Well it’s monday and I feel like writing, but don’t really have anything important to say so I will offer my analysis of the new stadium at WCHS. For those of you who don’t know, my high school is one of those that is widely known across the show-me-state by anyone who follows high school sports, particularly football. I’ve heard a few people say that they don’t care for the new complex, or that it’s just not “the same”. While it’s not overly luxurious by any stretch of the imagination, I think it is great. In fact, I think it is fantastic. Mainly because now when you go to a football game there you actually have a place to sit! Last season I contemplated going to a couple games, and decided not to just because I didn’t feel like going 2 hours early and being jammed between a redneck who takes up 5 seats and some inconsiderate fans who probably think that because their grandson is a 3rd string qb on the freshman team from 1997 they deserve to sit in those stupid portable stadium seats that take up the row in front of them and behind them. (see image from last season on right). If you can’t tell I am still bitter about that.
I really enjoy going to school athletic events, either at my alma maters, or pretty much any school or college for that matter. Before, it used to really irritate me that to get a seat at all, you had to get to the stadium several hours early. Most people are still at work or have better things to do, but all the people who work at churches and the like could go to the game at 3pm and save 15,000 seats for everyone they know. That’s great if you have lots of spare time or connections (which I sometimes did). Maybe that still happens, but who cares because there are so many seats it doesn’t really matter. I think it also helps that they don’t open the gates until 5:30.
There are a few things that I would like to see considered as future improvements though:
- Restrooms. I am pretty sure the new stadium has less restroom capacity than the old one, even though it seats many times more people. The restroom itself was large, but it has a less efficient design. The men’s room only a single door that doubles as both an entrance and exit, only 2 stalls and maybe 5 urinals. For several thousand football fans?! I haven’t used the women’s facilities, nor do I plan to, so I can’t comment on them.
- Concession Stand. Same issue… I don’t really care about concessions because I am not really into snacking. But I have heard tons of people complain about the line at the concession stand, and I have noticed that it seems like there is always about 500 people standing there not really doing anything except missing the game.
- Entrance. This really isn’t important, but it would have been nice to make a nicer entrance. We still have the ancient concrete block ticket stands with the entry way enclosed by an old chain link fence that leaves a lot to be desired as far as a first impression goes. A cool simple archway entrace with maybe some flags on it would have been nice, and not all that expensive either given the scope of the project.
- Scoreboard. A second scoreboard would also be nice because the light poles block the view of at least part of it from many of the seats.
Here are some photos for those of you who are curious about the new home of the cardinals:
The artificial turf field is probably as nice as I’ve seen, especially for a high school. The cardinal in the center is a nice touch.
This is quite an upgrade from the old stands that had a capacity of about 700(?) I think.
Here is some WC vs. Nixa action with the bright red scoreboard in the distance.
A view of the new cardinal stadium from the visitor’s side.