Missouri Military Academy likes its bright future.
For example, lights have been installed for the soccer field by the Alain M. Garcia Almada ‘06 Field House thanks to donations, including a …
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Missouri Military Academy likes its bright future.
For example, lights have been installed for the soccer field by the Alain M. Garcia Almada ‘06 Field House thanks to donations, including a major one from the family of Drake Reid. The lights were operational on Aug. 12, and a lighting ceremony is planned for this week.
Reid played for MMA’s junior varsity team last season. MMA athletic director Brian Meny said junior varsity didn’t play as much at home because the field was too dark without the lights. After varsity played, there wasn’t much time for JV and Meny added earlier start times weren’t possible since officials have jobs.
“A lot of times, they didn’t get to play at all,” Meny said. “We’ve been in this process for about two or three years, but then the generous donation came through.”
Four poles, with lights that almost resemble “aerospace” lights, according to Meny, were raised over two weeks. He said he has been trying to install lights for the field since he started six years ago.
Finishing this project is important to MMA not just because of the school’s winning soccer program — including its first state title game two years ago, Meny said. The field is used for military purposes like review — march on and off — and rifle exhibitions.
“It’s not just our soccer field,” Meny said. “It’s also our review field and parade field with the military side of it. What I feel like as an athletic director is it’s met the needs of a lot of the cadets here and not just the 35-40 soccer kids.”
Meny said the development at MMA has been exciting, including another notable recent project involving lights. When Meny started, Brad Calvert ‘79 Field was being built, and of course, lights were needed to complete that project.
There are some projects MMA would like to do for the future, Meny said. The school wants to make the campus a better place for the cadets to convince them to come back.
“We have to bring the students back,” Meny said. “That’s how we fund everything. It’s not like public schools where they use the tax levy and funding that way. Retention is big for us.”
The Colonels plan to use their new lights, especially for an “under the lights” game on a Friday night this season against Christian Fellowship, who doesn’t have football.
