The Jimmy Naifeh Center at Dyersburg State Community College in Covington has grown in leaps and bounds over the past 15 years with the addition of several college buildings and the Tipton County Library.
Now a big step has been taken in developing athletics.
On Friday afternoon, around 100 people gathered to celebrate the unveiling of a new football field which will be located on campus just north of the library.
Construction of the land is expected to begin in the spring and the land is expected to be ready for use for the fall season of 2022.
“We are all very excited to have our own place because we are very committed to team cohesion,” said first year football player Evelyn Ozment. “To have a field that we can always go on, no matter if there are two of us or all of us working to improve ourselves, we are delighted to have our own little space… A group of us are very committed to playing our game. footwork. between classes and now we can come here and do it.
For the past three seasons, the team has shared land with Covington High School, located at Crestview Elementary School. From now on, the Lady Eagles will be the only team in its conference with its own field.
“It’s a big deal because it’s a great recruiting tool,” said DSCC head coach Robert Luttrell. “I’ll use it as much as I can. We never have to compete with anyone for training time, we never have to bypass anything. This is our family, our home.
Charles Ennis, chairman of the board of Patriot Bank, spearheaded an effort to have the bank donate $ 100,000 to the field, which will be named Patriot Bank Soccer Field.
Dr Karen Bowyer said the cost of the land will be around $ 450,000 and the school is still looking for donations to offset the cost.
“It’s great to develop this property further and to have an athletic team here is really important,” said Bowyer. “It’s something our students can rally around. Our young women have been exceptional… With so many young women playing football, I think our future is really bright.
