- Florida High's football stadium and tennis court renovations are officially complete.
- Upgrades include resurfaced tennis courts plus new bleachers and a press box for the football stadium.
- Watch the video to hear how these upgrades are motivating FSUS students.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
From resurfaced tennis courts to a football stadium makeover! Highly anticipated renovations to Florida High's Athletics Department are complete! I'm Kenya Cardonne, your Southeast Tallahassee neighborhood reporter, getting an inside look and speaking with students about what this means to them.
The wait is finally over!
Back in July, I told you about Florida High's plans to transform the Athletics Department.
First up are the newly resurfaced tennis courts — an investment of more than $200,000.
Sofia Brooks, Captain of Tennis Team - "It being my Senior year, it's really just exciting! I'm just really looking forward to just having brand new courts."
Tennis Team Captain Sofia Brooks tells me she and her team are excited to no longer have to use off-campus courts that were time-limited and a transportation issue for some students and parents.
Brooks - "We worked really hard these past couple years and now we get to show the other schools who we are, you know. We're here to play, we're here to have fun."
Now onto football.
Josiah Broxton, Linebacker - "Last year and all the years before, we used to call it 'The Shack.'"
Students like Linebacker Josiah Broxton have bid 'The Shack' a much needed farewell.. and are welcoming the $1.5M upgrades to the Mike Hickman Stadium.
Anthony Robinson, Athletic Director - "Right now, we have probably almost double or triple the size of our previous stadium."
Athletic Director Anthony Robinson tells me the visitor side now sits 900 neighbors.
On the home side— a new press box sits above almost 2000 seats, some of which are chair back seats.
Broxton - "It's motivation."
Motivation that couldn't have come at a better time!
The football team will now be able to host Gadsden County High School on Friday!
Robinson - "Once the fans all come out, when they bring the excitement of being in a place where they enjoy being at, they're going to be more excited for the football game to cheer on our young men and women."
A kind of support that he says ultimately increases performance both on the field and in the classroom.
Robinson - "To see where we started and what we're going to, we're excited for the continued improvements that we make here."
Friday's district game is expected to be a big one. The fun starts at 7 p.m. if you want to come out and support Florida High's football team!
In Southeast Tallahassee, Kenya Cardonne, ABC 27
