Tornado-ravaged Ringgold High vows to be rallying force
09.05.11
A brick wall that lined the baseball stadium, known as "Little Wrigley," is gone. The building that housed the wrestling and cheerleading teams was ripped open like a bag of candy, same for the field house. The gyms are salvageable, but suffered water damage.
The tennis courts house temporary offices for the clean-up crews working nonstop to repair the damage. The cost of clean-up and repairs for the school, which is closed, will top $25 million, $200,000 for the athletic facilities alone. The work that needs to be done is overwhelming.
It doesn't seem possible, but Ringgold has vowed to play football in the fall. One of the first steps was getting students back to class, and they will return Monday, now spending half-days at their neighboring school and rival, Heritage.
Looking ahead, Robert Akins, Ringgold athletic director and football coach, is resolute about getting his team back on the field, promising, "We will play, we will play somewhere, somehow.”
Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution