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Best stadiums

obguthr

VaPreps Honorable Mention
May 29, 2003
1,886
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Staunton, VA
Where are your favorite places to watch a high school football game? I think Broadway and Giles have the most beautiful locations for a stadium. Someone mentioned elsewhere that East Rock has great facilities and a nice view. What are some others? Use any criteria you like: location, concessions, bleachers, fan support/traditions, field condition, etc. I've already kind of mapped out which games I plan to see this year, but I'm open to some suggestions.
 
May be a bit of a homer but between the field and facilities I believe Wilson Memorials is great.

East Rock the stands, concessions, field are all top notch, but the view of the mountains is my favorite part.

The atmosphere at Riverheads makes a game there worth going too, especially when playing Draft or Wilson.
 
Best atmosphere I have been to is Giles. Has better atmosphere than some colleges.

Mitchell Stadium in Bluefield is the best overall high school venue I have been to. Nice stadium, great concessions, excellent parking. They have no "negatives" up there pertaining to stadium..
 
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It's over here in the east, but I love going to Hopewell. Old fashion concrete bleachers on the visitors side. And the stadium has a long high concrete outside wall that reminds you of the great stadiums of the past. Parking is ok if you get there a little early, but at big games you have to walk a couple of blocks. I give the concessions a solid "D". They have some work to do on that. I think it was built pre WW 2.
 
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This post should probably go on 3A board, but Monticello was my favorite place to watch a game last year. Top notch facility, wild student section, referees with microphones, sound effects of a mustang (their mascot) during key plays, and a pretty decent crowd for a game in that area. They were playing Louisa, and Louisa's band was really good, and played the whole game which made for an intense atmosphere.

I love the fan base at Broadway, so I can agree with that one.

I'm not a big fan of the Wilson facility, mostly due to the traffic jam that follows post-game, but they have a nice field and good atmosphere.

Buffalo Gap was a fun place to watch a game when they were good, as you can stand along the upper level above the bleachers, and they had some pretty rowdy fans which made it fun, but a couple losing seasons has caused their attendance/atmosphere decline quite a bit, and it is another place with nice surroundings. They used to have big tailgate parties too. Downside here was trying to find a place to park for those big games with Riverheads. Speaking of the Gladiators, I like how they do the fireworks pregame, and they have a good concession stand setup, and many entrances to go in.

I went to Waynesboro a few times last year, and one of the games was really great. There was a step team that performed, chorus sang, and the band put on an excellent show. We don't have bad stadiums in this area, but we don't have great ones, so when there are a lot of activities going on at halftime or something, that makes it more enjoyable for me, since we don't get the big crowds week in and week out like an area like SWVA.

Of any classification that I have seen, Salem is probably the best game day environment as a whole that I've seen. Granted, I haven't been to all of the stadiums in VA, or even anywhere close to half of them, probably just the tip of the iceberg, but there's some of my list
 
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Keith, I agree with you on Salem. Great facility, wonderful people, and a terrific band and related. Food was excellent, as attested to by my waste line. ( yeah, I meant waste, not waist. More appropriate.)

Some of you old folks can help me here. In the early 1960's, I was in Berryville with my mother visiting my Grandfather. If I remember correctly, Clarke County was in the midst of a prolonged winning streak. Mama took me to a game. In the eyes of a little boy it looked like a college field. I'm sure it was not much more than a cow pasture with a few lights, but it was a big deal to me. Anybody remember those days? I wonder if they still play on the same field?

By default, this is one of my favorite stadiums.
 
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Check out Parry McCluer's field if you have a chance.
 
Check out Parry McCluer's field if you have a chance.
Pretty impressive as well. I saw something about the type of trees that made me wonder about the altitude of the field. Anyone know?
 
Check out Parry McCluer's field if you have a chance.
I like the PM facility, plenty of bleacher space and nice concessions. I'd like to catch a game there again soon, any idea how the Blues will be this year?
 
If you are ever in the Bluefield area around the time of the Graham vs Bluefield game its a must see. They both share the field as their home field and its a big rivalry. The stadium is packed. Bluefield has a cannon on the hillside they shoot off when they score. Great experience.
 
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Handley is far and away the most beautiful. Frankly nothing else comes close and I've seen almost all of them.

The next tier would be Pulaski, Salem, Radford, Mitchell Stadium in Bluefield and Darling Stadium in Hampton. Most of the stadiums east of the mountains are just bleachers on flat land. But in the western part of the state, a lot of the stadiums are built into the landscape and more appealing. Just my opinion.
 
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This post should probably go on 3A board, but Monticello was my favorite place to watch a game last year. Top notch facility, wild student section, referees with microphones, sound effects of a mustang (their mascot) during key plays, and a pretty decent crowd for a game in that area. They were playing Louisa, and Louisa's band was really good, and played the whole game which made for an intense atmosphere.

