The Portland Sports Complex (PSC) serves the greater Portland area with a facility unlike any other around.
All of the athletic facilities in Portland are top notch, but they fail to serve Portland with the flexibility of different uses that the PSC does. There’s the Portland Expo, which is the new home to the NBA Development team The Maine Red Claws. There’s Hadlock Field, home of the Sea Dogs and Portland and Deering High School’s baseball teams. Then there’s the Portland Ice Arena which is where the area’s high school hockey teams play. Finally there’s the Cumberland County Civic Center, which is the home of the minor league hockey team, the Portland Pirates, and is a facility that hosts many concerts throughout the year. Unlike these facilities though, PSC offers people with different options that apply to several sports in one indoor multi-purpose field.
The PSC, which is located on Warren Ave. in Portland, provides athletes of all ages with an array of indoor sports leagues and activities that are second to none among the various similar complexes in greater Portland.
The 45,000 square foot white dome that can be seen on the left side of southbound I-95 features a 160’x 230’ state-of-the-art FieldTurf surface. It also includes the Frozen Ropes Baseball and Softball Training Center, and a sports pub called “Turf’s.”
The complex’s field house includes a surface without any sideboards, and no support poles that in turn provide participants with the most realistic experience. It simulates a real life outdoor playing surface with the convenience of dodging the elements that flutter through Maine every winter.
USM has its soccer and flag football intramurals, but if you’re looking for another league to join, the PSC will have it. The Sports Complex offers co-ed and men’s soccer leagues, youth softball and baseball leagues run through Frozen Ropes, a Maine Indoor Premier Lacrosse League for middle and high school players, a field hockey league, and a flag football league. These leagues don’t only give athletes a chance to play on a tremendous playing surface, but they give them a chance to practice their skills year round. In a state that has snow on the ground 5 months out of the year, a facility like this is a huge contributor to the development of high school and college athletes especially in sports like soccer, baseball, softball, and lacrosse. Athletes also have the convenience of playing in game-like situations as tournaments occur throughout the winter at the PSC.
USM’s baseball program is among the best in Division III. But, if you’re just looking to hit a round of BP for fun, the PSC can help out with that as well. The Frozen Ropes Baseball and Softball Training center helps little league to college age baseball prospects sharpen their game with top of the line instruction. This facility includes batting tunnels with pitching machines, mounds for pitching instruction, and a pro shop for equipment needs. The training center is the only location in the state of Maine, and its benefits are huge for kids because they don’t have the luxury of playing outside year round.
Nothing is better than eating good food while watching sports. Turf’s Sports Pub is a family style restaurant that is open daily. The pub’s variety of great sports foods, including wings, pizza, and fresh sandwich’s add to the atmosphere that make the PSC one of the best sport facilities in New England. Turf’s is a great place for birthday parties, team parties, or for just watching the game with your buddies.
Not only does the PSC provide an area for recreation and food, but it also serves as a host for different showcases throughout the year. Special events that occur at the PSC include the New England Landscape/Masonry Show, The Portland Boat Show, the New England Products Trade Show, and Southern Maine’s largest RV and camping show. Because of the 62’ ceilings and the two large bay doors that were installed, it provides easy access to move large equipment for these shows in and out of the building.
Whether you are a young ball player, want to watch a game, have a birthday party to plan, or want to attend a special event such as a boat show, the Portland Sports Complex can accommodate all of these uses with its top-notch facility. The PSC is a tremendous thing to have in greater Portland Area due to the benefits it provides young athletes.
So, if you are looking for an alternative league to play in beyond USM intramurals it is definitely worth checking out next time you happen to stumble upon Warren Ave. Your inner sports fan/athlete will not be disappointed.