Last Friday, Hershey High School hosted its first home football game at the school’s turf field. The student section did not have enough seats, the positioning at the end of the field made the game hard to see, and fights between seniors and underclassmen made it impossible to enjoy the game.
With the upcoming rivalry game between Hershey and Lower Dauphin this Friday, Hershey will have to make a lot of changes to keep things running smoothly in one of the biggest games of the year.
The student section was much too small to support the expected number of students at the Lower Dauphin game. The student section in the newly built home side stands only has enough room for roughly one hundred or so students, which is nowhere near the expected turnout at any theme or rivalry game.
At the paint-out game, students initially piled in, but as the section became full, there were still plenty of students who had not found a spot in the stands.
Upperclassmen were ultimately forced to stand against the fence, while underclassmen fought for spots in the new stands. It was not uncommon to see students pushing each other off the stands, which had no back support or railing.
The entire student section was then asked to head to the area behind the end zone, where the situation was not much better. There were very few bleachers for underclassmen and only a small section of the fence for seniors.
If Hershey wants to host more big games here, they will have to add more student seats.
A location on the side of the field would make much more sense than the end zone. At the paintout, it was nearly impossible to see plays beyond the 50-yard line. Furthermore, it was hard to follow the ball and see what was happening in the game.
The band and the cheerleading team were located in their usual position on the side of the field, making it hard to see cheer routines and hear the band’s music.
The best suggestion is that Hershey move the student section bleachers to the “away” side of the field and add seating for visitors from nearby schools.
Then, move the Hershey student section back to the home side stands and shift the divider between parents and students to allow for more student seats so everyone can comfortably enjoy the game.
Hershey’s rivalry football game with Lower Dauphin this Friday is a huge draw among students, but with the current infrastructure, Hershey will need to make some changes if they want this upcoming game to go smoothly.
There are simple solutions that could make all the difference in future home games. At the game, Principal Schmidt was asking for feedback; a good sign that administrators are listening.
Email DTSD Superintendent Dr. Winslow with your feedback and solutions so the students can have the best football experience possible.
