A new state-of-the-art Daktronics video board was added to Shotwell Stadium prior to the beginning of the 2022 football season. Later that fall, construction began on a new press box. The old box was torn down and replaced by a modern press box with VIP rooms and plenty of room for working press and gameday operations. At the same time, construction began at Abilene High and Cooper on multipurpose indoor turf facilities, completed in time for the start of the 2023-24 school year.
Those three projects – which provide learning and teaching space for digital communications students at Shotwell Stadium and indoor practice space for athletics, fine arts, and other students at both high schools – were paid for out of the district’s surplus fund at a cost of approximately $10.5 million for the press box and $9.5 million for the multipurpose indoor facilities, which are 42,750 square feet apiece.
At Abilene High, the multipurpose facility has been dubbed “The Nest”, while Cooper’s is named “The Den”.
Thousands of students use the new facilities throughout the district daily, providing world-class teaching, coaching, and learning spaces for everyone involved.
Abilene ISD Executive Director of Athletics James Garfield, Executive Director of Fine Arts Jay Lester, Abilene High head football coach Mike Fullen, and Cooper head football coach Aaron Roan recently took some time to talk about the importance of those multipurpose facilities to students across the district, as well as the investment AISD and Abilene community have made in our students and staff.
Q: These multipurpose facilities are popping up all over the state. What does it tell you about AISD’s investment in those facilities at AHS and Cooper?
Garfield: “The AISD administration and school board recognized a need for our students. There is a need for facilities that can be used by many organizations on each campus. They’re also an investment in the health and safety of our student population.”
Lester: “Abilene ISD did the right thing in building the new multi-activity indoor turf facilities. Not only are they utilized by the athletics programs, but also JROTC, marching band, band color guard, drill team, and others.”
Fullen: “I know one of the goals of our district is to invite and encourage families and employees to come to AISD. But I also think it’s just as important to take care of the ones that you have. With the growth of other districts, it’s important to stay up with the times. Investing to upgrade the facilities shows an investment in the people already in the community while also showing people that come to Abilene that AISD is a great place to invest in.”
Roan: “It illustrates that the Abilene ISD is interested in investing in its students. These facilities will benefit students for many years. They are truly generational.”
Q: Have you been able to take advantage of the facilities so far? If so, how often are you practicing there, and what’s the advantage of being in there?
Fullen: “We have used the indoor, particularly during the early part of the year because of the heat. We were able to have practices inside to avoid the heat index. Our football program, particularly our freshmen, uses it twice a week to transition from the turf field after school and finish up their practices indoors. It has been a huge help in safety. Our varsity uses it on recovery days and in the mornings before school.”
Roan: “We have used it when the weather kept us from being outside, whether because of lightning or heat. Our freshmen finish practice in The Den. We use it during the athletic period for our Thursday practice. It allows us to have the same weekly routine regardless of weather conditions.”
Q: Many people consider the multipurpose facilities football-only, but they’re more than that. How vital is it that the district has these facilities for athletics, fine arts, and other extracurricular activities?
Garfield: “Spring is the busiest time of year for athletics. We will have baseball, softball, soccer, track and field, and tennis at any time. When inclement weather happens, all our teams can move their workouts indoors.”
Lester: “In September, we had some rain forecasted on the night of the northside band parking lot concert, which also showcases middle school bands. The need to reschedule was averted by simply changing the venue to the new indoor turf facility. To this day, new and exciting uses for the space are coming to light.”
Fullen: “It absolutely benefits many more programs, if not more than the football program. The season that it will be of critical need and use will be coming up in the winter and spring months when the weather changes daily, if not hourly. We won’t have to cancel practices because it can be set up to host multiple sports simultaneously. This will be a game-changer for many sports and programs.”
Roan: “It’s amazing to have a facility that all those sports can use; soccer has used the Den already. The facility allows us not to miss needed workouts that, in turn, allow us to be as competitive as possible.”
Q: And it’s not just athletics, but the band, ROTC, drill, and dance teams can use the facility. How much does this facility impact the entire campus?
Garfield: “Many of our student organizations will use the indoor facilities. Athletics will benefit from having indoor facilities, as will the band, cheer, dance, and ROTC, to name a few.”
Fullen: “Everyone uses it. We have a calendar for it that stays full. The band uses it regularly in the mornings between the turf field and indoor facility, being right next to each other, making it easy to transition from outdoor to indoor. The drill team uses it two or three times a week, and ROTC uses it regularly.”
Roan: “The facility truly does impact the entire campus. All of those groups mentioned have already utilized the Den. It provides a great space for a full workout, practice, rehearsal, etc. The facility benefits so many kids outside of athletics, and that is what is so amazing about it.”
Q: The district and the community have made significant progress on athletics facilities over the last five years at the high and middle school levels. How impactful are all those things on the program and student-athletes now and in the future?
Garfield: “It is great to be a part of a school district that understands the value of extracurricular activities. We have great facilities, and with great facilities, there comes excitement to be “plugged into” a program.”
Fullen: “We have needed these for years, and I’m glad to see our school board and administration see the need and make these upgrades. We have always had good traditions and programs, and our facilities have good bones (structure) but needed some enhancements. For the district to make improvements that have been made shows the commitment to extracurricular activities and the importance it plays in students wanting to come to school and be here. Now they have facilities they can take pride in.”
Roan: “The biggest impact is that it shows the Abilene ISD is invested in its students. We are proud of our kids and the products we put on display. It illustrates that our school district cares about our kids being the best they can be by providing the best for them. Truly amazing.”
Q: The district and the community have made significant progress on fine arts facilities over the last 10 years at both high and middle schools. How impactful are all those things on those programs and students now and in the future?
Lester: “We have been very blessed to have a supportive administration and board who listens to constituents to assess the needs of district students. From new music rehearsal spaces to improved auditorium facilities, we’ve seen programs impacted in a positive manner. In addition, some of the art facilities have been upgraded to include ceramic kilns, digital cameras, and other innovative tools to align our programs with state and national standards.”