I love the fan base at Broadway, so I can agree with that one.

I'm not a big fan of the Wilson facility, mostly due to the traffic jam that follows post-game, but they have a nice field and good atmosphere.

Buffalo Gap was a fun place to watch a game when they were good, as you can stand along the upper level above the bleachers, and they had some pretty rowdy fans which made it fun, but a couple losing seasons has caused their attendance/atmosphere decline quite a bit, and it is another place with nice surroundings. They used to have big tailgate parties too. Downside here was trying to find a place to park for those big games with Riverheads. Speaking of the Gladiators, I like how they do the fireworks pregame, and they have a good concession stand setup, and many entrances to go in.

I went to Waynesboro a few times last year, and one of the games was really great. There was a step team that performed, chorus sang, and the band put on an excellent show. We don't have bad stadiums in this area, but we don't have great ones, so when there are a lot of activities going on at halftime or something, that makes it more enjoyable for me, since we don't get the big crowds week in and week out like an area like SWVA.

Of any classification that I have seen, Salem is probably the best game day environment as a whole that I've seen. Granted, I haven't been to all of the stadiums in VA, or even anywhere close to half of them, probably just the tip of the iceberg, but there's some of my list
Time to make your way to a Louisa home game!
 
You are correct, what would be the best home game to attend this season?
8/28 7:30PM Seasoner opener against Sherando
10/9 7:30 against Powhatan
10/23 7:30 against Monticello
11/6 7:30 against Charlottesville all would be good games to see.

Fireworks, cannon, fire-breathing lion statue, and kids on go-karts driving around the track all after touchdowns, skydivers bringing in the game ball before kickoffs, fireworks at the player entrance tunnel that shoot when they enter the field, great band and field. We used to have real live lions, but PETA complained, so no more. Sometimes we'll have $10,000-$50,000 raffles. Good concession food, and you can even use your credit/debit cards there now.
 
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I like the PM facility, plenty of bleacher space and nice concessions. I'd like to catch a game there again soon, any idea how the Blues will be this year?

Im partial to the old field myself haha. Loved those old wooden bleachers! But the new one has such a beautiful setting. From what I've been told they're looking good in practice. Gonna be young though. The QB from last season is moving back to Running Back. He's not much smaller than Ryheem. And Ryheems little brother will be out there as well. Not sure what they have in the trenches though.
 
Pretty impressive as well. I saw something about the type of trees that made me wonder about the altitude of the field. Anyone know?

Good question. I'm not sure honestly. I would assume place like Bath County are at a much higher altitude. There are parts of BV that set higher than that field does though.
 
Keith, I agree with you on Salem. Great facility, wonderful people, and a terrific band and related. Food was excellent, as attested to by my waste line. ( yeah, I meant waste, not waist. More appropriate.)

Some of you old folks can help me here. In the early 1960's, I was in Berryville with my mother visiting my Grandfather. If I remember correctly, Clarke County was in the midst of a prolonged winning streak. Mama took me to a game. In the eyes of a little boy it looked like a college field. I'm sure it was not much more than a cow pasture with a few lights, but it was a big deal to me. Anybody remember those days? I wonder if they still play on the same field?

By default, this is one of my favorite stadiums.
 
The field in Clarke County mentioned is now at Johnson-Williams Middle School. CCHS's football field is now located at D.G. Cooley Elementary School as the county opened a new high school several years ago.

The current field is a state-of-the-art facility and is called Feltner Stadium after its benefactor.
 
While graduating from Clarke County (old field) one has to include the Handley Bowl in Winchester as a picturesqe facility with the school looming in the home end zone and the turf field...
 
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Thanks FQ. It's nice to know that the field in part of my memory still exist, albeit in a different form.

I'm glad the CC kids have that new venue.

Last year the forum was having a similar discussion on great stadiums, and someone shared a really neat video of a drone fly-over of Handley. Just awesome.

I, too, would like to visit the Jungle. Long haul from my patch of earth, but I will make the trek. It will either need to be on our open week or during the playoffs, and we are done. Maybe a delayed game played on a Sat. One day, I hope.
 
Best atmosphere I have been to is Giles. Has better atmosphere than some colleges.

Mitchell Stadium in Bluefield is the best overall high school venue I have been to. Nice stadium, great concessions, excellent parking. They have no "negatives" up there pertaining to stadium..
Giles has the worse stadium in the area, the field is horrible. I can't believe anyone would even compare it to a sandlot field! Much less college, really ? Come on there is no place to sit and see the game. Redford has an awesome stadium , playoffs should be there
 
Radford does have a good stadium, but I rather attend a game at Giles . the atmosphere is much better at Giles.

Not to mention there's a McDonald's at end of parking lot.
 
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