First off parking was terrible, secondly the seat I brought with me had arm rest they did not let me bring it into the stadium. The atmosphere was not very good, having the track takes away from the game. The field was to far away from the stands. I heard Salem fans could not use there Cow Bells they were worried they could be used as a weapon. Tell me if I am right but that is not a VHSL rule that has to be the Stadium,s Administrations rule. Over all not very nice Stadium and a lot of the staff were very rude about the rules of the Facility
William & Mary Stadium
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Scott and Lane are both to big to play high school ball in. It wouldn't be a very lively atmosphere. To much space with to few people.
They were worried that a cowbell could be used as a weapon. Got to worry about those 44 caliber cowbells. Really all we need in life is more cowbell. I got a fever and the only thing that can cure it is more cowbell
I don't like the big venues for high school, atmosphere is not the same no matter how many people you have.
W&M is a terrible venue. VHSL rules should have applied, not W&M rules. Hopefully VHSL will get out of W&M when contract expires. Very bad venue. VHSL should have realized this was a bad place before selecting it.
I have been to a lot of high school games in the state. I have never heard of anyone getting hurt with a cowbell. I wonder can one carry a concealed cowbell in Williamsburg ?
I have been to a lot of high school games in the state. I have never heard of anyone getting hurt with a cowbell. I wonder can one carry a concealed cowbell in Williamsburg ?
Differing opinions on Cowbells. I find them incredibly annoying. But it's a Football game, where ludicrous behavior is not only condoned but often encouraged.
I would not ban them. Cowbells don't hurt anybody and people are just trying to support their respective team in their own way. Let them. I believe in control and a nice, tight sphincter but a Frog's *** in a hurricane is a little overkill for me.
I am trying to be as objective as I can about my comparison of Zable and Williams.
Parking, LU, I give a B+, W&M I give. D+.
Traffic was about a wash. No real problems for me Saturday.
Quality of concessions, I'll give the nod to W&M on quality, B- to C. But as far as staffing of concessions I give both a C-. Plenty friendly, just not enough lines or concessions open.
Bathrooms, W&M a C, LU B+. And the fact that they do not have bathrooms on the upper concourse area was really a major oversight.
Ease of access to seating, ok at both places. I was disappointed that they didn't open the upper deck on the home side, but it really wasn't needed.
Mike, I'll ask your opinion on the handicap accessibility. I know, because you told me, but I think it's worth you telling of your experience.
I don't particularly like the track around the field. I think it detracted from the football atmosphere.
The smaller venue let the crowds be a little more affective, with respect to crowd noise.
The PA system and announcer was spot on at W&M, except that he didn't do his homework on name pronunciation.
I can't say anything about the playing surface, although I tend to think they were equal, and both are very good.
I guess one of the biggest things that stood out to me was how underwhelmed I was. I figured with the highly touted and much advertised, multi-million dollar upgrades, I expected more.
All things considered, I enjoyed LU better. It could be that I've been to LU a half dozen times, so there is a familiarity that makes me feel more comfortable. This was my first ever trip to Zable. But, unless the VHSL calls me up and ask me to pick, I guess we will all be going to W&M for a few more years.
Parking, LU, I give a B+, W&M I give. D+.
Traffic was about a wash. No real problems for me Saturday.
Quality of concessions, I'll give the nod to W&M on quality, B- to C. But as far as staffing of concessions I give both a C-. Plenty friendly, just not enough lines or concessions open.
Bathrooms, W&M a C, LU B+. And the fact that they do not have bathrooms on the upper concourse area was really a major oversight.
Ease of access to seating, ok at both places. I was disappointed that they didn't open the upper deck on the home side, but it really wasn't needed.
Mike, I'll ask your opinion on the handicap accessibility. I know, because you told me, but I think it's worth you telling of your experience.
I don't particularly like the track around the field. I think it detracted from the football atmosphere.
The smaller venue let the crowds be a little more affective, with respect to crowd noise.
The PA system and announcer was spot on at W&M, except that he didn't do his homework on name pronunciation.
I can't say anything about the playing surface, although I tend to think they were equal, and both are very good.
I guess one of the biggest things that stood out to me was how underwhelmed I was. I figured with the highly touted and much advertised, multi-million dollar upgrades, I expected more.
All things considered, I enjoyed LU better. It could be that I've been to LU a half dozen times, so there is a familiarity that makes me feel more comfortable. This was my first ever trip to Zable. But, unless the VHSL calls me up and ask me to pick, I guess we will all be going to W&M for a few more years.
There were no accessible places to sit on the visitor's side which is unacceptable imo considering the upgrades. Also all VHSL and host staffers should be well trained on where accessible seats are. The VHSL gate watcher on the Salem side should be admonished for his lack of knowledge of the facility. I missed about half of the 1Q because there was no accessibility on the visitor's side and no knowledge from the VHSL gate watcher.We found our way around the track and went to the home side where we could finally see.
W&M has a lot going against it as a host facility imo. I do LOVE Williamsburg we had a great weekend and I didn't want to leave Sunday evening from Colonial Williamsburg where I got to take pictures all day! My friends live in Williamsburg so I got to see my Williamsburg family, my Salem family, my Preps family, and a hell of a game for the 2nd year in a row decided on the last play of the game. So if I'm able and Salem is at Zable, I'm ALL IN!
Check out my Avatar if you can see it, Coach Magenbauer asked me to come over as the Spartans coaches were taking pictures. I came over in front of them and I turn around to get a picture with the coaches and they hand me the trophy to hold! I will forever treasure this weekend's memories! Thanks to everyone for making it possible, it was my Make A Wish weekend! I got to smoke a nice Cuban Cohiba Siglo III while drinking a Stella Artois with my brother. Christmas came early this year in so many ways. I even got a story in the Roanoke Times. I will Never forget it!
