As local leaders, dignitaries and genuinely curious folks walked through the new Trigg County Schools co-curricular building Thursday afternoon, emotions were aplenty.
Eyes widened. Some gasped. Others, including former Wildcats, mouthed something to the effect of: “I wish I’d had this when I was in school.”
But the most abundant feeling for the Trigg County Chamber of Commerce Lunch & Learn and open house was welling gratitude from students — students who now have unlimited space for daily and weekly academic and athletic activities.
The $6.2 million property improvement, which had its ground broken in 2022, possesses unlimited potential for the district. Rain or shine, every single Trigg County sport — and several of its extra-curriculars — can practice within its walls, and at the same time if so necessary.
The building is comparable to other west Kentucky high schools, and possesses:
— 40 yards of lined football turf
— Specific storage space and practice areas for archery, wrestling, winter guard and cheer
— Wi-Fi capability
— A ticket booth
— Restrooms
— An upper balcony
— And office space for an athletic director and custodian
Slayton Carter, a junior, and Addison Cabbage, a senior, spoke on behalf of soccer and cheer — and the innumerable benefits headed their way.
Carter lauded the Board of Education’s foresight to build the facility on the campus and nearer to classrooms and students, as opposed to some other location like the Trigg County Recreation Complex. And he further explained that with AD Doug Gloyd’s move to the building, more classroom space was created for the district.
What’s more, Carter added, is that the building is a quiet, safe space to administer post-secondary testing like the SAT and ACT, and it could be easily converted at necessity.
MaKenna Hendricks, prolific sophomore wrestler for Cadiz, said more have joined the wrestling team since the building’s completion — mainly because the facility has improved the experience.
It certainly has improved hers.
Prior to a ribbon cutting, Trigg County Judge-Executive Stan Humphries said “all things appear to be easy from the outside,” and he applauded the district’s efforts to move through complications.
Mayor Todd King delivered a “Key to the City” to Superintendent Bill Thorpe and the Trigg County Schools Board of Education.
