GREENVILLE – Early Labor Day morning, Greenville Athletic Director Aaron Shaffer and Kevin Jenkinson were working at Greenville Senior High School’s Harmon Field in hopes of having the field ready for this Friday night’s football game, but there are no guarantees.
“It’s a lot of work,” said Shaffer. “I know for a long time at the beginning of summer, shortly after the tornado up until late August, it felt like to a lot of people nothing was going on but all the pre-work and trying to figure out all the things administratively and financially to make this happen, that’s what was going on then. We knew as soon as we started we would go from a virtual standstill to light speed in a matter of days, and that is what has happened.”
The major items, including a new turf field, light poles, lights, press box, and sound system, are noticeable, but many small details go unnoticed, taking hours of work.
“The lights are up, the press box is up, and we still have a couple of hurdles to get through,” Shaffer said. “We have to get a PA system in this week, and like anything when you’re doing construction, you have inspections, but we’re hopeful. There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel in terms of this portion of it, but it’s been a lot, and all the while still making the typical normal athletic things go – it’s been a lot.”
“Little things like the kicking net. We were fortunate the day of the tornado it didn’t tear it all the way down. It loosened some of the guide straps and some of the ins and outs that make the net go up and down. It’s been a process getting it adjusted to cleaning up trash to figuring out how we are going to cover up fence holes, to a ticket booth that’s not there; a lot of things we have to get figured out between now and Friday if we are able to get back in here.”
“Today, Kevin and I are working on the kicking net in front of the building; the clock is ticking, we’re trying to get back in here in five days, and there are a lot of things that have to happen between then and now to allow us in here and then make it happen on Friday,” Shaffer continued.
Coach Shaffer was not complaining when he was questioned about working Labor Day when he was asked.
“It’s part of the hand we’re dealt,” he stated. “Would I rather not be doing these things? Absolutely, I’d rather not. I am fortunate my family understands how important Greenville and Greenville City Schools and Greenville Athletics are to me, so they support me. They understand there is a reason behind it. I’ll get home; it’s only 10 a.m.”
“It’s a good day, it’s a beautiful day, it’s kind of peaceful out here,” Shaffer said with a smile. “We’ve been working hard to get to where we’re at, and if we’re not working today, there won’t be enough time in a week to get it done.”
