{"id":80261,"date":"2026-10-19T14:57:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T18:57:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/?p=80261"},"modified":"2026-10-19T14:57:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T18:57:29","slug":"utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/","title":{"rendered":"UTC opens The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Attendees

Student Government Association leaders Jeremiah Chambers, Zachary Lewis and Laken Coppinger participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially launch The Flight Deck. Photo by Peyton Schultz.<\/p><\/div>\n

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga celebrated the opening of The Flight Deck on Monday, Oct. 19, with a ribbon-cutting for the newly named outdoor fitness area near Lockmiller Apartments.<\/p>\n

The Flight Deck adds to students\u2019 opportunities to be active beyond traditional fitness facilities and organized recreation programs. Located steps from where many students live and across McCallie Avenue from most of UTC\u2019s residence halls, the facility expands outdoor recreation opportunities on campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is so important because it allows our students to engage in physical activity, help manage their stress and find greater connections on campus,\u201d said Dr. Veronica Warren, UTC associate vice chancellor of student affairs. \u201cStudents can come out of their residence hall from studying and take a break and also have their peers around them, and that creates more opportunity for belonging.\u201d<\/p>\n

Warren said the location makes the space particularly accessible for students.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have neighboring residence halls and you have adjacent academic buildings that allow students those breaks to come and use the outdoor space as they see fit,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The ribbon-cutting brought together UTC students, staff, campus partners and representatives of PlayCore\u2014a Chattanooga-based company that describes its mission as building healthy communities through play, recreation and outdoor spaces. Through its Center for Outreach, Research and Education (CORE), the company uses research, planning resources and data to inform outdoor-space design.<\/p>\n

The project began with a meeting between Jennifer Fritts of UTC Advancement and PlayCore, which provided the fitness equipment and installation at cost. The Green Fee reserve account funded the remaining project expenses.<\/p>\n

Dr. Jason Harville, assistant director of academic initiatives in Housing and Residence Life, reflected on the site\u2019s earlier role as a volleyball court while welcoming attendees to The Flight Deck\u2019s official opening.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I remember most isn\u2019t necessarily the volleyball. It was the people,\u201d Harville said. \u201cIt\u2019s the friendships, it\u2019s the conversations, the shenanigans and, of course, the sense of community that we all built out here on this space.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harville said the outdoor facility\u2019s name carries a connection to the student experience at UTC. In aviation, a flight deck is where pilots navigate, make decisions and prepare for the journey ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey arrive here at UTC with different backgrounds, with different destinations in mind and different ideas about where life might take place,\u201d he said. \u201cBut along the way, they build strength, they develop confidence, they find their community and they prepare for whatever\u2019s next.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Flight Deck was designed with input from the Student Government Association Executive Committee, Housing and Residence Life, and Enrollment Management and Student Affairs leadership.<\/p>\n

Other contributors included Impact Parks Project Manager Robert Mazza, who worked with UTC on equipment specifications and installation needs; Ross\/Fowler, the project\u2019s landscape architecture firm; Chelsie Ewing, UTC\u2019s on-site representative for the system office and design team; and Laurie Kianka, UTC\u2019s on-site project manager.<\/p>\n

\"The

Located steps from where many students live, The Flight Deck expands outdoor recreation opportunities on campus and supports UTC\u2019s ongoing focus on student health, well-being, engagement and belonging.<\/p><\/div>\n

SGA President Zachary Lewis, a junior from Livingston, Tennessee, said students will benefit from having a recreation option close to their residences, classes and other campus amenities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t necessarily have to walk across campus if they want to go hit the gym,\u201d said Lewis, who is pursuing bachelor\u2019s degrees in political science and communication. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be really convenient for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lewis said the area offers more than a place to work out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it will be great, especially if I just want to go relax in the hammock garden over there or chill out and have lunch with my friends,\u201d he said. \u201cEven if I don\u2019t want to go work out, I can still find community.\u201d<\/p>\n

SGA Vice President Jeremiah Chambers, a senior from Chattanooga who lived in the Lockmiller community during his first two years at UTC, recalled using the former volleyball court to study, play and spend time with other students.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis space had such a special part\u201d in the student experience, said Chambers, an early childhood and family studies major and Innovations in Honors student in the UTC Honors College.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs this space continues to change and evolve into what it is now today, serving as a workout space for our students, we know that this space will continue to have such a special part in the hearts and the lives of so many UTC students,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

SGA Treasurer Laken Coppinger, a junior majoring in political science, said The Flight Deck reflects UTC\u2019s investment in students beyond their academic experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving a space like this right here on our campus makes prioritizing our physical and mental health a little bit more accessible and a lot more convenient,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

