ROGER GLASS STADIUM
Where: Chaminade Julienne campus, downdown Dayton.
Seating: 2,500.
First home football game: Aug. 26 vs. Marion Local.
The iconic sight of Chaminade Julienne High School from U.S. 35 has a new look with the adjoining Roger Glass Stadium. The bulk of stadium funding was provided by Glass, a Chaminade graduate, and coincides with a $20 million upgrade of campus facilities that began a decade ago. It’s also increasingly the most visible.
A relatively mild winter has enabled stadium construction to zoom at least one month ahead of schedule. Already in place is an artificial playing surface that is easy to spot looking north from the highway. Like nearby Welcome Stadium across the Great Miami River, Roger Glass Stadium likely will morph into a signature downtown landmark, at least on illuminated game nights.
“It’s a good look for downtown,” said an elated CJ head football coach Marcus Colvin this week. “I always tell everyone I’m glad I get to coach at CJ. I tell them to feel happy they’re playing at CJ. But there’s a lot of people before us who prepared for this field. For some reason, we’re chosen. We’re really excited.”
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The campus has been at the corner of Ludlow and Franklin streets since 1920 and was the first Catholic school in the Dayton area built to address a growing urban population. But like many institutions during that era, it soon became landlocked. As its sports prowess grew, especially in football, it was forced to practice and play games away from campus.
That all changed when CJ began purchasing surrounding housing. Now, the Eagles own their own grass practice area (Blue Green Field), an indoor training facility and the developing jewel, Glass Stadium.
Located west of campus at the corner of Longworth and Eaker streets, the mid-sized stadium will seat about 2,500; standing room-only also is available. Despite the ramped-up construction, CJ likely won’t use the field for training until two-a-day summer sessions begin Aug. 1.
Soccer also will be played at the venue. Just last week the newest version of the Dayton Dynamo men’s team announced it will relocate to Glass Stadium for home games in 2017.
“We’re getting incoming freshmen now,” Colvin said. “It’s cool to see them because they have a totally different perspective. They know nothing different than that stadium being there. Then you have our returners who have traveled (everywhere) and traveled to practice. There’s different perspectives, but everyone is fired up; no doubt.”
CJ, 2-8 last season, will christen its new stadium by hosting small-school state power Marion Local in this fall’s season opener at 7 p.m. on Aug. 26. Marion Local had a streak of four straight state championships snapped in the Division VI state title game last December.
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