Your View: 'Not Impressed' with Memorial Stadium
Berkeley Independent reporter Dan Brown voiced complaints about Summerville Green Wave's John McKissick Field.
A reporter is "not impressed" with Summerville High's Memorial Stadium and John McKissick Field and recently published a column complaining of its angled approach, lack of end-zone space and a "septic" smell.
In the Berkeley Independent, reporter Dan Brown complained about the stadium.
Here are his complaints:
- "They had plenty of flat room, so why did the Green Wave faithful decide to put their field on the only high spot in the road? They probably didn’t want to disturb the azaleas."
- "The concrete stair-stepped grandstands are a throwback to World War II sports stadium designs."
- "It wasn’t just water. I smelled septic. Someone tipped the Port-a-Potty."
- "There is maybe 15 feet of extra room on the sidelines and God help the player that gets sideline tackled. After those 15 feet stands a concrete wall."
- "You have maybe 18 inches of spare room in the end zones ... A diving catch for a touchdown here and you just planted yourself without the benefit of a shovel."
Read the full opinion piece here.
What do you think about Brown's column? Tell us in the comments!
Editor's note: The original article refered to the stadium as "John McKissick Stadium," which is not the correct name, as noted in the comments. The name has been corrected to Memorial Stadium. It's the field within the stadium that is named after Coach John McKissick.
Laura Floyd
5:16 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Well, he must be jealous of our amazing Greenwave players and awesome coach! The smell must have been the smell of defeat from the opposing team. It's an wonderful old stadium in a lovely old town where we all still stop on Friday nights for the boys of fall and the love of the game!
Rebeccah Connelly
5:34 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Firstly, it's Memorial Stadium, McKissick Field. Secondly, it IS a WWII throwback, as it was constructed and named for the memory of soldiers lost in WWII. Thirdly, it was built next to what was then the high school, which was constructed in 1924. The hill top was ideal for drainage, which, last time I checked, can be a problem for turf conditions. This guy really should have picked on something else because old, out of date McKissick FIELD is the home of a legend, has amazing, multi-generation fans and the kind of Friday night football that movies try to replicate. Give me a break.
Lindsay Street
5:37 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Laura, he says his complaints have nothing to do with the thumping his team received two weeks ago (http://patch.com/A-x0FP).
I like the venue, and I like how close it is to downtown. Though, I'll admit, when I was still fairly new to Summerville, I couldn't find the stadium! I went to the high school and was very confused.
The hill was no problem for these warriors who carried hundreds of pounds of equipment up it: http://patch.com/A-kJw4 (Drum Corps competition)
Lindsay Street
5:40 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Rebeccah, that is actually my error (McKissick Stadium v. Field). Forgive a non-native Summerville resident. I will make a correction.
Rebeccah Connelly
5:41 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Oh, sorry! I thought that was him and I was already aggravated! whoopsy. :-)
Lindsay Street
5:45 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
You can correct me any time!
maizenbluedoc
8:30 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
The stadium is usable and has been for many years. The positive, the taxpayers haven't been asked to replace a viable, adequate stadium. Many college stadiums are older than Memorial Stadium, yet continue to be used without comlaints. I have been attending games since 1976 and haven't noticed the malodorous smell the writer complains. While it isn't the best stadium around, it still works and other than a terrible parking situation, it should serve the town for many years to come. I can recall when Berkeley had wooden stands with warped seats containing splinters, yet it didn't deter from watching a great game between the Stags and Wave. Maybe Mr. Brown should write an article about improving the Stags' winning this season, and leave the stadium problem to the fans of Summerville.