Gallery: (5-23-2023) Gymnastics Practice Facility
Southern Utah University gymnastics' facilities include the America First Event Center and the Harris Center training complex.
The America First Event Center, a 5,300-seat arena is as comfortable as any gymnastics facility in the country. Dedicated in 1985, the America First Event Center is intimate, yet spacious, with every seat in the house providing an excellent view of all the competition venues. Southern Utah has always been among the leaders in its conference in home meet attendance.
Since opening in November of 1985, the America First Event Center has attracted thousands of people to Cedar City, for Thunderbird sports, big-name concerts, and numerous other athletic and performing arts events.
The Flippin' Birds train inside the Jay Dee and Alice C. Harris Center, home to one of the most comprehensive collegiate gymnastics practice facilities in the country. Designed to support elite-level preparation, the facility provides the SUU Thunderbirds with a dedicated space that prioritizes athlete development, safety, and performance.
The gymnastics training area is fully equipped with all four competitive events—vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise—allowing athletes to train in an environment that closely mirrors competition settings. Multiple pit systems and an in-floor trampoline give gymnasts the ability to safely progress new skills and refine high-difficulty elements, while the spacious layout allows the entire team to train simultaneously without congestion.
In addition to the training floor, the facility features a spacious locker room and team space, providing student-athletes with a comfortable space for meetings, recovery, preparation, and team bonding. These areas support the day-to-day needs of the program and foster a strong team culture.
Enhancing daily practice, the facility includes high-resolution video capture technology that provides immediate feedback for both coaches and student-athletes. This technology supports technical precision and consistent improvement across all events. The size and versatility of the space also allow it to host summer camps and clinics, accommodating large groups of visiting gymnasts from across the region.
Together, these features make the Harris Center Gymnastics Training Facility a cornerstone of Southern Utah University’s gymnastics success, offering a modern, athlete-focused environment that supports both competitive excellence and long-term development.
Opened in June of 1990, the center is named in recognition of longtime SUU supporters Jay Dee and Alice C. Harris and is the centerpiece of the ongoing expansion of Southern Utah University’s Eccles Coliseum complex. The Harris Center houses many coach's offices including Gymnastics, Football, and Track and Field in its west wing, while the east wing is now known as the Coach Joe & Dr. Jean Reeve Lopour Athletic Academic Center which serves as the academic resource center for the University's Athletic Department.
