Edward Cano has one enduring memory of Socorro High School that predates his arrival to the Lower Valley campus as its head football coach in December 2021.
Cano was a wide receiver for Irvin High School in the late 1990s. His Rockets traveled to the Far Eastside to take the field against the Bulldogs who, at the time, were the four-time defending District 2-5A champions. The game, played Sept. 10, 1999, at the Socorro Independent School District Student Activities Complex, was a defensive slugfest that the Bulldogs won 10-0
The play Cano remembers is sobering.
“I remember running across the middle on a broken play,” Cano recalled earlier this week during a morning football practice at Socorro High School. “I probably shouldn’t have been there, but I was just trying to get open for my quarterback.”
That’s when a Bulldog defender careened violently into Cano, sending him skittering across the grass field. The forceful collision wasn’t unexpected, Cano said.
“That aggressiveness was just the way Socorro competed back then,” he said. “Those guys had some extra oomph in them. They played with a lot of pride. The community had a lot of pride. And they liked to let it be known.”
That pride is something Cano is looking to re-instill in the Socorro program this season. The third-year coach gets his first chance at doing so Friday — Socorro will host Horizon High School at 6:30 p.m. in the inaugural game at the district’s Student Activities Complex II.
The Bulldogs haven’t had a winning season since 2002 and have gone winless in six of the last eight seasons, including during Cano’s first two campaigns. But, he said he is optimistic about his team’s chances this year as his program returns key players and seasoned contributors from the previous two seasons. Socorro is one of six SISD high schools (Americas, Eastlake, El Dorado, Montwood and Pebble Hills), who will play their home varsity games away from their campuses at either the original Student Activities Complex or SAC II.
The home team VIP suite at Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II offers a view of the field from the comfort of a climate-controlled unit. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
The game between Socorro and Horizon marks a significant milestone for Socorro ISD. Officials say the christening of the district’s new $58.9 million facility highlights not only a new era in local sports but also a broader commitment to student and community engagement.
The SAC II, built as part of a 2017 voter-approved bond program, features a Hellas turf athletic field that sits within sleek, modern confines. District leaders say the stadium was designed to also serve a wide range of student needs across various disciplines including in fine arts and career and technical education.
Friday night logistics
The new stadium, located next to the original SAC I, which opened in 1992, seats 6,500 and is equipped to handle large crowds with more than 2,100 parking spots. According to James Nunn, SISD’s director of athletics, the venue has been designed to create an intimate atmosphere for spectators, with the absence of a track bringing crowds closer to the action on the field.
“It’s going to be a football, soccer facility. The lack of a track makes it a little more intimate,” Nunn said. The original SAC features a track.
Security remains a priority, Nunn said, particularly since the district will spend most Friday nights this season with games being played concurrently at SAC I and SAC II. Nunn said kickoff times will be staggered, with games typically starting at 6:30 p.m. in SAC II and at 7:30 p.m. in SAC I. For much of the past decade, SAC I would host two games each Friday with the first game kicking off at 4 p.m.
The new stadium at Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II will host the district’s football alongside the older SAC I, with game start times staggered by one hour. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
Nunn said the timing implemented this year allows for minimal disruptions to pre-game and halftime band performances in neighboring stadiums. It will also be conducive to traffic flow as spectators arriving for the earlier game will naturally fill in parking spaces on the eastern fringe of the complex where SAC II is located while fans arriving for the later game will find available spaces on the west edge near SAC I. To reach both stadiums, students and fans will be able to enter from Bob Hope Drive on the north end of the complex and from Southview Drive on the south end.
Nunn added that 32 security guards and SISD police officers will patrol the grounds and assist with traffic control during games. First responders and emergency management vehicles will also be present.
“We will have a fire truck on site, an ambulance every Friday, and fully functional emergency management,” Nunn added.
A vision beyond football
Beyond sports, SAC II is set to be a hub for various community eventsThe facility’s design and functionality can support student activities such as mariachi festivals, large soccer tournaments and band competitions.
The stadium is also home to the district’s fine arts department. The south end of the facility features a kiln room, an instrument repair shop, music storage and conference rooms.
This approach aligns with the district’s broader mission to foster a well-rounded educational environment, said Enrique Herrera, assistant superintendent of schools.
Blank walls and display cases will provide gallery space to exhibit student artwork in the fine arts wing of Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
“It’s an unbelievable experience for our community,” Herrera said. “At the end of the day, the ones that really benefit from it are the bands, the cheerleaders, the ROTCs, all of our kids. That’s at the forefront of everything that happens at both stadiums.”
