ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – It's a new year, a new season, and Glenvar High School now has a new football field at Highlander Stadium, just in time for Friday night's home opener against Galax.
The old, natural grass field was a muddy mess every time it rained, forcing the team to relocate, delay or cancel games.
That's why the Roanoke County School District installed a new turf field earlier in August. That way, the weather won't run interference.
"First game on the new field, you don't want to start that off with a loss, that's never, that's never good. So, we're just going to come out here pedal to the metal and get stuff done," said Bradey Loder, Glenvar running back.
Coach Kevin Clifford said the field was a $1.5 million investment in the players' safety.
"Just to be able to play on a good surface where you're not going to have to slip, where rain has no impact at all is, it's really an ease on our minds, to be honest," Clifford said. "At least mine."
In the Highlanders' playbook, the new turf is a touchdown.
The new field will not only benefit the players but also the community. It'll be used for high school soccer, middle school athletics, and the district may rent out the field to recreational organizations.
Clifford said Glenvar holds a special place in his heart, and he's grateful his team and their families finally have a home field they can be proud of.
"It's not called Highlander Heaven just for giggles and smiles," Clifford said. "It's meaningful and I think having a surface like this in this stadium and our community, is really important to me, it's really important to my family, and it's really important to our community."