Bozeman Football Opens New Stadium
By Danny Waldo
A new era of high school football has begun in Bozeman after the Bozeman Hawks hosted their first home game outside the friendly confines of Van Winkle Stadium versus the Great Falls High Bison on September 27th.
The Hawks returned to Bozeman after a week on the road to host their annual homecoming game, and players and fans alike were treated to an unveiling of the new football stadium that will serve both high schools beginning with the 2020 season.
Since 1956, when Bozeman Senior High School opened at 205 N. 11th, the Hawks have played their home football contests on the natural grass surface of Van Winkle Stadium, but with the growth of the district, and the addition of a second high school, community members decided it was time for an upgrade.
Fans and athletes alike will benefit from the new amenities at the yet-to-be-named stadium, including an upgraded sound system, a dedicated ticket gate for easier admission, upgraded restrooms and concessions, and for the athletes, a new field turf surface that won’t freeze like the frozen tundra of Green Bay during late post-season contests. Coaches, both home and away, members of the media, and game crew will benefit from more spacious press boxes that will hopefully provide better comfort during cold November night games, saving many a man from the affliction of frost-bitten toes.
While many in the community are excited about the new facility, it did not come without controversy. Community members in surrounding neighborhoods worry about the added noise from the state-of-the-art sound system, not to mention the increase in traffic on Friday nights, and the price tag was another point of contention as many felt the money could have been put to use elsewhere.
Be that as it may, the stadium is here to stay, and current Hawk players couldn’t be more excited. The facility opened just in time for the homecoming game, but the biggest game of the year is yet to come. That will be when Belgrade, the newest member to Class AA football, travels to Bozeman on October 11th for their first official meeting as conference foes. You can bet the stands will be packed for that one.
