'Gratifying feeling': Parents look forward to Southside High's new football stadium
LAFAYETTE PARISH, La. (KLFY) -- There's a feeling of victory at Southside High School after the Lafayette Parish School Board unanimously decided to finally give the school their football stadium.
For parents like Eric David, this marks a successful end of an eight year journey to get this stadium built.
"Eight years since the school's been built, it's been a long time coming. I guess it's a gratifying feeling," David said.
David has served as a voice for the parents of Southside High who wanted the stadium ever since the school was built. Finally, seeing the dream of the stadium come true, David reflects on the journey that has been such a priority for nearly a decade in the feeling a victory for all those who have taken part.
"The people on Facebook, the new board, the new superintendent .I cannot congratulate them enough. It's the victory for them," he said.
Work is underway to clear out the land. The stadium lights are already up because phase one of the project includes laying out turf so the school can host freshman and junior varsity football games, and soccer games.
Once that's done, phase two of the project will consist of putting up stands, the press box and concession stands.
Although David's kids won't get to play in the stadium, David said he looks forward to attending games in the future and recognizing that he and so many other parents played a role in the stadium's creation.
"The feeling was that I wanted to be able to live in Youngsville and be able to go to a Friday night game and enjoy the the hunky feeling of having a place to go on Friday nights. And and and now we can do that," he said.
The goal is to have the entire stadium done for the 2025-2026 football season here in Youngsville.