Ground is broken for new Thunder Stadium

A good-sized crowd anxiously gathered on 14^th St. behind Lamar High School on Monday, March 18, 2024 to watch a new era ushered in for Lamar High School sports.  It was a beautiful, warm day in early spring and the late afternoon sun glinted off a row of shiny new shovels lined up in front of  earth moving equipment and pickup trucks on a field of freshly-graded soil.  People in the crowd were smiling, snapping pictures and talking about how this was a long-overdue moment for our town.  I heard more than one person use the phrase “it’s about time we had this.” The LHS pep band was on hand to lend to the excitement as School Board members and representatives for Hutton Construction donned hard hats and grabbed shovels to break ground for the much-anticipated Lamar Thunder Stadium.

Pictured, left to right: Student Board members Halley Mackey, Vanessa Chairez & Drew Durst; Board of Education members Rick Robbins, Lanie Meyers-Mireles (Board President), Jake Chamberlain, Shannon O’Bryan, Cody Laughlin, Travis Hall, Jerrod Grice, and Hutton Construction representatives.

Lamar School Superintendent Chad Krug addressed the crowd and gave a heartfelt speech, as follows:

“Today we stand on the brink of something truly extraordinary as we break ground for our new stadium, the future home of the Lamar Thunder!  As the Superintendent of Schools, I am filled with immense pride and excitement as we embark on this transformative journey together.  The anticipation that comes with envisioning the incredible feats our students and athletes will accomplish in this space is sure to bring memories that will last a lifetime.

This stadium isn’t just about bricks and turf; it’s about unleashing the power of Lamar Thunder – a force to be reckoned with on the field, on the track, in our co-curricular activities and in the hearts of our community.  Our recently adopted mascot embodies the theme that as we operate together, in unison, we generate a thunderous result.  With every touchdown, every goal, every sprint toward the finish line, and every community gathering, our Thunder will echo across this stadium, igniting the spirit of camaraderie and unity that defines us as Lamar.

Today, we celebrate not just the construction of a stadium, but the birth of a legacy.  A legacy built on the resilience, determination and unwavering passion of our students, coaches and supporters.  It’s a legacy that will reverberate through the halls of Lamar High School and resonate throughout our entire community for years to come.

So, as we turn the soil and lay the foundation for this incredible facility, let us do so with a thunderous roar of excitement and anticipation.  Let us rally behind our Lamar Thunder with unwavering support and boundless enthusiasm, knowing that together, there is no limit to what we can achieve.

As we break ground today, let us also break barriers – barriers to achievement, barriers to opportunity, and barriers to understanding.  Let us build not just a stadium, but a legacy of excellence, integrity, and compassion that will inspire generations to come.

I extend my deepest gratitude to all who have contributed to this project – our board members, administrators, faculty, coaches, staff, students, parents, community members, and future donors.  Your unwavering support and dedication have made this idea a reality.

Thank you to everyone who has played a part in bringing this vision to life.  Your dedication, your commitment, and your belief in the power of Lamar Thunder has made this moment possible.

Get ready, Lamar High School – the future is coming, and it’s going to be booming!

Go Thunder!”

***

Dr. Krug’s speech was met with thundering applause and enthusiastic yells of “yay” while the pep band played the high school’s fight song.  As an observer, I was filled with pride for our future students and our community as well as feeling deeply honored, knowing I had just witnessed part of our town’s history in the making.  Though most of us in this community have very fond memories of the old stone stadium, we also must realize that change often needs to happen and our students deserve a facility to be proud of and feel safe in.  The vision that this administration and school board had in this project is nothing short of exceptional.  I, for one, cannot wait to step into the new stadium on a Friday night under the lights and cheer on our Lamar Thunder!

By Barbara Crimond