WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS — It’s hard not to be romantic about Friday night lights.
But it’s something the community of White Sulphur Springs had never experienced before — until this season.
Lights were installed on the football field during the offseason which has enhanced the gameday experience for the Hornets.
"I just think it brought that enthusiasm, that energy to the game for our kids,” said White Sulphur Springs superintendent Meredith Feddes. “Because the fans were excited and it makes for a fun night.”
But the lights weren’t installed on a whim. It took contributions from nearly everyone in Meagher County thanks to a coalition of folks from around the community who got behind the dream of head football coach Robert Shroyer and made it a reality.
“Our coach always had this dream, so a couple of years ago he started talking to Northwest Energy, and then he got the poles donated, so that was the start,” Feddes said. “Then he went out and got donations from several people in the community and some ranches and worked with Steven Blair with Outback Power to put the poles up this spring. And then this summer they went to work on everything else.”
The Hornets played their first game under the lights in their season opener, a 45-0 win over Harlowton-Ryegate.
“The first game of the season was August 30th, and we got to play under the lights,” Feddes said. "And so that was a lot of fun for our kids and our coaches.”
Not only does it make for an improved gameday experience, it’s also more practical for the community.
"I really feel like we get more people because they're not working. It's not a 1 p.m. in the afternoon game where people have other things they're doing,” Feddes said. "So, the evening game brings in more fans. And it's been a fun atmosphere for our kids to play under the lights because it was a long project and a long time coming.”
But it wouldn’t have happened without buy-in from the community. After all, that’s what small towns are all about.
"It's a big project and the expense is cost prohibitive in these rural communities. But the rural communities also pull together to get things done,” Feddes said. “We do what it takes to get things done for our kids. And I think that was a great decision on our coach's part to to push through with this project."
