Football locker room gets a makeover
July 16, 2014 | General News
July 16, 2014
• Stephen M. Bennett Student-Athlete Performance Center
MADISON, Wis. – As a three-year letterwinner for the Wisconsin football team from 1962-64, Ron Leafblad is no stranger to locker rooms. However, the Badgers’ new digs bear very little resemblance to the locker room of the 50s and 60s, and the Leafblad family’s generosity is a big reason why.
In 2012, as part of the Stephen M. Bennett Student-Athlete Performance Center renovations of the McClain Center basement, the football team moved into its new locker room. That season, the locker room was only available on game days, as the finishing touches were still underway. Last year, the team had access to the complete Ron Leafblad Family Football Team Suite, which includes a locker room for the team, a 2,300-square foot coaches’ locker room and a players’ lounge.
The 11,000-square foot locker room consists of locker space for 122 student-athletes, a 1,900-square foot equipment room, shower facilities, two hot/cold recovery pools and 12 flat screen TVs. The 2,500-square foot football lounge has a nutrition bar, pool table, ping pong table, dart board, gas fireplace, one 72-inch high definition television with surround sound and seven 55-inch TVs.
With his generous $1 million gift commitment in support of the Stephen M. Bennett Student-Athlete Performance Center, Leafblad has helped impact the lives of numerous current and future Badger football players.
“Our gift to the Stephen M. Bennett Student-Athlete Performance Center to name the football locker suite was a way to give back to a University that has done so much for me,” Leafblad said. “The University of Wisconsin had a significant impact on my life and we are proud of our involvement as donors to this project. As a UW football letterwinner, I know how important facilities are to a program. The improvements made through this project will provide a great experience for Badger student-athletes for many years to come.”
Leafblad graduated from UW-Madison with a Bachelor of Science in Speech in 1965. After graduation he worked in the corporate world until he started his own business in 1984. He is currently the CEO and founder of Gold Country Inc., a holding company with five separate companies involved in retail, license apparel manufacturing, website development and fulfillment, and corporate uniforms and sportswear. Leafblad has been active in Young Presidents Organization and World Presidents Organization and numerous corporate, trade, charity, and church boards over the years.
Leafblad has maintained close ties to UW for a number of years with his involvement in the National W Club, the Wisconsin Alumni Association and the UW Athletic Board.
“Ron has been a tremendous supporter of UW athletics through the years and this is the latest example of his generosity,” Wisconsin Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez said. “The Leafblad Family Football Team Suite affords our student-athletes a comfortable space to prepare for practice and games and the lounge area allows them to unwind and relax during their down time. It is a tremendous facility and we owe our gratitude to Ron and his family for their gift.”
