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By Mike Pearson

FightingIllini.com

Education, economic development and service to the community are three of the Demirjian family's primary philanthropic pillars. All three were on display today as the ceremonial shovels went into the ground for the beginning of construction of Demirjian Park, a cutting edge facility that could very well transform the future of Fighting Illini soccer and track and field.

With roots originating in Armenia, the Demirjian family leaders—Mary and Gerry—counted themselves as proud, first-generation Americans.

"Our parents always had a very philanthropic nature," said Richard Demirjian, President at T/CCI Manufacturing LLC and a 1988 University of Illinois LAS graduate. "Whether it was giving to the church, contributing to the community, or hosting visiting priests who were coming through town, they were very community oriented."

According to Kara Demirjian Huss, a 1992 ACES alumna and President of DCC Marketing, no one advocated higher education more than her father.

"He believed in providing ways and means for individuals who may not be able to otherwise afford an education," she said. "That philosophy has been instilled in us since we were young."

Other family members involved in the $7 million lead gift for Demirjian Park include Richard's wife (Anne), Kara's husband (Mark), Simone Demirjian, and the family patriarch, J. Gerald Demirjian.

It's the latest in a myriad of donations to the University from the Decatur-based family. For years, they endowed UI scholarships and invested in premium seating at both Memorial Stadium and State Farm Center. The Demirjians also provided the lead gift for construction of the Demirjian Indoor Golf Practice Facility, which opened in 2007.

The new Demirjian Park complex is focused on soccer and track and field, and will directly affect nearly 25 percent of Illinois's 500-plus student athletes. It was that ability to touch as many student-athlete lives as possible that convinced the family to target their lead gift in the way they did.

"Most of these kids aren't going to go on to professional sports," Kara said, "so being a successful student at Illinois is key to driving their career path. To be able to help them is thrilling for us."

A Facility Like No Other

Located adjacent to the intersection of St. Mary's Road and Wright Street, Demirjian Park Stadium will be showcased by a distinctive entry plaza. The stadium's innovative design will feature dual grandstands for the soccer and track venues, permanent restroom and concession facilities, LED lighting, a video board and an advanced sound system. A new parking area will be located just east of the soccer fields.

For the first time, expanded space for lockers and meeting rooms will provide both soccer and track's student-athletes with exclusive areas to dress, study and interact in a comfortable setting. In addition to offices for the coaches, there also will be spaces for sports medicine and nutrition, plus a locker room arrangement for visiting teams and officials.

The soccer portion of the park will include two full-size natural grass fields, one for competition and one for practice. A goalkeeping training area and a tower for filming also are featured elements.

"If you look at just the pure soccer piece of it, we'll have everything we need in a place that makes you feel that excellence is expected," said head Illinois soccer coach Janet Rayfield. "You'll walk in and feel like this is a place where greatness has been and greatness should always be. It's going to be a tangible piece of being able to tell a story and show in a single look the excellence of the program we have here."

Rayfield says that Demirjian Park can be a place where the community can experience soccer as its highest level. 

"Whether that's bringing National Women's Soccer League teams to play here or perhaps hosting a youth national team camp, the layout of the facility allows us to expand to something even bigger.

"It's really going to be a place where we can call home and tell our story," Rayfield continued. "It's the legacies that inspire the next generation. When you go out to work and you've seen that story, it pulls just a little bit more out of you.  That can make a huge difference in a competitive sport where small things matter."

Mike Turk, head coach of both Illinois's men's and women's track and field teams, says Demirjian Park far exceeds any of his expectations.

"With the added space, we'll be able to put all of the jumping events back inside the oval and add a ninth lane," Turk said. "The surfacing will be the best anywhere. I know that we'll have a very fast track and it will be a great competition venue. The fans will have excellent seating all the way down the straightaway to the finish line and nearly every seat will be covered."

Turk says there will even be a special area to train his sprinters.

"On the track side, between the building and underneath the seating that comes off the second floor of the building, we'll have four 60-meter sprint lanes that we'll be able to use for practice," he said. "Those will be completely covered and enclosed. For us to have a space that will be out of the elements is a pretty big bonus."

The new track and field facility could open a door for the university to host larger competitions on the youth, high school and collegiate levels.

"Hosting the Illinois state high school championships is something I'd love to see," Turk said. "Historically, I think the University of Illinois is where the state meet belongs. We'll have a facility that can accommodate it and do it in a first-class way." 

Richard Demirjian sees the new park as having positive repercussions upon the entire Central Illinois region.

"We view the impact that this facility will have on downstate Illinois, available in close proximity to not only Champaign-Urbana, but also Decatur, Bloomington, Peoria, Springfield, and Effingham," he said.

Construction on Demirjian Park will begin immediately after the 2018 soccer season concludes. UI's two new soccer fields will be ready for use in time for the 2019 campaign.

Demolition of the track facility will commence in the summer of 2019. Though the team will be without an outdoor home in 2020, it will be completed in time to host the 2021 Big Ten Championships.

Director of Athletics Josh Whitman says the Demirjian family has, in large part, been incredibly successful in business because they cast a strong, forward-looking vision and has not been afraid to take calculated risks.

"They have brought the same approach to their support of DIA (Division of Intercollegiate Athletics)," he said.  "Whether it was the golf facility or the new soccer/track and field facility, they have seen the potential in big ideas and have not been afraid to walk with us down an uncharted path. 

"They are particularly excited by the idea of using Illinois athletics to advance the interests of the overall institution, the local community, and the entire region—an idea that resonates with us as well.  In the extensive time we have spent together, it has become apparent that we have many shared values, a common approach, and a unified belief in what a strong Fighting Illini athletic program can mean in a context far bigger than wins and losses."

The Model Has Worked Before

Men's golf head coach Mike Small says the Demirjian Indoor Golf Facility has had a dramatic effect on UI's program.

Over the past decade, the success of the men's golf program has flourished, resulting in nine Big Ten titles and 10 consecutive invitations to the NCAA Championship Tournament, including six top five finishes.

"Not only did it give us a place to train year-round," Small said, "but it showed current student-athletes and recruits the commitment from the University, the administration and the coaches to give them the best facilities possible to master their trade."

The Illini women's program also has made significant strides, finishing among the Big Ten's top five four times, including a tie for second place this past season. Head coach Renee Slone says the Demirjian facility has created a "wow factor" for her recruiting efforts.

"When prospective student-athletes and their families walk into our facility, it can be jaw dropping at times," Slone said. "They see, first-hand, the commitment that has been made by the Demirjians as well as the entire athletic department, to create space that is very unique for college golf. They realize that this is something special and say 'I want to be a part of that and take my game to the next level'".