W&M has a lot going against it as a host facility imo. I do LOVE Williamsburg we had a great weekend and I didn't want to leave Sunday evening from Colonial Williamsburg where I got to take pictures all day! My friends live in Williamsburg so I got to see my Williamsburg family, my Salem family, my Preps family, and a hell of a game for the 2nd year in a row decided on the last play of the game. So if I'm able and Salem is at Zable, I'm ALL IN!
Check out my Avatar if you can see it, Coach Magenbauer asked me to come over as the Spartans coaches were taking pictures. I came over in front of them and I turn around to get a picture with the coaches and they hand me the trophy to hold! I will forever treasure this weekend's memories! Thanks to everyone for making it possible, it was my Make A Wish weekend! I got to smoke a nice Cuban Cohiba Siglo III while drinking a Stella Artois with my brother. Christmas came early this year in so many ways. I even got a story in the Roanoke Times. I will Never forget it!
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I feel like we need to just have a high school stadium picked for every division, and it has to be a stadium that won't be home or too close to home for any team. Kind of like the Super Bowl. For example, we wait until we know the Final 2 in 4A, then pick the championship venue. So it can't be too close to Salem or Dinwiddie, but easy to get to. So maybe, for that matchup, we go to a high school stadium close to both teams. Like for those two maybe City Stadium. For Blacksburg and SR, we have the game at Salem Stadium or something, so it's close to both schools. Heck, for Appomattax and Richlands, just have the game at Blacksburg High School, where it's equal distance for both teams and the stadium won't be too big, like it would at Lane. Maybe this idea will never work but just thinking out loud here.
I love Cowbells. Amherst has used them since I can remember and it sounds great
I agree. In 1995 Amherst played the state game at Brookville. Amherst let two schools use their field for a regional game. It worked fine. We liked it because the Boosters made all the money for the concessions. You could have several schools to pick from with adequate facilities. they would know in plenty of time to expect to host if certain schools made it. Most schools would probably love the idea to host. It would be money for the school.
Most high schools are not suitable for state championship games. Amherst May be an exception. I think they have plenty of parking and turf field. It easy to reach off 29. But Most schools don't.
LU will not see the Championship game again in our lifetime. what goes around.
If Jefferson Forest improves the visitors bleachers and redoes the bathrooms as the renovation plans have outlined then Jefferson Forest will be a comparable if not better suited location than ACHS for a Championship game, no policies in regards to what you can bring in and there's ample space around the bowl. Accessibility for all persons is available too but as I've told many people most high school venues won't seat over 5,000 comfortably.
I agree some. Lynchburg City Stadium would more than suit. I am sure there are some others just think for the moment.
Amherst seats 5,000 just with bleachers and then you would have the bank. When they played in the semis they brought in more bleachers in addition to the bank. Jefferson Forest would definitley have to improve their seating and restroom facility.
Atleast 50% of schools in northern va have turf. There is turf at Liberty Bealeton which would be a great place to host a championship. Then you have some stafford schools with turf. Kellam high school in vabeach would be a great 6A venue. Wanner stadium in Williamsburg would also be great.
Traffic situation in northern Virginia would keep games away in my opinion.
Turf fields are a detriment to the sport. It's why the pros are abandoning them. Obviously, the domed fields have little choice but they are an injury waiting to happen.
If you insist on turf with plenty of parking and ample seating, Bailey field in Tidewater is most excellent.
Where did you get this number? I would be surprised if it's more than 20%. So, surprise me.
20 High schools in Fairfax on this list. (I think 22 play football? Not sure)
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ncs/athletics/turffieldslist.htm
11 of 15 high schools in Loudoun:
http://loudounnow.com/2016/11/16/loudoun-supervisors-dig-in-on-turf-fields/
3 of 12 high schools in Prince William County: Patriot, Potomac, and Colgan.
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ncs/athletics/turffieldslist.htm
11 of 15 high schools in Loudoun:
http://loudounnow.com/2016/11/16/loudoun-supervisors-dig-in-on-turf-fields/
3 of 12 high schools in Prince William County: Patriot, Potomac, and Colgan.
Add to that all three in James City County/ Willismsburg and three of four in York County.
25 football-playing schools in FCPS. The only two not on the list are Fairfax, which definitely has a turf field (they might not be on the list since the school is in Fairfax City and not the County), and TJ--I thought they were supposed to put in turf this year but maybe it was delayed.
As far as I know, there are no HS stadiums that can accommodate that number of fans, and even if they could most would not have even close to enough parking. When Westfield played home on a Saturday against Robinson in the early 2000's they had somewhere between 8-10,000 and they were 5-6 deep most of the way around the field's fence. Parking was OK because the school is located in an area with several large office buildings with large lots (empty on weekends) which allowed fans to park in their lots for that game.
Attendance has been nowhere near that for any game in several years up here (no idea why.....) and, at least in NOVA, anything above 8,000 is not going to work except at a handful of stadiums. Most would be challenged to handle 5-6,000.
Off the top of my head, maybe Westfield, Woodson, and Centreville might be able to handle 8,000.
I guess that's why they use college stadiums, just in case. You never know when huge crowds could happen, you have to consider there are 2 games held at the current sites and for the most part they are able to pull it off. I just don't think the HS stadium idea would work very well anymore, especially with short notice.
Salem may be one of the few high school stadiums that can support that type of crowd. I have personally witnessed more than a few games over the years with 10k+ (Pulaski, Amherst, Graham). They've got plenty of good seating for that size of a crowd, restrooms are sufficient and parking isn't an issue. Maybe the only thing Salem would need to upgrade for those types of crowds is the concessions. All they would need to do is bring is some more help and possibly set up a few temporary concessions stands in the grassy area behind the hill.