Hollingsworth Sportsplex nearing completion

The Hollingsworth Sportsplex at Clinton High School is on target to be ready in early September.

Progress continues on the facility, which will benefit all of CHS athletics as well as help with academics.

In addition to a two-story weight room, the building will also house a football locker room (with 70 lockers), a large storage facility for track and field, a large film room, a laundry room with tank-less water heater and industrial washer and dryers, rest rooms, a training room, and a lined turf field, 30 x 35 yards, complete with an end zone.

CHS Athletic Director Brad Collette pointed out the turf field will be used by football, baseball, softball, soccer, band, and physical education classes.

“It’s going to be tremendous for the school and for the community,” he said.

“The community has really pitched in on this project. Joe Hollingsworth said that when this project started he wanted to use local people and products as much as possible and it has truly been a local effort,” said E.T. Stamey, a driving force in seeing the project come to fruition.

He also credited Hollingsworth for his vision and leadership in the design and construction process.

“Joe has gone over and above on this project. I can’t say enough about what he has meant to virtually every aspect of the building,” Stamey said.

It was hoped the building would be ready Aug.1 but it will be a little later before it is completed.

“Things have gone really well [on the construction]. A few things have slowed us down — weather and we’ve had to wait on volunteers from time to time. It’s not like a normal construction job where people have to meet a contract. Here, a lot of things have been donated so we have to slow down and wait on our donors. And no one is complaining — they’re doing it out of the goodness of their heart so it’s taking a little longer than the normal industrial building,” Lonnie McKamey, project superintendent.

Collette wanted to add that CHS is in the process of putting together a database of all their alumni.

“If there’s anybody who can help us, we would appreciate it, especially people who are responsible for class reunions. We’re wanting to do a mailing once or twice a year to update people with what’s going on here at Clinton High School,” he said.

Information they are seeking includes name, address, phone number, email address and the year graduated.

Please send them to acsalumni@acs.ac.

Collette also said there would be a dinner held at the Hollingsworth Sportsplex for all of the donors when the facility is ready to open.

Details about the event will be released as soon as they get an exact date that the facility will be ready.

“It’s going to worth the wait,” Collette said of the facility.