operations. Every football team and athletic department functions differently. You've got designers that build buildings, and you've got people that have to live in the buildings. Those are two totally different things. These designers have built sports buildings before, but every team works and functions differently.
So, I understand from the operations side of things like when our coaches are meeting, what do our football players actually do while they're in the weight room. What's the correlation between the weight room and the sports medicine staff, what's the correlation between the sports medicine staff and the equipment staff? How should that all play out? What is the timing of things? You have to capture the everyday flow of our program
I think many Blue Raider fans are obviously interested in the Student Athlete Performance Center. Where are we in that process?
We're in the design/development stage. We're (designing) in the rooms and we're (designing) in the spaces. (The first step) was understanding where the building was going to be located. We had three options on where it could possibly live. Then once we got through that process, then how is it going to shape? There was an option where it detached from the stadium. There was an option where it attached to the stadium. There was an option where it detached, and also wrapped around.
Facility Friday...
— The 4th Dimension (@MaplesLarryD) March 11, 2022
We are 100% done with Schematic Design Phase.
On to Design Development.#BuildBlueNow #Engaged pic.twitter.com/8idcfUNb21
We got through that phase, then we started to do blocking diagrams. Now we know it's going to be attached to the stadium, and what lives where? We've got our main areas on the first floor: strength & conditioning, sports medicine, the locker room and equipment. Then the next floor, what's going to live there? We went with coaching offices, meeting spaces, all things football. And then floor three will be our premium seating areas, as well as space for when we want to have a team meal.
You're also working closely with the on-campus tennis facility, which will likely break ground later this summer. What has that development process been like?
The biggest thing going into that one was understanding the scope and the budget. The budget drove a bit of the scope. But sitting down again, you've got coaches and you've got designers. My background is in engineering technology, but I just so happen to work in athletics. So, I understand what designers are trying to pull from coaches and I understand what coaches are trying to tell designers. It just kind of works perfectly that I'm right in the middle, that I'm in the weeds and I get to work with it and understand what our end goal is.
Jumping on a Zoom Call with @CoachJimmyB @MT_MensTennis @MT_WomensTennis from The Bahamas to work on the NEW Tennis Facility. #Engaged pic.twitter.com/PItuT7FwAc
— The 4th Dimension (@MaplesLarryD) December 15, 2021
Jimmy (Borendame) might say 'I'm trying to do XYZ, and Tayo (Bailey-Duvall) may say 'I'm trying to do XYZ.' And I can go to the designers and say 'these guys are trying to do this,' and just comes off a little bit better, because I understand coaching terminology and some of the engineering aspects of it.
Let's pop off another #FacilityFriday with some more details for @MT_MensTennis and @MT_WomensTennis on campus facility provided by @wbaarchitecture. #Engaged #BuildBlueNow pic.twitter.com/k8nwFYW3iS
— The 4th Dimension (@MaplesLarryD) March 18, 2022
What's something you've learned throughout this process that maybe surprised you that you didn't know before?
Understanding the process as a whole. Again, you start out with budget and scope, and you give it a blind shot, not knowing what you don't know. Once you know that these are realistic numbers, does this work? Does this not work? Then you go into another round. Baby stepping yourself through the process.
You assume what things might cost, but once you actually get into the weeds and get actual estimates and start piecing this together, you can make more educated decisions.
Do you have a post of any of the #FacilityFriday ones that sticks out to you as a favorite?
I think some of the coolest ones are when we have product samples in house and being able to show people that 'hey, we're actually touching and feeling stuff now.' So anytime you see me with carpet samples, what the floor may be, or even with the Murphy Center, we had piece of that glass come in and saw what it looks like in the light, what it looks like if we tint it all the way dark, what it looks like if we leave it as is. To be there when it happens, I gave y'all a preview of that, but now y'all see 500 panes of it, that's two totally different things.
Facility Friday also includes the updated Murphy Center Glass project. #BuildBlueNow #Engaged pic.twitter.com/RAJDyoUQFm
— The 4th Dimension (@MaplesLarryD) March 11, 2022
Details, details, and even more details. Trust and believe the work is being done and we can't to share more. #Engaged pic.twitter.com/RYULaUXmwT
— The 4th Dimension (@MaplesLarryD) April 27, 2022
We're far enough along in the design process now that I know some of the coaches are starting to get into their own personal spaces and what they might want in those areas. What's it like for you to help manage them through that process as they get more into your world of design?
Everybody has a difference of opinion when it comes to design. Everybody's design eye is different, everybody has their "tweaks" and whatnot. The biggest thing for me going into it is understanding that we still have a Middle Tennessee brand and there should be some consistency across all that range.
It's being able to say 'yes, let's do that. But think about this coach.' And understanding what they're trying to do. I think I do a good job of trying to relay some of that stuff. Yes, you can have some of your own personalized this here and that there that makes the program unique to you, but also look at the big picture for us all.
To wrap things up, what do you want Blue Raider fans to know on where we're going with Build Blue at this moment in time?
Be proud and understand that this is the price of progress. The next two, three years are going to be headaches for most of us, especially if you're in the weeds, you're going to be able to see moving pieces. Understand that didn't happen overnight. I've been here full-time since 2016, and some of this visionary process has been put in before I was even a full-time employee.
Be proud of the progress that we're making, understand that things are constantly changing. Our world is hectic, but we're trying to put products on the field that our fans enjoy.
We've got some core drilling going on this week as part of the site surveys required to BUILD BLUE. #Engaged pic.twitter.com/Iee8JLaroz
— The 4th Dimension (@MaplesLarryD) May 9, 2022
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