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Lafayette Trustee Bill Rappolt '67 and his wife, Pam, were honored at a ceremony Oct. 20 dedicating Lafayette's new Astro Turf field, which will be known as Rappolt Field. The couple generously donated funds to develop the facility, which also includes bleachers, a scoreboard and lights, on the 230-acre Metzgar athletic campus.
Rappolt says his children influence his philanthropy. His daughter played field hockey at the University of Maryland. He was inspired to donate the field to benefit Lafayette's field hockey team after he overheard a comment disparaging the team at an NCAA tournament because they played on grass and therefore had difficulty on Astro Turf fields at competitions.
“Lafayette attracts outstanding student-athletes, but these women had an unfair disadvantage because they were still playing on grass,” Rappolt said. “Bigger schools didn't want to play them because they all play on turf, and it is such a different game played on grass. Plus with an artificial surface, teams can train all year without having to worry about tearing up the field.”
“This is truly a special new aspect for the Lafayette field hockey program,” said Lafayette President Arthur J. Rothkopf '55. “This new turf field provides Lafayette with the ability to host prestigious national and international competitions.”
Rappolt also funded the Lafayette field hockey program's trip to Holland this past spring. The Leopards spent 10 days in Holland, playing four games and participating in a clinic where they learned from some of the best field hockey players in the world who have already mastered the game on artificial turf.
Lafayette's field hockey program has been very successful, capturing eight of the 12 Patriot League championships and earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament after clinching the conference title in 1999. The team finished the 2001 season with a 14-5 record, earning second place in the Patriot League championship tournament.
President Arthur J. Rothkopf '55 (left) thanks Bill and Pam Rappolt, who attended the dedication with their son, Bill Rappolt, Jr.