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The Courier & Press granted anonymity to every high school football coach in Southwestern Indiana to answer five questions before the start of the 2024 football season. Some responses have been edited for clarity.
The fourth: Most unique place to coach a high school football game in SW Indiana?
Two stadiums in the city limits of Evansville were the favorite answers but a few others were given their due.
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“I’d first say Enlow. The historic aspect of the stadium and it being covered. It’s a different level of loudness. Then obviously, the Bowl. You’re walking in there and knowing the history. A lot of the SIAC places.”
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“That is easy. John Lidy Field. Greatest stadium/field in the state. It never gets old.”
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“Reitz Bowl”
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“Enlow Field. The difference with Enlow is literally the fans are right there. Enlow and Reitz Bowl, those two are pretty unique places.”
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“Without a doubt, the Reitz Bowl. One of the greatest outdoor football stadiums anywhere. The atmosphere can be electrifying when two great teams and two great fan bases meet on any given Friday night at the Reitz Bowl. To play at Castle’s John Lidy Field, certainly uniquely difficult to view the opposite side of the field because of the ‘mountainous crown’ on the field. Vantage point from opposite sideline was usually limited to waist up on players and opposite sidelines were not visible. That, of course, has changed as the crown from the field has been removed with the installation of the new turf field for 2024.”
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“Heritage Hills is a neat environment. They do a great job with their game day environment. Edgewood is pretty neat too with the red field. Everyone talks about the Reitz Bowl. I think it’s a special place and it will be a fun place to play a game.”
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“South Spencer. The visiting stands are about 10 feet from the visiting sideline. There is no track around the field. It seems like the fans are on the sideline.”
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“Linton. Fans are on top of you.”
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“The most unique place to coach a high school football game is Enlow Field. When that place is packed and the sound is echoing off the bleachers and school there is simply nothing like it. One of the most intense atmospheres in high school football.”
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“Reitz Bowl. It’s a really cool venue and place to play and coach.”
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“Enlow Field. Neat feel and atmosphere.”
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“The Reitz Bowl”
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“Most of the high school fields/stadiums have been improved over the last 10-15 years, so in my opinion, there aren’t really any unique places that I have coached at in the area. Crossing the river over into Illinois, it was always a challenge to play at Mt. Carmel in the Snake Pit. Besides them being a really good football team, there were other challenges that visiting teams outside of the state had to deal with.”
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Southwest Indiana high school football: Coaches discuss top stadiums