|
For the first time in close to 50 years, fans coming to watch football at Keller Field in Gooding this fall are going to see a much different stadium than they’re used to. The first major renovations in close to a half century have been underway with upgrades to the home and visitor bleachers, scoreboard, ticket booth, fencing, press box, sounds system and a lot of cosmetic work.
The project started two years ago when the school was forced to replace the aging visitor bleachers because of serious code-violations. Then, last year, a fan approached Head Coach Cameron Anderson complaining that the dimly-lit scoreboard was too hard to read from the stands. After explaining how school budgets were, Anderson had to tell the fan that there was no way they could afford a new scoreboard. At that point, school and town pride took over and by the end of the season the Senators had a brand new LED scoreboard thanks to donations from many local people and businesses.
It was at that point that the ball really started rolling. Coach Anderson explained, “Afterwards, the people enjoyed the new scoreboard so much that we discussed the possibility of upgrading all of it. We created a committee that included me, Russell Visser, Dustin Vincent, Ted Pierson, David Reeves, and the Gooding Elks chapter. We took three months and raised the needed funds from private donations in the community, enough to cover new bleachers, ticket booth, press box, fencing, and sound system. We worked really hard and this community stepped up to make this a project that we could all be proud of for the next 50 years.”
I asked Coach Anderson why the town of Gooding, with a population of just under 3,500, would step up in such a big way. He said, “Gooding is a football town! It shuts down on Friday nights! There are flags on Main Street and a giant "G" painted on 7th Ave. Business windows are painted up. It is small town USA, and the football team has become the symbol of how great this community is. It is an atmosphere that is unmatched in the Magic Valley. This fundraising effort has proven how much this town loves this team and this game, and how much it means to this area.”
The new Keller Field will be christened on August 28th in the Senators home-opener against New Plymouth. To make the night even more memorable, they are inviting back every Gooding football player who has ever played on Keller Field. Every player will get in to the game for free and get a t-shirt with the number they played in on the back. Coach Anderson said, “Doing this is a way to have the current Senators understand and embrace the roots of this great program!”
If you are a former Senator that played on Keller Field, contact Coach Anderson to RSVP and get your t-shirt. Shoot him an email before August 1st at cameron.andersen@goodingschools.org.
The game is also tentatively scheduled to be web cast live on IdahoSports.com for those fans who can’t be at the game.
|