Building a fieldhouse is at the top of OHS principal Mark Bean's list of athletic goals.
Despite a lack of donors, assistant principal Jim Jarvis expects it to be complete in time for the 2012 school year.
"We're really lacking here for a program as large as Ooltewah High School's," said Jarvis, the school's former athletic director.
Ooltewah High School running back and linebacker Randall Freeman, of East Brainerd, tells family, friends, and county and school administrators he'll "do my best and do y'all proud" at a party celebrating his decision to sign with Carson-Newman College. Standing, from left, are brother Rashun Freeman, OHS principal Mark Bean, head football coach Shannon Williams, OHS Touchdown Club president Dean Moorhouse, Ralph Freeman, Hamilton County District 9 Commissioner Chester Bankston, Hamilton County Trustee Bill Hullander and OHS assistant principal and athletic director Jim Jarvis. Seated from left are mother Nell Freeman, Freeman, father Rodney Freeman and brother Kelvin Freeman.Plans for the new fieldhouse began in 2004 under the leadership of retired head football coach Benny Monroe, the third-winningest coach in Tennessee football history, and then-athletic director Jarvis.
Bean said the 8,000-square-foot fieldhouse would include coaches' offices, classrooms and a weight room.
Possible locations include the parking lot behind the first base dugout or the north end of the football field behind the score board.
"What's wrong with dreaming?" Bean asked. "You keep dreaming and eventually dreams come true."
Bean also dreams of installing new artificial turf on the football field, which is used by the middle school, ninth-grade, junior varsity and varsity football teams as well as the marching band.
The new turf would withstand the traffic, heat and rain and help reduce athletic injuries, he said.