How many high school football stadiums have you visited?

Back in November 2005, two days after the birth of my first child, I went on the road to cover a high school football playoff game in Linden, Ala.

While there, I ran into another reporter/photographer and his “spotter.” These guys were older – in their mid-fifties – and during halftime, we got to talking. Turns out, that even though they worked for a major state newspaper, they’d requested the assignment of covering two small high schools, Frisco City and Linden.

They told me that years ago, they’d set out to try to watch ever high school football team in the state play at least once. They update their list ever couple of years to account for school closings and new schools. The chance to cover Frisco and Linden allowed them to scratch two schools they’d never seen play from their list.

High school football season is now in full swing in Alabama, and I got to thinking about all the high school stadiums that I’ve visited in my decade of covering high school football in Alabama.

Here’s a list of all the high schools that I know I’ve visited to cover games or have visited in the past for other reasons.
1. Gulf Shores High School
2. UMS-Wright in Mobile
3. Fruitdale High School
4. Millry High School
5. Leroy High School
6. Jackson High School
7. Escambia County High School in Atmore
8. Escambia Academy at Canoe
9. Flomaton High School
10. J.U. Blacksher High School at Uriah
11. T.R. Miller High School in Brewton
12. W.S. Neal High School in East Brewton
13. J.F. Shields High School in Beatrice
14. Monroe County High School in Monroeville
15. Frisco City High School
16. Excel High School
17. Hillcrest High School in Evergreen
18. Sparta Academy in Evergreen
19. Red Level High School
20. Andalusia High School
21. Geneva High School
22. Houston Academy in Dothan
23. G.W. Long High School in Skipperville
24. Ariton High School
25. Crenshaw Academy in Luverne
26. Greenville High School
27. Georgiana High School
28. McKenzie High School
29. Chambers Academy in Lafayette
30. Beulah High School in Lee County
31. Notasulga High School
32. Reeltown High School
33. Autauga Academy in Prattville
34. Chilton County High School in Clanton
35. Maplesville High School
36. Francis Marion High School in Marion
37. Keith High School in Orrville
38. A.L. Johnson High School in Thomaston
39. Linden High School
40. Sweet Water High School
41. Thomasville High School
42. Clarke County High School in Grove Hill
43. Coffeeville High School
44. South Choctaw Academy in Toxey
45. Carrollton High School
46. Hale County High School in Moundville
47. Jackson Academy
48. Monroe Academy in Monroeville

In the end, how many high school stadiums have you had a chance to visit? I’m sure that there are other reporters out there with much longer lists. (I’d like to see the lists of veteran sports reporters like Ross Wood at The Clarke County Democrat or Mike Qualls at The Monroe Journal.)