Herrera has spent 25 years in public education, most of that time with SISD. He said providing opportunities and venues for students to engage in extracurricular activities is a boon for all campuses.
“I always tell people about fine arts and sports, these are the best mentorship programs for any campus,” Herrera said. “If you have high numbers in the band, that means you have great kids in the halls. If you have high numbers in athletics, that means that kids are passing their classes and being disciplined and doing what they need to do.”
On game days, it will be students in audio-visual programs who man the stadium’s production room, handling in-game elements such as the clock, scoreboard animations and live feeds. Students who are part of the district’s high school criminal justice programs will also be at each stadium monitoring entry gates.
“People forget that it’s our law enforcement kids that are running the gates, it’s our AV kids who are running the cameras,” Nunn said. “Student council and the band are down there on the field. So, it’s not just about football kids, it’s about all kids and their community. There’s a lot of those little things that made the way we built this stadium make sense.”
Stadium arms race stalls
SISD’s new stadium was part of a $448.5 million bond measure in November 2017. The bond included three new campuses and a reconstructed flagship school along with SAC II. It was approved by 60% of voters. Since then, SISD opened Col. Ben Narbuth and Cactus Trails elementary schools. The rebuild of Socorro High School was completed in December 2023.
The passage of the bond came amid the construction of a slew of multi-million-dollar high school stadiums throughout Texas. One of those, Legacy Stadium in Katy near Houston, served as a portion of the inspiration for the locale of SAC II. Legacy Stadium, which opened in 2017, has 12,000 seats and cost $70 million. It sits steps away from Rhodes Stadium, a Katy ISD facility that opened in 1981. Both sites are used to host football games today.
“We took a tour of Katy ISD,” Nunn said. “Once they established that (stadiums side-by-side) could be done, the district decided to move ahead with it.”
Speakers surround the bleachers at the Student Activities Center II, which was designed to minimize noise interference with the nearby SAC I stadium. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
Other standalone high school stadiums have come at hefty price tags for taxpayers. In Allen, a $60 million, 18,000-seat stadium opened in 2012. In McKinney, another Dallas suburb less than 10 miles away from Allen, a nearly $70 million, 12,000-seat stadium opened in 2018.
SISD’s 2017 bond was approved two years before the state Legislature signed several laws that impact how school districts draft ballot and proposition language for their bond elections. As part of those changes, districts must separate general purpose projects from special purpose projects and put them on the ballot separately. Special purposes, as defined by Chapter 45 of the Texas Education Code, include the construction, acquisition or equipping of facilities including any stadium with a seating capacity for more than 1,000 spectators.
The changes have stalled the pace of new football facilities being constructed throughout the state. Just this year, bond measures for athletics facilities upgrades have been rejected by voters in the Anna, Argyle, College Station and Mansfield school districts. Prosper ISD, which opened a $48 million stadium complex north of Dallas in 2019, saw its $94 million bond measure for a new football stadium rejected by voters in November 2023.
“So when they (parents) see millions of dollars going to sports facilities or to things that are kind of less of a priority than academics, you’re seeing parents vote and say, ‘We’re just not going to say, ‘yes’ to that. We don’t need that stuff as much as we need to focus on educating students,” said Brendan Steinhauser, a political consulting strategist, in an interview with KXAS-NBC in Dallas-Fort Worth.
The scrutiny of dueling athletics and academic priorities is exacerbated by the financial pressures faced by Texas public schools. The education advocacy organization Raise Your Hand Texas has highlighted the challenges of underfunding in the state’s education system. Despite federal stimulus funds providing temporary relief, the organization warns that the expiration of these funds in 2024 will exacerbate existing funding shortfalls. According to the organization, Texas currently ranks 42nd in the nation for per-student spending, trailing the national average by over $4,000 per student. Raise Your Hand Texas contends that the state’s basic allotment — the foundational component of public school funding — has not kept pace with inflation, putting further strain on school districts.
Along with these factors, SISD is also contending with financial concerns. In June, the district’s school board approved a $479.6 million budget with a $22 million deficit for the 2024-25 school year. The budget represents a 19% decrease over the 2023-24 school year’s $594.5 million budget. The vote came on the heels of a tumultuous period for the district, which saw its superintendent leave for a since-rescinded position in Arizona and two school board members arrested for charges that appear to be related to their official duties.
‘We’re excited, man’
For his part, Cano is focused on ensuring his Bulldogs are prepared to have success on the field. Socorro will have four preseason games before entering District 1-6A play against Eastwood on Sept. 27. Before that, Cano is thrilled about the prospect of starting the season on a high note.
