Rachel Yeates, Campus Carrier Managing Editor
The 4 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday will mark the official opening of Valhalla stadium. The first home football game has provided much cause for excitement around Berry, but the stadium’s purpose extends beyond football.
“I think it offers the school and Berry in general the chance to showcase the beautiful campus that we have,” head football coach Tony Kunczewski said. “We hope [having a home field] will further enhance the campus vibrancy, the game day vibrancy – that’s our focus.”
Associate professor of English, rhetoric and writing Jim Watkins hasn’t seen evidence of this just yet.
“My experience with football players has always been positive – in the classroom and out,” he said. “But I haven’t seen a huge culture change so far on campus.”
He’s hopeful for the upcoming season.
“We’re building experience each year,” Watkins said. “And I think we’re going to get better each year.”
Sophomore Rachel Mullinax agrees that the stadium will help cultivate the team’s success and game-day culture.
“I think it’ll be really important in building our school spirit now that we have a place of our own,” Mullinax said. “It will build a sense of pride.”
Sophomore Jamie Collier is looking forward to Saturday.
“I’m ready for the game,” Collier said. “I think that [the football team is] really pumped about it too.”
Many more students, faculty and staff are excited to attend the Shipyard and first home football game, but the new facilities will affect more than football fans and players.
Head men’s lacrosse coach Curtis Gilbert is also glad to be able to use the space.
“[Berry men’s lacrosse was] the only team in our conference that didn’t have a turf stadium … we were the only team playing on grass,” Gilbert said.
Lacrosse will be using the space regularly.
“Pretty much every weekend we’ll be out there,” he said. “We’ve got a rookie’s versus returners game out there … we’ve got an alumni game out there. On the 24th of October we’re doing a Wounded Warrior benefit down here – five other colleges are coming in for a day of lacrosse. We’re going to introduce lacrosse to Floyd County Parks and Rec that day.”
According to Gilbert, track and field will also have practice and events at the stadium, high school teams such as the Darlington School Tigers might be able to use the space – the stadium could potentially be used as a concert venue in the future.