Keeping the Spartan spirit flowing

Spartan Stadium in the fall means football, fans, food and fun, all under Michigan skies. Concessions and amenities running smoothly, regardless of the weather.

But what happens when temperatures fall, and winter’s chill sweeps through the concourses, determined to freeze pipes, immobilize fixtures and put the fun on ice?

Enter IPF plumber II, Bert Skowronski; a “superhero” who has waged a never-ending fight for faucets, fountains and the American Standard (the toilets, that is) for almost 19 years.

“I watch the forecast, and when real-feel temperatures are predicted to fall below freezing, my team of plumbers springs into action,” he said.

Miles of pipes are drained and blown out with compressed air, the over 1,200 toilets and urinals on site are treated with antifreeze and fixtures are taken apart to prevent freeze ups, breakage and flooding.

But preparing the facility against the cold is only part of the story; the Stadium needs to be brought back to life every game day. This year, Skowronski and his team have gone through this entire process three times.

“We arrive by 6 a.m. to get facilities back online and the water flowing for concessions," Skowronski said. "We remain on site all day, keeping the bathroom and concession areas up and running.” He added, “it's not uncommon for me to walk over 16 miles on a game day, making my rounds.”

When the game ends, and concessions and custodial teams are finished cleaning, winterizing starts all over again.

“We start with the most immediate needs first; getting the exposed areas shut down and drained, and then tackle the less exposed areas that are likely to freeze overnight," Skowronski said. "We don’t leave until I feel the facility is secure, often times well into the evening.” He added, “I’m usually here the next day at 6 a.m. to finish up winterizing the less critical areas.”

Once the season is over, Skowronski and his team do a more thorough winterization to get the facility through the worse of Michigan’s winter.

“The best day is when the fans don’t even realize we’re there; when they have a great time, and are not bothered by any inconveniences,” Skowronski said. “That’s when I know I’ve done my job well.”