A Chattanooga native and Baylor School graduate, Coppinger said the space is intended for students of all backgrounds and fitness levels.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether you\u2019re getting in a workout between classes, meeting up with friends or simply spending some time outside, this is a place where students can come together,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Learn more<\/h4>\n

Campus Recreation<\/a><\/p>\n

Housing and Residence Life<\/a><\/p>\n

Visit UTC<\/a><\/p>\n

How to apply<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo gallery by Peyton Schultz<\/h4>\n
\"216A5906\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Laken <\/a> <\/div>
\"A <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Jeremiah <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Yellow-and-navy <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Laken <\/a> <\/div>
\"Jeremiah <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Zachary <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Jeremiah <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"A <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Located steps from where many students live and across McCallie Avenue from most of UTC\u2019s residence halls, The Flight Deck expands outdoor recreation opportunities on campus and supports UTC\u2019s ongoing focus on student health, well-being, engagement and belonging.<\/p>\n

Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1493,"featured_media":80264,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119405,70,123864,15,126226,61,56,4866,3,7712,64,12778,8288,12756,7290,661],"tags":[123184,127830,123827,123824,127069,127099,127074,127061,47993,117231,48470,125306,124002,127828,122300,123829,7196,904,127829,126258,127827],"class_list":{"0":"post-80261","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-advancement-and-alumni","9":"category-campus","10":"category-center-for-student-leadership-engagement-and-community","11":"category-college-of-arts-sciences","12":"category-college-of-health-education-and-professional-studies","13":"category-communication","14":"category-community","15":"category-faculty-and-staff","16":"category-feature-story","17":"category-news","18":"category-political-science","19":"category-school-of-education","20":"category-student-government-association","21":"category-student-servicees","22":"category-students","23":"tag-chelsie-ewing","24":"tag-childhood-and-family-studies","25":"tag-creating-the-mocs-experience","26":"tag-enrollment-management-and-student-affairs","27":"tag-goal-1-2-enhance-learner-success-strategic-plan-2030","28":"tag-goal-4-1-service-excellence-focus-strategic-plan-2030","29":"tag-goal-4-2-responsible-resource-management-strategic-plan-2030","30":"tag-goal-5-1-community-engagement-strategic-plan-2030","31":"tag-housing-and-residence-life","32":"tag-innovations-in-honors","33":"tag-jason-harville","34":"tag-jennifer-fritts","35":"tag-jeremiah-chambers","36":"tag-laken-coppinger","37":"tag-laurie-kianka","38":"tag-operating-with-excellence","39":"tag-playcore","40":"tag-sga","41":"tag-the-flight-deck","42":"tag-veronica-warren","43":"tag-zachary-lewis","44":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nUTC opens The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area | UTC News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Located steps from where many students live and across McCallie Avenue from most of UTC\u2019s residence halls, The Flight Deck expands outdoor recreation opportunities on campus and supports UTC\u2019s ongoing focus on student health, well-being, engagement and belonging.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UTC opens The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area | UTC News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Located steps from where many students live and across McCallie Avenue from most of UTC\u2019s residence halls, The Flight Deck expands outdoor recreation opportunities on campus and supports UTC\u2019s ongoing focus on student health, well-being, engagement and belonging.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UTC News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UTChattanooga\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-19T18:57:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-19T18:57:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/10\/216A5619-600.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Chuck Wasserstrom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@UTChattanooga\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@UTChattanooga\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Chuck Wasserstrom\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Chuck Wasserstrom\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/028a71bd6215de86078a717b45430622\"},\"headline\":\"UTC opens The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-19T18:57:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-19T18:57:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":928,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/9\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/216A5619-600.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Chelsie Ewing\",\"Childhood and Family Studies\",\"Creating the Mocs Experience\",\"Enrollment Management and Student Affairs\",\"Goal 1.2 - Enhance Learner Success - Strategic Plan 2030\",\"Goal 4.1 - Service Excellence Focus - Strategic Plan 2030\",\"Goal 4.2 - Responsible Resource Management - Strategic Plan 2030\",\"Goal 5.1 - Community Engagement - Strategic Plan 2030\",\"Housing and Residence Life\",\"Innovations in Honors\",\"jason harville\",\"Jennifer Fritts\",\"Jeremiah Chambers\",\"Laken Coppinger\",\"Laurie Kianka\",\"Operating with Excellence\",\"PlayCore\",\"Student Government Association\",\"The Flight Deck\",\"Veronica Warren\",\"Zachary Lewis\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Academics\",\"Advancement and Alumni\",\"Campus\",\"Center for Student Leadership, Engagement, and Community\",\"College of Arts and Sciences\",\"College of Health, Education and Professional Studies\",\"Communication\",\"Community\",\"Faculty and Staff\",\"Feature Story\",\"News\",\"Political Science\",\"School of Education\",\"Student Government Association\",\"Student Services\",\"Students\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/\",\"name\":\"UTC opens The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area | UTC News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/9\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/216A5619-600.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-19T18:57:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-19T18:57:29+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/028a71bd6215de86078a717b45430622\"},\"description\":\"Located steps from where many students live and across McCallie Avenue from most of UTC\u2019s residence halls, The Flight Deck expands outdoor recreation opportunities on campus and supports UTC\u2019s ongoing focus on student health, well-being, engagement and belonging.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/9\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/216A5619-600.