VMU Opens the Largest University Sports Centre in Lithuania
A long-awaited moment has arrived at Vytautas Magnus University as from now on, even more, opportunities to train professional athletes and to increase the physical capacities and health of the university community will be provided. The opening ceremony of the President Valdas Adamkus Sports Center, which will take place on Wednesday, November 17, 2 P.M. in the Akademija campus (Studentų g. 9A, Kaunas district), will present the largest university sports complex in the country adapted to various sports and needs.
“Lithuania has always been a land of sports, investing a lot in the development of physical education and sports, and the development of the necessary infrastructure. However, lately, perhaps due to the pandemic or other reasons, we rarely hear about the opening of new sports centres. Therefore, it is very exciting to open the doors of this new sports complex at the university and provide the community members with proper opportunities to play sports, study and improve,” says Professor Juozas Augutis, Rector of VMU. According to the rector, it is symbolic to name this sports centre after Valdas Adamkus, Honorary Doctor of Vytautas Magnus University. “The President is known as a man of sports – since his childhood in Žaliakalnis, Adamkus has maintained his connection with sports. Adamkus, who has been referred to as “the sportiest president” by the media, has been associated with various sports, including athletics, tennis, basketball and pool swimming. The president is a frequent visitor of sports events and a great friend of Lithuanian Olympians,” – says Professor Augutis. The walls of the sports centre will be decorated with the inspirational idea handwritten by the President, stating that today, sports mark the unity of people and are a part of our culture – a part of a person, nation, and state.
The sports complex consists of a grandstand building, a sports hall suitable for basketball, indoor football, volleyball, and other sports, a football stadium with running tracks and long jump sectors, outdoor basketball courts, a clay tennis court, an artificial grass tennis court, a sand volleyball court, and a universal court. The outdoor grandstands are equipped with 1,000 seats.
“This sports centre will play an important role in the study process as from 2022, VMU will introduce two new study programs. The authentic and unique bachelor study program Sports Studies will allow training a high calibre, competent, self-confident, modern sports coach. And the new master study program Physical Education and Sports will help to improve formal and non-formal physical education, its attractiveness and accessibility by training qualified specialists,” maintains Simona Pilkienė, Vice-Rector for Studies. To date, Vytautas Magnus University has implemented sport pedagogy studies in the bachelor study program Subject Pedagogy and, together with the Euroleague Basketball Institute, has offered a master study program Sports Business MBA – the only one in Europe – for sports managers.
The opening ceremony of the President Valdas Adamkus Sports Centre will be followed by the signing of contracts with Lithuanian Basketball and Football Federations as well as the 3×3 Basketball Association, and the renewal of the contract with Žalgiris Basketball Centre. At 4 p.m., sports fans will be invited to watch the regional basketball league competition VMU:KTU (men), and at 7:30 p.m. – the national student volleyball league competition VMU:VU (women).