“We’re excited, man, super excited,” he said. “I think the kids are pumped about having that opportunity. They’re kind of seeing, ‘Hey, you know, they want us in the spotlight.’ I think for a long time, these kids felt a little on the outside. Hopefully, our kids come out with some confidence.”
Socorro ISD students will use audiovisual equipment in a special suite, giving them practical experience in recording and announcing games. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
One of those kids is Antonio Montes.
The Socorro High School junior will lead the Bulldog football team’s offense as one part of a two-pronged quarterback attack. Montes, who enters his third varsity season Friday, said it means a lot to him to be part of the team that will open the new facility. He said the support he and his teammates receive from the community is immense and serves as a source of pride.
The team has the additional task of representing their fellow students well as it is homecoming week. Despite the anticipation surrounding the milestone moment, the soft-spoken Montes puts the approach simply.
“The coaches set up the game plan, we just have to execute,” he said. “It’s going to be business as usual.”
Nunn is familiar with that sentiment. The Montwood High School graduate played in the inaugural game Sept. 25, 1992, at the original Student Activities Complex. Nunn’s Rams topped Socorro 31-12 in front of 10,000 people. He said playing in that game and following it up by being part of the opening of a new stadium nearby is momentous.
“Everybody in El Paso has a favorite moment at the SAC,” he said. “That’s what we’re hoping to give to the future. Thirty-two years ago, I played in the stadium next door. All these years later, I would’ve never thought that I would be here in this capacity to see this stadium open. The idea that there’s going to be a kid walking down that tunnel, that 32 years from now, who knows what’s in their future because of what this facility gave to them.”
Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II will provide opportunities for students in various areas such as band and music, fine arts, athletics, criminal justice, and audiovisual production. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II will provide opportunities for students in various areas such as band and music, fine arts, athletics, criminal justice, and audiovisual production. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II will provide opportunities for students in various areas such as band and music, fine arts, athletics, criminal justice, and audiovisual production. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II will provide opportunities for students in various areas such as band and music, fine arts, athletics, criminal justice, and audiovisual production. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
The new stadium at Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II will host the district’s football alongside the older SAC I, with game start times staggered by one hour. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
James Nunn, Socorro ISD Director of Athletics, tours the new Student Activities Center II on Aug. 28, 2024. The center will host its first game of the season on Friday. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
The new stadium at Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II will host the district’s football alongside the older SAC I, with game start times staggered by one hour. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
Socorro ISD students will use audiovisual equipment in a special suite, giving them practical experience in recording and announcing games. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
Socorro ISD students will use audiovisual equipment in a special suite, giving them practical experience in recording and announcing games. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
James Nunn, Socorro ISD Director of Athletics, walks through a locker room at the Student Activities Center II on Aug. 28, 2024. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II stadium includes a training room where professional and student athletic trainers can assess injuries. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
The fine arts wing of Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II includes a large instrument storage room for band and orchestra. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
The fine arts wing of Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II includes a kiln room for firing pottery. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
A banquet room overlooks the stadium at Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
Blank walls and display cases will provide gallery space to exhibit student artwork in the fine arts wing of Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
James Nunn, Socorro ISD Director of Athletics, opens the fine arts wing of the new Student Activities Center II on Aug. 28, 2024. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
Socorro ISD’s Student Activities Center II will provide opportunities for students in various areas such as band and music, fine arts, athletics, criminal justice, and audiovisual production. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
High school football schedules: Week 1
All games begin at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, unless otherwise noted.
• Horizon at Socorro at SAC II, 6:30 p.m.
• Burges at Bowie
• Austin at El Paso
• Jefferson at Fabens
• Irvin at Hanks
• Ysleta at Parkland
• Riverside at Big Spring
• Andrews at Clint
• Anthony at San Elizario
• Chapin at Franklin, 7:30 p.m.
• Pebble Hills at Canutillo
• Montwood at Del Valle
• Andress at El Dorado at SAC I, 7:30 p.m.
• Americas at Coronado, 7:30 p.m.
• Eastwood at St. John Bosco (Bellflower, California)
• Eastlake at Bel Air
• Cathedral vs. Rocksprings at Junction (Texas) High School
To see more high school football schedules by district, click below:
• El Paso ISD
• Ysleta ISD
• Socorro ISD
• Anthony ISD
• Canutillo ISD
• Clint ISD
• Fabens ISD
• San Elizario ISD
• Tornillo ISD
The post SISD’s $58.9M stadium hosts first game as high school football season kicks off appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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