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/app\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/9\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/216A5619-600.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1\",\"width\":600,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area at UTC, with yellow-and-black exercise equipment, a covered workout station, balance obstacles and blue rubberized surfacing beside campus residence halls.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"UTC opens The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/\",\"name\":\"UTC News\",\"description\":\"Official news releases of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/028a71bd6215de86078a717b45430622\",\"name\":\"Chuck Wasserstrom\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Chuck Wasserstrom\"},\"description\":\"Chuck Wasserstrom is the director of communications in the UTC Division of Communications and Marketing.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.utc.edu\\\/news\\\/author\\\/wyf557\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"UTC opens The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area | UTC News","description":"Located steps from where many students live and across McCallie Avenue from most of UTC\u2019s residence halls, The Flight Deck expands outdoor recreation opportunities on campus and supports UTC\u2019s ongoing focus on student health, well-being, engagement and belonging.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"UTC opens The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area | UTC News","og_description":"Located steps from where many students live and across McCallie Avenue from most of UTC\u2019s residence halls, The Flight Deck expands outdoor recreation opportunities on campus and supports UTC\u2019s ongoing focus on student health, well-being, engagement and belonging.","og_url":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/","og_site_name":"UTC News","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UTChattanooga","article_published_time":"2026-10-19T18:57:28+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-19T18:57:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":600,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/10\/216A5619-600.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Chuck Wasserstrom","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@UTChattanooga","twitter_site":"@UTChattanooga","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Chuck Wasserstrom","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/"},"author":{"name":"Chuck Wasserstrom","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/028a71bd6215de86078a717b45430622"},"headline":"UTC opens The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area","datePublished":"2026-10-19T18:57:28+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-19T18:57:29+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/"},"wordCount":928,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/10\/216A5619-600.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1","keywords":["Chelsie Ewing","Childhood and Family Studies","Creating the Mocs Experience","Enrollment Management and Student Affairs","Goal 1.2 - Enhance Learner Success - Strategic Plan 2030","Goal 4.1 - Service Excellence Focus - Strategic Plan 2030","Goal 4.2 - Responsible Resource Management - Strategic Plan 2030","Goal 5.1 - Community Engagement - Strategic Plan 2030","Housing and Residence Life","Innovations in Honors","jason harville","Jennifer Fritts","Jeremiah Chambers","Laken Coppinger","Laurie Kianka","Operating with Excellence","PlayCore","Student Government Association","The Flight Deck","Veronica Warren","Zachary Lewis"],"articleSection":["Academics","Advancement and Alumni","Campus","Center for Student Leadership, Engagement, and Community","College of Arts and Sciences","College of Health, Education and Professional Studies","Communication","Community","Faculty and Staff","Feature Story","News","Political Science","School of Education","Student Government Association","Student Services","Students"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/","url":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/","name":"UTC opens The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area | UTC News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/10\/216A5619-600.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1","datePublished":"2026-10-19T18:57:28+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-19T18:57:29+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/028a71bd6215de86078a717b45430622"},"description":"Located steps from where many students live and across McCallie Avenue from most of UTC\u2019s residence halls, The Flight Deck expands outdoor recreation opportunities on campus and supports UTC\u2019s ongoing focus on student health, well-being, engagement and belonging.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/10\/216A5619-600.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/10\/216A5619-600.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1","width":600,"height":400,"caption":"The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area at UTC, with yellow-and-black exercise equipment, a covered workout station, balance obstacles and blue rubberized surfacing beside campus residence halls."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/utc-opens-the-flight-deck-outdoor-fitness-area\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"UTC opens The Flight Deck outdoor fitness area"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/","name":"UTC News","description":"Official news releases of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/028a71bd6215de86078a717b45430622","name":"Chuck Wasserstrom","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/adff2964e628ba03f65fe21e0b0b94ca0667bdce5def0433d41884758501f284?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Chuck Wasserstrom"},"description":"Chuck Wasserstrom is the director of communications in the UTC Division of Communications and Marketing.","url":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/author\/wyf557\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/10\/216A5619-600.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/10\/216A5619-600.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"Chuck Wasserstrom","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/author\/wyf557\/"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.utc.edu\/app\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/10\/216A5619-600.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80261","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1493"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80261"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80261\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80287,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80261\/revisions\/80287"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80261"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80261"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}