Florence Christian to open new stadium

FLORENCE — Josh Giles can still remember what it was like putting on pads for the first time and walking out to the football practice field at Florence Christian.
“At the start, we kind of walked out to this space between the baseball field and the soccer field,” the Eagles center said. “There was about 100 yards between the two and that’s what we used.”
Eagles coach Jimmy Miles remembers why that particular plot was chosen.
“We basically walked out and found the flattest, smoothest piece of grass we could find,” Miles said. “We put up some goal posts that were donated to us and that was our facility for two years.”
While often difficult and dusty to play on at times, it did give Miles and his players a clear view of what was to come.
And what makes tonight’s game so special.
With a little more than a year of varsity experience under its belt, the Florence Christian football program takes another big step tonight when it opens up its new football stadium against The Byrnes Schools at 7:30 p.m.
“During the summer, we’d come out here and work out and see it being built little by little,” Giles said. “The excitement’s just been building.
“It’s great to finally be able to say you have a home field.“

The complex
The football field is part of the Florence Baptist Temple/Florence Christian School Athletic Complex.
The facilities include six tennis courts, baseball and softball fields and plans to add two pony league fields in the near future.
“With all the construction that’s been going on, we actually didn’t play a home game in any sport this past spring,” FCS athletic director Scotty Keefe said. “We had to rent other facilities. It was a toll on the school, but one well worth it I think.”
The complex also includes a canteen and a field house with locker rooms and showers for home and opposing players, all of which cost more than $2 million to complete, Keefe said.
But the money didn’t come from a tuition hike.
“We were very blessed that the church was able to provide the new stadium and athletic fields for us,” Miles said.
“I know the kids are excited about it and I know the church is as well.“
Aside from the FCS football program, the church also will use the field in its ministries, including a flag football program for kids from kindergarten through sixth grade.

Growth
The addition of a football program prompted the new facilities, but both Miles and Keefe knew that school growth was essential as well.
So far, that hasn’t been a problem.
“We had about 60 new students sign up last year, and this year, I think the number was 126,” Keefe said. “We’ve got about 718 students now and a waiting list to get in some of the classes.”
The football program has grown as well. The Eagles field a B team this season along with having full junior varsity and varsity schedules.
“We’ve got about 90 kids out here in our football program,” Miles said. “With the school, we’ve seen not only growth, but stability as well. We have as many students now as we’ve ever had I think.”

The future
The Eagles went 7-2 in their first season as a JV squad and 8-3 as a varsity team last year, despite most of the players never having played football before joining the program.
“We’ve learned a lot since then,” Miles said.
“Now the kids come out here and they know the terminology, they now some technique and they know what they’re supposed to be doing.”
Miles said he doesn’t have any expectations for this season, but rather just a continued focus on building the program.
“It usually takes programs five or six years of guys being together and playing with each other to finally show some real results,” Miles said. “We’re just trying to continue to prepare young men in the game of football and more importantly in life.“
But there are a few on the team with high hopes for this year.
Running back Zeb Freeman, who transferred to FCS from Byrnes last year, gets a chance to face his old team tonight.
“I’m anxious to see how we match up against (Byrnes),” Freeman said. “I know these guys had a pretty successful season last year, and hopefully, we can turn a few more heads this season, and maybe not have people think of us a team still building.”