Choctaw Stadium makes dream of playing in a big stadium a regular reality for Arlington ISD schools

Take away the stadium lights and all the seats, you’ll find that the football field at Choctaw Stadium is the same 120 yards as anywhere else.

Keep it all there — it’s slightly weird to some given that the stadium, formerly known as Globe Life Park, was originally intended to be a ballpark —  and you’ve got one of the most expensive high school venues deep in the heart of Arlington.

“Other than the desire to go into AT&T stadium for the state championship games, I felt like the No. 1 destination for all Texas high school sports last year was Choctaw Stadium,” Arlington coach Scott Peach said.

Arlington ISD and the Rangers finalized a four-year agreement for AISD teams to play football games at Choctaw Stadium in April 2020. According to previous reporting, it costs the district $15,000 per event to hold games there. The 2021-22 season marks the second year of the agreement.

Choctaw Stadium serves as a third venue for AISD schools to share while the district renovates Cravens Field and Wilemon Field. Once contract expires, athletic director Eric White is hoping for renovations to be completed as well as construction of the district’s new venue, Glaspie Field, that will house Martin and Arlington Seguin.

For now, each team in AISD has a chance to play at least one of 14 games scheduled at the stadium. This week Martin hosts crosstown rival Arlington at Choctaw Stadium.

Though, as mentioned before, the field is the same 120 yards as any other, it seems much bigger, Lamar coach Billy Skinner said. Martin Coach Bob Wager added that the wind factor in the stadium is also different compared to Cravens, Wilemon or Maverick Stadium.

Usually, one can look up at the flags on a goal post to see how strong the wind is blowing in a certain direction. With Choctaw Stadium having closed ends, it’s hard to tell.

“What you see from the flags up on top of the stadium is different than what you feel down there on the field,” Wager said. “We’re still in the process of trying to figure it out.”

AT&T Stadium, for example, has closed ends, but it also has a roof so wind isn’t much of a factor. At Choctaw Stadium, there’s a swirl to it which makes it a bit more difficult to judge where the ball is going to land.

The pros, however, outweigh the challenges. Back in the day, Texas Stadium was, as Peach mentioned, kind of like the destination for Texas high school sports. Playing and coaching on the same field as Tom Landry or Emmitt Smith was special. Now, it might be AT&T Stadium as well but most teams don’t make it far enough in the playoffs to have that chance.

From being in the presence of history to playing under the stadium lights, Choctaw Stadium allows AISD teams that chance in the regular season and postseason.

“That dream of playing in that big stadium a lot of times did not happen for your program,” Peach said. “Whereas now, you know, we get to play there between five and seven times a year.”

At the end of the day, though, the focus is on the football field, not what surrounds it.

“That’s the beauty of all stadiums,” Sam Houston coach Anthony Criss said. “It’s still football, it’s still 120 yards.”

Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

Sign up for our FREE HS newsletter