Groton dedicates Maqubela Track and Field Complex

易胜博app安卓下载的Vuyelwa和Temba Maqubela田径馆于4月27日正式落成, furthering the current era of inclusion, diversity, and athletics on the Circle. 

The event took place under a perfect spring sky, as student-athletes, faculty, staff, trustees, 捐赠者们聚集在一起，向Maqubelas夫妇致敬，并正式开放新设施.

Groton’s track and field program has been active since 2008, 当名人堂越野教练比尔·“火”·马奎尔第一次被一些跑步者找到，想要组织和参加一些比赛时. It has since become one of Groton’s fastest growing sports, 尽管要坐公交车去艾耶尔和哈佛的跑道训练, and being unable to host meets on campus.

When Groton’s Strategic Framework 2030 was adopted by the Board of Trustees in November 2021, inclusion, belonging, and student well-being were identified as key pillars. As a sport without barriers, 不需要事先培训，参与者不需要特殊设备, 田径运动被认为是加强这些支柱的一个很好的方式，田径设施项目开始了. 

In January 2023, after just four months, 为新跑道和运动场地筹集的资金达到了目标, 通过GRAIN(易胜博app安卓下载负担能力和包容)倡议，增加了易胜博app安卓下载正在进行的包容和学费控制工作. 

马奎贝拉田径场包括一条八车道的跑道，可以容纳高中比赛的所有项目, including shot put, discus, javelin, long jump, triple jump, high jump, and pole vault. A natural grass soccer/lacrosse field sits in the infield. 田径设施的建设于2023年春季破土动工，并于今年早些时候完工. 

Speaking at the dedication, Ann Fox ’94, 校董会楼宇及场地委员会主席, thanked the project team of CSL Consulting, CHA Consulting, MJ Cataldo Landscape and Construction, and Tim Dumont, head of Groton’s Buildings and Grounds Department, 感谢他们孜孜不倦地完成了三个项目:轨道设施, a new turf field on the lower campus, and a new storage building. 

“我还记得5年前我刚加入董事会的时候, Temba expressed his strong desire for a track at Groton,” said Ms. Fox. “Maqubelas对包容和归属感的基本信念指导了这个项目的整个融资过程, execution, and completion. 

“When we updated our strategic plan for Groton, we worked to define our guiding principles,” she continued. “这些原则塑造了我们如何看待我们所做的一切，包括我们的物理校园. 我们致力于创造一个视觉和体验的环境，为每个人-学生, faculty, 还有员工——每天在校园里、在每一项活动中都有归属感的机会.” 

星期六也是南非自由日三十周年纪念日, 1994年的这一天，南非人举行了第一次民主选举，并推出了一部新宪法. 在纪念Maqubelas(来自南非的难民，在美国受到欢迎)的日子里，这种融合是特别的.

“At 2:15 today, we’ll have a track meet here. 但在很多方面，这一天让我们所有人都超越了易胜博体育app下载. Fox. “I know the Maqubelas’ battle for inclusion, belonging, 人人享有自由的理念早已根植于他们的灵魂和精神之中，因为我可以向你们保证，我们在他们的领导下所做的一切，都离不开围绕包容展开的对话. 他们的领导既真诚又有远见，我和许多人一样，对此深表感激.” 

Board of Trustees President Benjamin Pyne ’77, P’12, ’15感谢他的理事同事和其他捐助者，他们在短短15个月内使这个项目成为可能.

“There was not even a question. ‘Of course we’re going to support this,’ you said, 这导致了一场非常成功的筹款活动,” said Mr. Pyne. “Your generosity made today possible. Groton owes all of you a debt of gratitude, so thank you.”

他还向田径队及其教练致敬，感谢他们在没有场地的情况下取得如此成功. 

“It is of course, because of your grit, your perseverance, which is what Groton is all about, that you made do with that. 我很高兴今天和将来，你们将拥有这样的设施.”

Mr. Pyne saved his biggest thanks, however, for the Maqubelas. 

“今天，我最感谢Temba和Vuyelwa Maqubela. 易胜博app安卓下载有你加入我们的圈子是多么幸运啊. 我们都很感激过去11年来与你们一起走过的旅程。. “你的远见卓识和领导能力改变了易胜博app安卓下载. 你们将教育和卓越的力量与机会和包容结合在一起，形成了一种愿景和实践，这对我们所有人都是真正的鼓舞. We have all been your beneficiaries, 最重要的是在您任职期间在这里学习的学生们.

“正如你们许多人所知，今天是南非自由日30周年. And to me, 肯定你们俩在易胜博app安卓下载创造了一个每个人都能蓬勃发展的环境，这是对你们所取得成就的最好认可, where everyone is included, and where everyone feels that they belong.”

整个马奎贝拉家族都参加了这次活动，包括马奎贝拉先生. and Mrs. Maqubela’s children and grandchildren. Flanked by a few of the latter, Mr. Maqubela在讲话开始时也感谢了使该项目成为可能的捐助者, 从提供第一份礼物的匿名捐赠者家庭开始. 

“They say Groton shows up,” he said. “You showed up so fast, so readily, and we were just amazed. And this was a global effort. 一些说“我加入”的人来自遥远的香港、新加坡和印度尼西亚, with our local people who are here. So to you for making the distance to mark this day, 非常感谢你们所做的一切，因为如果没有你们所有人的全球合作，我们就不会在这里.”

After thanking Ms. Fox and Mr. Pyne, Mr. 马克贝拉把注意力转向了他的妻子，他的“chomam”(南非俚语，意为“最好的朋友”). Maqubela. In high school, 她是一名明星赛跑运动员，在短跑比赛中连续五年不败, high jump, and long jump, 但由于种族隔离，他被禁止与白人赛跑. 

“如果没有她，这可能永远不会发生，”他说. 

Finally, with their teammates behind them, track and field captains Daisy Adinkrah ’24, Inga Bartsch ’24, Jeremy Gall ’24, 安德烈斯·帕拉西奥斯24号(Andres Palacios 24)剪断了横跨起跑线和终点线的长长的红丝带，带领大家在新赛道上跑了一圈.