HUNTSVILLE — Changes are coming to the John Paul II High School football team this year as the Falcons are stepping up to the big time.
The Falcons will no longer play their games in a Discovery Middle School in Madison.
As of today, JP II can call Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium home.
“JP II has made a commitment to athletics and that’s demonstrated by moving all our home games here,” Head Coach Kevin Creehan said today at a news conference hosted by Huntsville City FC at The Joe. “With this new commitment, the kids can see we’re serious about athletics.
“And the fan experience will be much better than a middle school stadium.’
Creehan was joined by HCFC Director of Business Operations Chad Emerson, Grissom Head Coach Preston Judah, Huntsville City Schools Director of Athletics Mac Howard, Columbia High School Athletic Director TaMarion Kelly and University of Alabama-Huntsville President Dr. Chuck Karr.
“This stadium has hosted concerts, baseball games, football games, soccer games,” Emerson said. “We’re more than a sports venue; we’re a community gathering place.”
Last year, The Joe hosted five high school football games.
This year, with JP II’s full home slate of six games and five home games for Grissom, there will be 16 Thursday and Friday nights under the lights, sponsored by UAH.
“We can’t thank UAH enough for their sponsorship,” Emerson said.
Though the Chargers don’t have a football team, Karr said the exposure of UAH is what is important.
“Our hope at UAH is someday we’ll see the young players grow up to be doctors, engineers and stay in our community,” he said. “We want the young people and their fans to know they can go to UAH and go anywhere.”
Howard said the stadium has added to the city’s stock of available football fields, which helps make scheduling easier.
“We’re excited,” he said. “It’s a great experience for our kids. We now have three football fields (The Joe, Milton Frank Stadium, Louis Crews Stadium at Alabama A&M) in the city.
“Grissom will have all their home games here. Maybe we’ll decorate it in orange.”
Huntsville’s Columbia High School will also play a couple home games at The Joe. Combined with new Head Coach Sammie Coates, things are looking up for the Eagles.
“The kids are excited about playing here and for Coach Coates,” said Kelly. “The excitement is there. We’re ready to get started.”
Creehan said news of the team playing at The Joe has sparked a “buzz around JP II.”
“It may be a coincidence, but we had a couple of new kids come out for the team,” he said.
After playing at the middle school field, Creehan said he plans to bring the players to The Joe and have them “experience the grandness of the venue.”
Emerson put it succinctly.
“We believe this will be the best high school experience in the state.”
And it all starts Aug. 21.
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