To get to the first 10 for a first down and the drive to a touchdown looks a bit different in Choctaw County now.
For fans and visitors alike to get to Charger Stadium now, fans and visitors will have to travel a little further than Highway 15 to East Church Street, the new home of Choctaw Chargers football. Complete with spacious seating, a jumbotron, an air-conditioned concession stand and air conditioned bathrooms, a new air conditioned press box, a locker room underneath the home bleachers, a set of bleachers just for the band, a spacious visitor side and a tailgaiting area.
Superintendent Glen Beard Jr. said when the consolidation happened 11 years ago, the Choctaw County School Board knew they needed a new athletic facility, but financially they weren’t in the best shape.
For the past 11 years, the Chargers have played season after season at Dale Davidson Field. What was the home of the Ackerman Indians for decades before the consolidation took place. But, the Chargers over the years outgrew Dale Davidson and there needed to be another option. So, the school looked into other options, which came with its own challenges and not many were thrilled with the idea when the district asked to purchase the former Tom Glasgow Park from the Town of Ackerman.
Once the purchase took place work began turning the old amphitheater, basketball courts, tennis courts, bathrooms, and pavilions into what’s now Charger Stadium. To do this, the school utilized good financial management making cuts when needed, they were able to achieve their goal by building the capital to do so.
“We did it without a bond issue or raising taxes,” Board President Mike Thomas said. Thomas said when the consolidation happened, the district wasn’t in the best shape financially. He said Beard was able to come in, when Superintendents were still elected, and get it to a good place. It hasn’t always been easy, but the progress at each of the campuses and now the addition of Charger Stadium makes it all worth it.
“We took care of the academic side and now we’re taking care of the athletic side,” Thomas said. “We thank the Board of Supervisors for their help and for allowing us to build that capital. And now we look forward to phases II, III, and IV.”
Beard said that Phase II is underway and will start something this year. In Phase II, it will focus on the baseball and softball fields. The biggest thing will be to turn the baseball field so that the sun is not blaring in the eyes of an outfielder.
District 5 Supervisor Rodney Bowman said football has always been a part of the community.
“When I was growing up, I played football. I wasn’t a good football player, but I played. And football has always been big in Choctaw County. So, to see this come to pass is big for our community. And, it’s not just for football. It can be used for many activities,” Bowman said.
Beard thanked the community for its patience as they anticipated the new construction.
“We thank you for your patience. You know when you have new construction, things don’t always go as planned. The water can turn brown, Mayor Dale Reid can attest to that he’s fielded plenty of those calls. But, for us to get to this place shows progress,” Beard said. “We wanted to be sure we did it right. We wanted to be sure that this was around for 100 years. And we’ve added some special things, I’m sure you’ve seen them on Facebook.”
Head Coach Dillon Mitchell in an earlier interview said it’s a testament to the administration and the community, and displays the passion that it has the kids. And that he can’t wait to see the stands filled on Friday nights with fans cheering on the Chargers.
On August 16, the Chargers will host Meet the Chargers and open Charger Stadium to the public. Meet the Chargers open at 6 p.m.
