South Elgin football stadium nearly ready for debut

METAMORA — While taking refuge from the lightning and rain that eventually caused the cancellation of the football game between South Elgin and host Metamora Saturday, some members of the South Elgin High School administration reflected on a major construction milestone reached this week.

It was a moment so important to South Elgin Principal Melanie Meidel she noted the exact time.

“It was 2:35 p.m.,” she said of the precise time Thursday when the high school was issued the Certificate of Occupancy for its new football stadium. “Oh my gosh, it’s miraculous. It seemed like the groundbreaking was only weeks ago. It’s no longer a dream. This dream came true. It’s a reality.”

Groundbreaking, in fact, took place June 23. Ten weeks later the football stadium is nearly ready for its debut, which, barring any unexpected setbacks, is scheduled to take place against Metea Valley on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 1:30 p.m.

The final major pieces of the stadium effort’s initial phase were installed during the week, including temporary bleachers for visiting fans, brick pavers engraved with the names of donors in a new plaza and, of course, the scoreboard.

“We watched in school this week as the scoreboard was going up period by period,” South Elgin football coach Dale Schabert said. “Everyone was running out between periods to see it growing. It all looks really sharp.”

The scoreboard, made by Daktronics, comes complete with LED video display. Instant replays will not be shown, however, students from the school’s Beacon Academy (Broadcast Education and Communication Networks) have already created separate video introduction montages to welcome the football and soccer teams onto the field. Other videos have been created to run during quarter breaks and timeouts.

The scoreboard has its own strong, internal audio system,

“Now it’s a matter of getting the electrical and the sound hooked up,” Athletic Director Jim Szymczak said. “That should be ready to go this week and we’ll be ready to play a game there.”

The field was built through private donations acquired by the SEHS Booster Foundation, including substantial donations from the Wisdom Family Foundation and the Hoffer Foundation.

Future phases will be completed when fundraising efforts allow. The current 1,500-seat bleachers can eventually be expanded to 2,500 seats, a press box and a concession stand will be built and lights will be installed.

South Elgin will waste no time beginning new home game day traditions.

“At home games there’s going to be a tailgate section roped off in front of the school and they’re going to start cooking early in the morning,” Schabert said. “The drum line and the horns from the marching band are going to wander the parking lot and play. It’ll be a great lead-up to the game.

“Now all we need is a guy to parachute in or have a jet flyby.”