This past Friday I covered the Cherokee County vs. Butler game out at Goldsmith-Schiffman Field, which is just 1.3 miles from my home in beloved Five Points. I have a love-hate relationship with this particular athletic venue and I’m about to tell you why. Hold on to your seats, or something like that.
I love GSF for many reasons. One of the best things about the venue is the history behind it. The field has been around since Huntsville was mostly cotton fields and textile mills and many, many of Huntsville’s young boys grew up playing ball there. My dad was one of them, or at least I think he’s told me that.
The press box at GSF is really great. It was built just a few years ago, in the summer of 2008 if I’m not mistaken. There are five individual boxes and I almost always get one to myself which means I can eat as much as I want, sway as much as I want, sing as much as I want, dance as much as I want… basically I rule to roost in my own little press box room and it rocks if I do say so myself.
As mentioned, GSF is only 1.3 miles from casa de Parker which means that as soon as the game is over, I’m home in five minutes or less, which means I can file my story within 20 minutes of the game ending and still watch the 10:00 news and see all the other scores! Ye-ah!
But, as mentioned, there are, unfortunately, also a few things that I really dislike about GSF. For starters, the bathrooms are port-o-potties and you may be familiar with my fear of the port-o-potty. There are actually some real restrooms at GSF, but for whatever reason they are rarely open. Come on, Huntsville City Schools, open up the restrooms. Let us feel like civilized people!
The other thing is the concession stand – it’s not good. They have a slim selection and the hot dogs are terrible, or at least they were last year. I didn’t try one this past Friday. I knew the concession stand situation was less than desirable and ate a little something before I left. I did want some nachos though and when I got to the stand before the game, the cheese wasn’t ready. I ran into this same problem last year. I mean, how hard is it to get to the stadium an hour early and get things ready? Um, not that difficult I wouldn’t think. I settled for some of the saltiest popcorn I’ve ever had in my life and some sour punch straws – blue raspberry flavor. By the way, who came up with blue raspberry? I mean, there’s no such thing as a blue raspberry is there?
I guess those are really the only two things I dislike about GSF; so, in reality the pros outweigh the cons. I mean, if you think about it, I could essentially ride the Blonde Adonis (aka my bicycle) down to the field – how cool is that? It is a great location; Five Points is awesome, people!
So, if GSF would open up the restrooms and put a little preparation into the concession stand it would be my all-time favorite venue. And those, my friends are my thoughts about GSF. I hope you are that much more informed for having read these thoughts and feelings and with that, I will bid you adieu.
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5 comments:
I can remember cheering at GSF when I was in middle and high school. We always loved that field because we we so close to the action. My brothers also played soccer there in high school. And Bo played a few Pop Warner games there in recent years!
A lousy concession stand is a big con in my book! :)
We drove past GSF this weekend and Mark was telling me how he remembers going to games there as a kid. No mention of the concessions or bathrooms there, though! ;)
It is definitely a landmark in my opinion. I remember watching Whitesburg Middle football games over there. I also remember a cheerleader getting a bloody nose because they had to cheer so close to the field and she got tackled by a player! Good times!
I love your ball field reviews - for some reason they are very entertaining to me. And, I agree...how difficult could it be to get the cheese ready?
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