The excitement of Friday night lights, the thrill of the spring lacrosse game, and the suspense of a Ranger soccer game are all highlights of the Ranger community that utilize a common facility: Ranger Stadium. Being the first of the three Forest Hills schools, Forest Hills Central has some of the oldest facilities in the community. Over time, updates have been made to keep the school up-to-date; the most recent of these renovations was Ranger stadium. 

The construction of the stadium took place over two phases. In phase one, the track was completely resurfaced, and new ticket and concession facilities were built. The pole vault area was also reimagined, and a sizeable, state-of-the-art scoreboard was installed. Previously, locker rooms were located in the high school, meaning players had to travel from the high school to the stadium before and during every game. The first phase added locker rooms for guest teams under the concession stands, and the second phase would bring the Ranger lockers into the stadium.

Also, in the second phase of construction, the main bleachers saw a total renovation. The original bleachers, which were far from their prime, were completely torn and the new facility was built. The new bleachers held almost double the capacity of the old, and a new press box was added. The main significance of these new bleachers was not the new capacity, but rather the building under them. Ranger locker rooms, bathrooms, and coaching offices were built right under the crowd’s feet—this centralized all sports to the new and improved Ranger stadium.

With only one season of Ranger athletics after the renovations, many athletes are still adjusting to the changes. However, feedback from all athletes has been extremely positive.

“The new stadium allowed for many more students and fans to come and support us,” senior football captain Carter Kelly said. “Having the locker room right under the stands allowed for us to keep fresh and not waste energy going from the school to the field.”

The new additions are not only convenient but also create a whole new atmosphere for the Rangers. The feelings of a more professional and elite stadium bring in more fans and boost the players’ morale. 

“I think it will impact the lacrosse team in the aspect that we will be way more excited to play our home games because we can use our brand new locker rooms and facilities, and we will be way more hype to get a win in our own house,” senior lacrosse captain John Tomsheck said.

One final but very important addition that the new stadium brings is fans. More seating and better concessions will automatically attract more fans. Regardless of the popularity of a sport, all programs will see a rise in attendance with FHC’s new stadium. 

Senior Mattie Sexton addressed this when discussing the upcoming girls soccer season.

“The new stadium will definitely attract more people to come out to our games because it is new and improved, which will help our game attendance as well,” Mattie said.

All of these factors make the two-year renovation process worth every penny spent. Athletes, coaches, and fans alike can all appreciate the significance of the new Ranger home. Forest Hills Central has always been known for its elite athletic programs, and now it has the facilities to match.