Indiana University Athletics
Hometown Hoosiers: Indianapolis
12/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | General
Dec. 18, 2006
Story by Ryan Sheets
As part of an ongoing series, IUHOOSIERS.com will take a look at the hometowns of Hoosier student-athletes throughout the year. The fourth in the series is Indianapolis.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Sitting just over 50 miles northeast of the Indiana campus, Indianapolis is home to a number of attractions that any student would enjoy. What was once known as a one-event town with the Indianapolis 500, has grown into a city with endless possibilities and one of America's best sports cities. It is also the home of 50 Indiana University student-athletes, including four members of IU's men's and women's basketball programs. Junior guards Adam Ahlfeld (North Central) and A.J. Ratliff (North Central), and on the women's team, senior forward Carrie Smith (Brebeuf Jesuit), and sophomore guard/forward Kim Roberson (Cathedral) all call the city home.
The Indiana men's basketball team has called Indianapolis their second home on many occasions. The Hoosiers have played in the capital city on 83 occasions, posting a 70-13 record overall, and a 13-5 mark in Conseco Fieldhouse. Ahlfeld says the team enjoys the opportunity to play in Indianapolis.
"Preparing to play in Indianapolis is pretty exciting for the team," Ahlfeld said. "It gives us an opportunity to play away from home to prepare us for road games, but also in a home environment since we have great fan support in Indianapolis. I also think it's beneficial to play games in Conseco Fieldhouse because it will give us experience playing on that court and arena for future Big Ten tournaments."
Indiana overall is known as a basketball state throughout the country, but Ahlfeld feels that Indianapolis is the heart of basketball for the state and has been a highlight of his growing up in the city.
"The best part of growing up in Indianapolis was being part of some of the best basketball in the country," said Ahlfeld. "Indiana is known for its basketball, but I think Indianapolis has some of the best players and teams in the state. I always look forward to the IHSAA state basketball tournament. The best games of the tournament usually take place in Indianapolis in my opinion. A lot of great teams are located there and it adds to the March Madness atmosphere."
The "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," the Indianapolis 500 finds its home just outside of the Circle City. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built on 328 acres of farmland five miles northwest of the downtown area. The two and a half mile track was originally covered in crush rock and tar, but was soon replaced by over three million paving bricks. This of course was the origination of the speedway's nickname, "The Brickyard." The inaugural 500 mile race took place in the spring of 1911, and today has become one of racing's elite events in the world.
"I think the city itself is probably most associated with the Indy 500," Ahlfeld said. "As long as I can remember growing up, that always seemed to be one of the biggest sporting events that people from all over the country would come to watch."
Many professional sports call Indianapolis home as well. The two major sports teams are the Indianapolis Colts and then Indiana Pacers. The Colts moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore in 1984. The team calls the RCA Dome their home and has become one of the most popular franchises in the NFL. The Pacers have been part of the city since 1967, and has seen its share of success in both the ABA and NBA. Former Pacer greats Quinn Buckner, George McGinnis and former coach Bob Leonard are just a few of many Pacers who spent their college years at IU.
However, Indianapolis is much more than a sports city, as it offers a number of attractions that are outside of the sporting arena. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is considered one of the best in the country. Founded in 1925, the museum has grown into one of the most popular places for children to visit in the state. Other attractions in the city include the Indianapolis Zoo, the NCAA Hall of Champions, the Indiana State Museum, and the Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum.
The combination of a sports city and museums just make up a small part of Indianapolis. Although it is the biggest city in Indiana, it also has a small town feel.
"My favorite part about the city is the units that make up the city," Smith said. "The smaller towns in the suburbs are great because they have created their own communities with pride for their schools as well as other things. There are also areas like downtown, which is where metropolitan meets home. It's a perfect mix of urbanized progressive cosmopolitan city life with all the hallmarks of a cultured big city and yet it still remains friendly and welcoming."
Senior diver Heather Chapman also feels Indianapolis is a perfect Midwestern city.
"I like the way I feel when I am in Indianapolis," Chapman said. "I feel like the city is cleaner than most big cities. We have malls, small shops, sports, aquatics, concerts, racing and much more. It's great."
Indianapolis may be a capital city to some, a sports city to others, but for a number of Indiana student-athletes, Indianapolis is just simply home.
Players Mentioned
