Fitness & Sports Performance

*

Largest Indoor Turf Field in Lehigh Valley Now Open
November 04, 2021

The St. Luke’s Sports Rink, featuring a 200-foot by 85-foot newly laid turf field, is the shining gem in a 25,000 square foot facility that will include a St. Luke’s Sports Performance training center in Whitehall. 

 

“St. Luke’s is excited with this partnership to provide this state-of-the-art, indoor turf facility for Lehigh Valley athletes, scholastic teams and club sports of all age groups to take advantage of field rentals, events and camps”, said Gregory Leh, Sr. Director of Business Development- Sports Medicine Relationships.  

 

“The St. Luke's Sports Rink provides additional access to the highest quality sports performance in our region,” said St. Luke’s Director of Sports Performance Operations Mike Cerimele, a former Penn State and Allentown Central Catholic High School football star. 

 

“St. Luke’s is proud to provide another opportunity for athletes, kids and adults of the Lehigh Valley to come out and experience world class training. This is just a great centralized location for our athletes, just off MacArthur Road in Whitehall, not far from Route 22,” Cerimele said, adding that  St. Luke’s is planning to run a variety of sports camps and potential field trips to expose youth athletes to a variety of sports.

 

What: St. Luke’s Sports Rink

 

"This is long overdue and just a small part of St. Luke's plan to provide safe, affordable, and unique opportunities to our school and club partners,” said St. Luke's Senior Network Administrator for Sports Medicine, John Hauth. "Our enthusiasm and passion for helping athletes of all ages is unparalleled, however, the most important thing is the quality and know-how our dedicated and talented staff of athletic trainers, sports performance coaches and physical therapists bring to our partners and these efforts every day."

 

New renovations allow the venue to host year-round training and competitions.

 

The facility improvements include:

 

  • 200’x85’ brand new turf
  • State-of-the-art weight room
  • Athletic training area
  • Multiple locker rooms
  • Meeting/party room
  • Elevated viewing area

 

The newly renovated building provides space for sports performance training and injury prevention led by St. Luke’s sports performance coaches and athletic trainers, while the indoor field is available for leagues and training in a variety of field sports from lacrosse and field hockey to flag football. Strength training and speed development opportunities will be offered for both teams and individuals looking to enhance their overall athleticism.

 

“Ownership has invested in numerous upgrades that will provide a safer and more efficient overall experience,” said Mike Bender, former Operations Coordinator with St. Luke’s University Health Network Sports Performance. Bender is one of the premier figures in the Lehigh Valley lacrosse landscape and is the head boys coach at Parkland High School. He is excited about the opportunity to continue giving back to the community with St. Luke’s latest venture.

 

“This partnership with St. Luke’s allows us to provide the best resources both on and off the field for our community,” said Bender, who is also the regional director of operations for HEADStrong, which promotes the sport of lacrosse. “The venue is great for practices, games, leagues, tournaments, special events and so much more! We are very excited for what the future holds.”

 

Cerimele said that St. Luke’s sports performance coaches, many of whom hold master’s degrees in the field with high levels of collegiate and professional experience, are excited for the opportunity to train young athletes at the new facility. 

 

“Having been in the sports performance industry for 17 years, I can honestly say that the staff we have pieced together is second to none and will continue to positively impact the athletes of the Lehigh Valley.”