By Malcolm Butler
With the start of the regular season just over two months away, first year head coach William Parkerson is staring out the windows of his office numerous times a day.
Parkerson is keeping an eye on the progress at Cougar Stadium as the surface of the field is getting a complete overhaul this summer.
“They killed the grass and brought in top soil,” said Parkerson. “And they will re-sod it. You can see some big trenches out there (right now) as they are putting in some pretty heavy duty drainage pipes. That will help drain it quicker so we aren’t standing in a Creek on the sideline.”
Cedar Creek is set to open the regular season at home Sept. 1 when it hosts Glenbrook. It will be the first of six home games for the Cougars.
Parkerson is familiar with what happens at Cougar Stadium when it rains. And it hasn’t been pretty, especially the last few years when it seems most Cougar home games include some of the wet stuff courtesy of Mother Nature.
“The middle of the hashes would hold water,” said Parkerson. “Obviously, the crown had been wallowed out. And then both sidelines would hold water. The middle of the field and the sidelines would be wet. Between the hashes would be fine.”
Parkerson said this week has seen a flurry of progress on the field, something he is pleased about.
“They have come a long way this week,” said Parkerson. “This is as much progress as I’ve seen, and it has gone quick this week.”
The timeline calls for the new sod to be laid within the next week to two weeks. And according to Parkerson, once the sod is laid it has to sit for six weeks before any action can take place on it.
“Everyone says it will be ready for week No. 1,” Parkerson said. “I have not hit a panic button yet.”
Cougar fans will also see new LED lights coming to the stadium this fall.
“We are supposed to have the new LED lights and the poles in before the first home game,” said Parkerson.
The projects at Cougar Stadium are a part of the school’s $5 million athletic capital campaign announced in May.
The Cougars will play in the Bayou Jamb against Mangham on August 26 at 3 p.m. at Rebel Stadium in West Monroe before opening up the season the following Friday night against Glenbrook.
