Dragon Stadium in Cameron is receiving some major upgrades this summer.
No, it’s not just to the fieldhouse.
Work started June 8 on an additional project. A FieldTurf playing surface is being installed at the Marshall County facility.
The fieldhouse improvements are ongoing and figure to be completed by the start of the season.
Athletics Director Roger Cain believes the turf could be ready for a scheduled scrimmage against Edison. But if not, the season opener against West Greene will serve as its debut.
“How this all got started is our new fieldhouse was improved, and we had a construction meeting with Marshall County schools’ officials, our principal, vice principal, and myself,” Cain explained. “We were talking about the process and brought it up in regard to a need for trying to get turf for the field.”
Cain noted the overall project cost increased slightly, but tying it into the fieldhouse project allowed this addition to happen.
The biggest selling point? Need.
“During the season, if we practice on it every day, we play on it, the middle school team and pee-wee teams play on it, and by week 10 or 11, it’s nearly unplayable,” Cain said. “So, we lease a practice facility a half mile down the road from the stadium, but the kids have to run down there every day for practice.
“That road is utilized a lot by trucks for the oil and gas industry, and safety was a big concern for me.”
Versatility
Safety and longevity concerns are two major reasons for this project.
So is versatility in use.
Football isn’t the only program that will benefit from the new turf at Dragon Stadium.
“Utilization will be huge,” Cain said. “It’s going to be major for us as every sport can use it.
“The softball team, baseball team, we don’t have a track, but this gives our track team somewhere to practice.
“The cheerleading team and band can use it, and since we are a combined high school and middle school, it doubles for all those teams.”
The Dragon Stadium complex is turning into a first-class facility.
A few years ago, the press box received major renovations.
The fieldhouse project itself is adding a second story to the current facility.
This will provide for larger dressing rooms for both players and officials, two new locker rooms, plus rooms specifically for wrestling and archery.
The concession stand itself will also expand.
Speaking of Track
Cain admitted the possibility of putting a track around the turf field was discussed. Even a six- or four-lane track was considered.
But there simply wasn’t enough room.
“We looked at it, but it would have been pretty tight for us to be able to put a track there,” Cain said. “The football teams would basically be standing on the track during a game.
“It would be counterproductive.”
It’s tough for some in Cameron to see John Marshall’s new Vegas gold track surrounding Monarch Stadium while Dragons’ track athletes are still practicing in the parking lot.
This doesn’t rectify that disparity entirely, but the turf is more of an ideal practice facility for the track team.
“We practice in the parking lot, and that’s another team, where the long-distance runners are running down on those roads (with the truck traffic),” Cain said.
“It’s tough when you have to worry about the students’ safety.”
The turf facility will help with those issues. The field events in particular will benefit.
Construction Timetable
Cain said the current timetable will see the installation finished around the second week of August. That gives the construction crews about two weeks to play with depending on weather conditions.
The AD noted the home scrimmage against Edison may need moved to the Wildcats’ facility in Richmond.
“We’re keeping that in mind, but we’re hoping that it might be done in time,” Cain said. “If not, our opening weekend is against West Greene.”
Cain admitted the committee considered going in a different direction with the turf in terms of coloring and presentation.
Ultimately, they decided on a more traditional look with the navy-blue end zones mixed with alternating shades of green every five yards.
“We thought about doing it a little differently, but most of us are more interested in a more traditional look,” Cain said. “It would be strange to look down over the hill from the high school and see a big blue turf field.
“But we’ll have the alternating shades of green and the blue and gold around the sidelines. It looks really sharp in the sketches.”
