Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Lincoln Establishes Home Field Advantage
LINCOLN — Each year since Wolfpack Stadium opened with Lincoln’s 47-6 triumph over Stilwell, Okla., on Sept. 13, 2013, two sets of buses arrive for football games — opponents and the Wolves.
The tactical and logistical disadvantage of practicing at one facility, then competing at another goes away in 2017.
The new high school was completed at Lincoln in time for the 2012-2013 school year followed by Wolfpack Stadium a year later, but the Wolf football program has continued to dress out and practice at Lincoln’s old football field across town for two reasons. No. 1, the Wolves did not have a fieldhouse at the new high school and No. 2, fear of damaging the turf at Wolfpack Stadium.
Opponents have actually prepared for competition on-site, using Lincoln’s gym while the Wolves dressed out at the old fieldhouse and were bused to Wolfpack Stadium for games.
That changes over the summer break with work scheduled to be finalized on a new fieldhouse, and installation of artificial turf on the football field at Wolfpack Stadium.
Additional improvements are planned, including a new rubberized track surface at the outdoor athletic facility.
Lincoln School Board approved the projects during a June 18 meeting. The work is scheduled to begin in July with completion for the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year.
According to Enterprise-Leader archives, the new turf and track surface will be funded through a partnership effort between the Wolfpack Foundation and Lincoln School District. The Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization headed by a board of directors, many with ties to Lincoln.
Cost of the upgrades is projected at $900,000, with $90,000 due annually on a 10-year note. Lincoln spends about $30,000 annually for
maintenance on the football field.
A news release from the superintendent’s office indicates the plan is to allocate funds from an annual budget for maintenance of the high school football field to be used in conjunction with a projected match from the Wolfpack Foundation to make the annual payment for the multipurpose field and track.
The Wolfpack Foundation is working to secure annual sponsorships for banner ads, which are traditionally displayed along field sidelines and outfield fences. The artificial turf opens up unprecedented opportunities for sponsorships because ads can be installed into the sideline surfaces of the turf.
According to the superintendent’s news release, the artificial turf and rubberized track will give the school the ability to offer additional programs for student-athletes, marching band, plus track and field, as well as cheer squads.
The Lincoln community will be able to enjoy the new track surface. Installation of artificial turf will allow many community groups to use the football field, including peewee football, soccer, cheerleaders, classes, band and even the baseball and softball programs when their fields are too wet.
According to Lincoln athletic director Deon Birkes, installation of artificial turf will end the need to bus football players to the middle school field for practices; and he would no longer need to “chase people off the field for fear they’ll damage the turf.”