By Alyssa McMillan
The Dome Sports Center, an airy structure, has become a staple of Schoolcraft. Constructed in the late ‘90s, the Dome had been up for about 25 years until it was deflated in early July.
Staff at Next Level Performance deflated the original Dome so they could lay the foundation work for a newer one much larger than the original. The expansion will allow for a broader range of activities at the Dome, including pickleball, volleyball, and basketball, and will create opportunities for Next Level to help the people they say they value most: their community.
“At the highest level, we’re a sports and athletics campus, but we’re really focused on training and development opportunities that blend the opportunities that sports bring to a community with life lessons,” explained Josh Baird, the Dome’s president and managing member—or, as he likes to call himself, the “community catalyst.”
“What I mean by that is that all the programs we have—especially those that serve youth and kids—are integrated with character and leadership development. We just find unique solutions to the different opportunities there are to serve kids and the people in the community in different ways.”
Next Level’s staff make it a goal to help everyone who comes to the Dome take themself to that next level. Marketing director and volleyball coach Nikki Hackworth said, “One of the things we always talk about is that your next level is different than mine, and that’s okay! There’s no reason I shouldn’t help you achieve that next level as I’m striving to achieve mine. That’s something that we’re really passionate about in all capacities, in all sports and all ages and all ways.”
Alongside the addition of more courts, the Dome expansion will create a more comforting environment for a diverse group of athletes. They will have an air conditioning unit in the Dome to create a cooler setting for inside activities, a larger airlock door to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers, and more opportunities for individuals with special needs or disabilities to participate in sports in a safe, caring environment.
“There are so many things in this world today that you can go do that maybe aren’t the healthiest, and that’s one of the things that we want to do,” Baird said. “We want to provide that opportunity. It doesn’t matter what your ability or your disability is. It doesn’t matter what your age is, it doesn’t matter what your sport is. There’s something here for you.”
The Dome expansion will even benefit the village itself.
Hackworth explains, “[A bigger Dome] means I’m bringing my volleyball community that’s been scattered at a lot of churches and high schools throughout Southwest Michigan here. That means it’s going to bring people to Harding’s to shop and get stuff for dinner, or to Biggby to go grab a coffee while they’re waiting. Hosting volleyball tournaments, you’ve got hundreds of people coming to the Dome to participate. What does that mean for the community? Nothing but community-boosting activities.”
The new Dome is scheduled to be inflated towards the middle of August, and final touches will be made from then until the grand opening November 1. Until then, the staff at Next Level Performance encourages anyone with questions to contact them. Baird said, “We are an open book, and so if there’s ever curiosity and you would like to have a deeper peak underneath the hood, give us a call or email us and we will make time to try to [explain] what we’re doing and how to serve [the community] and their needs.”
Dimensions of the deflated dome were 212 feet long, 161 feet wide and a maximum height of 70 feet. The replacement will be 212 feet long, 263 feet wide and a maximum height of 60 feet.
