When I first heard that we were going to be getting a new stadium built for Emory & Henry College athletes, the only thing on my mind was excitement. I was very excited to be a part of something that was going to be special and a stepping-stone not only for Emory & Henry sports, but for the college as well. Before this year, I had played on artificial turf only once and the feeling of this turf, in my opinion, is only one word: amazing. The turf is also more convenient for people who have to take care of it, which means that they don’t have to deal with the hassle of painting on the numbers, cutting the grass, or anything else that go into dealing with real grass.
As a football player, this stadium means that every time I step on this new field, I play for those who made this opportunity possible, for all the people who contributed to the making of this stadium and to all the players before me who had shed their sweat, tears, time and many other valuable assets to make a rich tradition at Emory & Henry College. It is not every day that alumni at any college are willing to shell out millions of dollars so that the current players can play in some of the best facilities possible, but at Emory & Henry College we are just blessed that we have alumni who are willing to do this great deed. One day the current athletes will be called upon to help out with something involving the college, and they will answer the call willingly.
Filed Under: Editorial • News • Sports
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James, I also understand what this means to a player and even bigger, to a university as a whole. I was lucky enough to start my academic career in 1996 when Fairfield University not only had a new stadium, but also, was the first year in which the football team took to the field. Not ony does it give the students a sense of pride and excietment every saturday, but it also, brings people together on the field and off the field. We as students took pride, even though we lost a mojority of the games that year, but took pride in something new, something exciting, and something our own…
As a lumni, of the class of 2000, i donate and contribute the best I know how, and a big part of that is to support a growing program and to feel apart of the schools, growing traditions.
Great topic!