“Woohoo!” An ecstatic cheer from the underappreciated cheerleading squad falls upon an empty stadium. The lonely echo serves as a reminder of the shortage of Warriors in attendance. This sad description of events is not uncommon for a North Atlanta Football game at Grady Stadium. Some may blame this on the performance by the sports teams while others claim there just is not enough school spirit. Whatever the scapegoat may be, the real problem is self-evident: the lack of a home stadium.

With an estimated home crowd in the hundreds, North Atlanta celebrated a huge pre-season season win at home this year. When the bleacher section overflowed, fans resorted to watching the game from the hill above the field. The energy, the presence, and the flair of these fans almost certainly won the game for the North Atlanta Football Warriors. The home field advantage and the presence of a student section, not just parents, can have a huge impact on the team, as was evident in the difference between performances at North Atlanta versus at Grady. While still playing their hearts out, the unlucky Warrior football team had to play with much less than the needed home cheer during the year at Grady, causing many of the losses facing the football team.

Unfortunately, many students do not attend Warrior football games at Grady stadium for a smorgasbord of reasons. Some cite transportation issues, traffic, and parking not being secure just, to name a few. One might think that a potential solution to this problem may be the free busing of students to the stadium. This solution, unfortunately, would be completely useless. It would cost the district too much money, rely extensively on the responsibility of students catching the bus on time, and could cause legal problems if the bus were to wreck. Also, more importantly, a certain intangible feeling is missing at Grady. The location gives students a false sense of spirit and leaves them longing for something not there. To really feel like a home team and a home crowd, the sports program is left with no other choice but to establish a home stadium at North Atlanta.

This huge and expensive project would reap numerous benefits more important than money. With an entrance fee and donations, much of the money could come back to the school. But the effect would surpass the cost in the long run. Imagine this: a jam-packed stadium going wild as the biggest football game of the year against rivals Grady is won at North Atlanta. This vision can become a reality. All it needs is for North Atlanta to create a home stadium on campus.

With many citing issues with the location for the football games at Grady stadium, the only true and effective solution would be a new stadium at North Atlanta. Undoubtedly drawing in hundreds- even thousands- of fans, this new complex would usher in a new era of excellence at North Atlanta. The project is more than worth it for the best high school in the city, North Atlanta High School, proud home of the Warriors.