Senior student athletes showcase the new archway on the football field with the "Trojan Walk." Kneeling in front are Chase Wood, left, and Zack Cobb. Back from left are Shane Farmer, Ansley Underwood, Jordyn Hamill, Tori McElhaney, Sara Holcomb and Garret McAllister.The "Trojan Walk" - where the football team prepares to run through the archway onto Billy Neil Ellis Stadium - is looking better than ever.
Gordon Lee Athletic Boosters need alumni and students to make their mark by buying engraveable bricks to continue to expand the brick pathway that wraps around the entrance to the field.
"A lot of bricks are bought when you're younger," said current football senior running back Zack Cobb. "It's something to come look back on when you're older and you've graduated and your high school years are over. I would like everyone to come out and buy a brick for the Trojan Walk."
Bricks can hold the names of both former and current students as well as community members.
"We started selling brick pavers this fall," said Gordon Lee Memorial High School Athletic Director/assistant principal Shonn Weldon, adding that the bricks will continue to be sold until the Boosters run out. "I have 1,200 bricks to fill. The orders are coming in daily. We are selling more and more. It's really neat to see a junior here that already has a brick from when he was an elementary student."
Weldon said many alumni will buy bricks in memory of someone.
"We have a new monument we just installed in memory of Mac Smith," he added. "He served as captain of three athletic teams here and served as a war hero and pro baseball player."
Coming soon to the Trojan Walk will be monuments recognizing GLHS' five state championship wins and two runner-up championships that athletic teams won from the 2012-2013 school year. The champion teams were girls softball and basketball, wrestling traditionals and wrestling duals. The runner-ups were baseball and cross-country.
"The Trojan Walk has been totally renovated," said Weldon. "We would like to thank Billy Neil Ellis, Chip Catlett and Thomas Smith for helping to get the Trojan Walk to where it is now."
If a brick was purchased for the original Trojan Walk, built in 2005, a new brick does not need to be purchased because the old ones were worked into the new design.
The money raised from bricks will go to the Gordon Lee Athletic Boosters Club.
"We have a lot of people that are impressed with our stadium," said Weldon. "People want to support the school by buying the bricks."
The bricks cost $50 each. This includes up to three lines per brick with 14 characters per line, or 42 characters in all but no logos.
People purchasing bricks should make checks payable to the Gordon Lee Athletic Boosters. Checks can be turned in to GLHS Athletic Director/assistant principal Shonn Weldon.