Heights High dedicates new stadium
A sellout crowd filled the new and expanded stands for Heights High’s first home football game of the season, on Sept. 13. The game, against Glenville, marked the official opening of the new Heights High athletic stadium, featuring all-weather turf.
The enthusiastic crowd saw the Tigers fall to Glenville, 12-19. Standouts among the Heights team members were offensive running back Jevon Avery, with 85 yards and a touchdown, James Crowder, who had 50 receiving yards, and running back Marquise Watkins, who added 59 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Before the game, students, families, alumni, residents and youth athletes attended the district’s tailgate celebration, opening ceremony and ribbon cutting.
Kristin Hughes, athletic director, began the ceremony with a big thank-you to Cleveland Heights and University Heights citizens, for making the new facility a reality. Ron Register, Board of Education (BOE) president, recognized the citizen working groups that are supporting the facilities project, and welcomed the stadium as the first piece of the high school renovation. Talisa Dixon, superintendent, thanked the BOE for its leadership, and thanked city officials for their support. Zoraba Ross, Heights High administrative principal, recognized the athletes and the important role that athletics plays in the life of students and the school. Student athletes from each of Heights High’s teams participated in the ceremonial ribbon cutting that preceded the football game.
Volunteers from the Sustainability Working Group, a citizen group supporting the district’s move to more environmentally friendly facilities, stood by all of the stadium’s recycling and trash containers, to encourage fans to recycle as much as possible. The volunteers are part of the Tiger Nation Game Day Recycling Challenge, an initiative to promote waste reduction at athletic events.
Hughes is “thrilled” with the mud-free field, and said, “This all-weather field will be used by many teams. Besides our football team, youth and middle school football, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, marching band, baseball and physical education classes will use this field.” Hughes noted that the district will still use the Dennison field.
While the field surface and stands are complete, the district is working on a fundraising plan to enable it to add a Tiger Welcome Center that would include a concession stand and restrooms. The district’s goal is to have that in place by next fall.
Joy Henderson
Joy Henderson is the parent/community liaison for Heights High.