ASHEBORO – Safety is at the forefront of new spectator rules established for Asheboro’s Lee. J. Stone Stadium, athletics director Wes Berrier said.
The rules require that spectators remain in the stands unless they’re in line for the restrooms or concession stands. No longer allowed will be standing or sitting on stadium walls, handrails, walkways or the concourse.
“We want to keep (those areas) clear for any kind of emergency that might occur,” Berrier said. “We’re looking after the safety of everybody.”
The Blue Comets (1-1) will play their home-opening football game Friday night against Providence Grove (1-2).
School officials will concentrate on certain areas such as keeping the wall on the home side clear and along the fence in front of the concession stand near the end zone.
“We just haven’t really enforced it enough,” Berrier said of attention to those areas. “It’s going to be tough. … We want you in the stadium seats.”
Extra school resource officers and the school’s full administrative team will be on hand to monitor these areas, Berrier said.
Signage is up in the stadium regarding the rules. In addition, Berrier’s new sports media class has been promoting the regulations through social media.
If the home side fills up, fans will be directed to the visiting stands, he said.
Seating capacity at the stadium is about 5,000, Berrier said. He said larger turnouts would be welcome and then standing room areas would be utilized.
Other items on the rules list are mostly standard at many schools. Those include the need for K-8 students to be accompanied by an adult.
Also, there’s a clear bag policy at all athletic events, something Berrier said is new for Asheboro. Plus, there’s no re-entry upon leaving the stadium, instances of fighting and foul language can result in being removed from the stadium, and weapons and alcohol / tobacco products (including vapes) are banned from school grounds.
