Members of the Mitchell football, track, and soccer team celebrate after the ribbon cutting for the new field and track at Mitchell High School on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.
Mitchell athletes now have a place to call home.
More than 150 people gathered at the new facility at Mitchell High School on Tuesday night for the opening of the school's new athletic field.
The outdoor facility includes a turf football field for soccer players and the football team, a new track and bleachers.
Members of the Colorado Springs School District 11 board of education, Superintendent Michael Gaal, District 11 Athletic Director Chris Noll, Marauders AD Amanda Wermers and several Mitchell athletes also attended the event.
Noll, who graduated from Mitchell in 1991, recalled his first meeting with Gaal and how Noll advocated to make district-wide changes with the athletic facilities.
"(Gaal) called me into his office and he said, 'Tell me a little bit about yourself,'" Noll said. "My immediate response was, 'We need new turf and we need new tracks.' ... Thank you to Mr. Gaal and thank you for saying yes to this."
Noll said that Gaal took his requests to the school board, who, "Said yes to all of our new tracks and fields."
At Mitchell, the varying upgrades and additions cost $18,505,332, including the track and field, which totaled $2,556,000.
The projects, which began in Fall 2023, are expected to be completed at Mitchell by 2025.
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"Thank you to Colorado Springs School District 11 board of education and the superintendent, Mr. Gaal, for their dedication to our students and ensuring we have exceptional facilities for our students now and for many years to come," Wermers said.
Many athletes, including football and soccer players, cross country, track and field athletes, offered their gratitude for the addition at Mitchell.
For some, the field offers ease of access to practice or competitions.
Mitchell athletes, along with numerous District 11 competitors, practice or hold competitions at Garry Berry Stadium, which is about 8 minutes from the school.
For athletes who don't have their own transportation, traveling from Mitchell to Garry Berry and back to school after practice or events became arduous.
The new facility will help to alleviate those issues.
"This field means a lot because we don't have to go back and forth," said Caleb Curlett, a cross country and track and field athlete. "We can improve here."
Kuron Reed, a track and field athlete, said the field represents the bigger picture for Mitchell.
"What this field means to me is the hope that people have placed into our athletes and into our sports to bring it back to the dynasty that we once were," Reed said.