Stirling unveiling new gym

The Stirling Lakers are moving into their fancy new digs.

And tonight, everybody is welcome to come and check it out and enjoy a long-time basketball rivalry in the process.

A tripleheader is on the slate as the Lakers open their new gym as the school hosts the Picture Butte Sugar Kings and Queens in Deep South Basketball Conference play.

After a little more than six decades in their old gym, the Lakers hit the hardwood in their new home as part of the school’s renovations.

“Our old gym is about 5,200 square feet and we’re going into an 8,300-square-foot, modern, state-of-the-art, sound system, video board, dual score clocks, 660-seat capacity up from 400,” said Darren Mazutinec, principal at Stirling School. “It’s a thing of beauty. I’m baised. I’ve been to a lot of gyms over the years with my kids and this is a pretty fancy gym.”

As the school renovations continue, Ward Bros. Construction, the company doing the construction, is letting the Lakers Grade 12 players get in an early game, said Mazutinec.

“The whole school isn’t quite done yet, so it gives the Grade 12s a chance to play in the new gym while they still have the opportunity because basketball is winding down. It’s a reward for our Grade 12s for having the patience to persevere through a year-and-a-half of the modernization.”

That will take place with three basketball games, starting with the junior varsity game at 5 p.m., followed by the varsity girls at 6:30 p.m. and the boys game at 8:15 p.m.

“It’s a good rivalry with Picture Butte and we hope to see our community there come in and check out the first phase of our school modernization and our new gym,” said Mazutinec.

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