SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums SCHSSCA State Championship venue

The kids deserve better!

I personally hate being on the same side as the other team, and i do think that separating the fans is a good idea, BUT the focus should be a quality field to produce the highest quality games and true champions! I appreciate Gilbert stepping up, but if the dimensions are correct, it would be a disgrace and make a mockery of the game to have the state finals on a field <60 yards wide. I really liked Memorial Stadium.

In a year when we are struggling to find the "best" field/stadium combination to host the final, should we really be married to a Columbia area school hosting the game? Should we not send out feelers all over the state to find the best place to host?

What about Wando? Does Hilton Head have seating on both sides? What about Dorman, Spartanburg? Is there still a large stadium in Anderson District 5 where TL Hanna is? Would it be worth contacting Clemson about using Riggs? I even wonder what Jerome would think if we proposed a stadium that only had one side that was not Stone Stadium... like the turf stadium in Rock Hill.

Yes, it is true, none of those are great options for someone. For instance, if Socastee or Myrtle Beach make the final and have to travel to Anderson, that would suck... actually, what do the stadiums at Myrtle and Socastee look like?? Maybe we could play there. Could we find a central location that has two stadiums to reduce wear and tear on the field... for instance, the girls finals at West Ashley High and the boys finals at Wando? Do we need to ask schools about only hosting one of the State Finals series? I'm sure ADs are concerned about fields being torn up.

The question begins to arise about what is more important to us as coaches-- play the game at a Columbia area school to ensure maximum attendance and concession sales or find a school that will ensure a better game.

With all due respect to the kids in the All-Star games (and we have 3 players in the boys games), i would like to see the focus THIS YEAR be on how to produce the best state finals games and not how to raise the most money for the All-Star games.

Does anyone wonder why the POls are trying to pass laws to take over running sports?? If this is the best a self policing group can come up with well..... maybe we should let elected people have a go at it at least we can vote them out! (right????? well maybe not)

Excellent post-in a State with so many quality college programs with great facilities I am sure the HSL could have found another venue. I have personally only been to one game this year where the visitors stands were even open for use during soccer games so they really cant use that argument. As a matter of fact Clemson removed their visitor stands, Carolina never had them and neither does Wofford. Furman has them but people rarely sit in them.

I understand that other schools were contacted

And I believe in the case of lexington the spring football game is on the 17th (so girls portion was out), Irmo -Astroturf they are still working on the facility, Dutch fork - astroturf only has one side for stands

I do not like artificial fields and all the lines but at least they are more than 56 yes wide

No, I actually saw 16 one time but they were all really small. REALLY??

Thanks to Hartsville coach Troy Alexander who met with Jerome Singleton yesterday, but to no avail.

Essentially, Jerome made the decision based to move the match to Gilbert HS on the basis that the executive body deferred to him. He said Stone Stadium was never an option due to smoke bombs being thrown on the field the last year the games were held there and they were worried about getting everyone of one side of the field at one time.

The short of it, is that this year is done -- it's at Gilbert HS.

If we want any kind of frame work for next year, then it has to come from ADs and Principals -- not coaches. He made it very clear that he does not want to hear from us at all.

The Hartsville AD has agreed to bring up Stone Stadium, Clemson, Furman, and Blackbaud this summer. I would encourage all schools to follow suit.

Dutch Fork, as all the new turf field schools (Irmo, Chapin), does have stands on both sides. However, all of these schools are doing major construction projects for athletics and none are available.

Memorial stadium field is not in bad shape as rumor has it. There are a couple of worn spots on the touch line at midfield where it was worn down from football. In front of goals however there are no bald spots or worn down areas.

I also feel that the event being held in a central location of the state provides bigger attendance. When the championships were held at USC there were large crowds, lots of parking, plenty of concessions, and even though fans only sat on one side, there were never altercations between the fans. Probably the best playing surface in the state that could be the best field these players ever get to play on.

I've been to Gilbert stadium. It's a nice little complex, but have patience getting there, it is remote. SCHSL makes awful decisions.

If the director of the H.S. League told Coach Kevin he doesn't want to hear from COACHES on a competition/safety-related issue ...
Mr. Singleton should be tossed out on his self-important ###. Time for coaches, ADs and principals statewide to cowboy up and unseat this guy.
Period.