Southside Stadium renaming one for ages

BENTONVILLE — As athletics director for the Fort Smith School District since 1991, Jim Rowland has had a lasting impact on sports in that city.

Rowland's dedication to the district - both as AD and before that as a coach and school administrator - was rewarded Monday night in a gesturethat will last forever as the Fort Smith School Board voted 7-0 to rename Southside Stadium in honor of Rowland.

"This is my 47th year in the districtand it's been a privilege to be a part of this district," Rowland said Tuesday. "I am very humbled and honored by this."

The move ensures both Southside and Northside will have stadiums named after athletic pioneers in the district. Fort Smith Northside plays at 6,000-seat Mayo-Thompson Stadium, named after Ben Mayo and John Thompson. Both came to Northside in 1928. Thompson took over as head football coach in 1940 when Mayo became the new athletics director. Grizzly Stadium was changed to Mayo-Thompson in fall 1968.

Rowland began working in the school district in 1963, opening in the junior-high ranks at Darby as a head track and football coach. He then worked as an assistant coach at Northside (1966-70) before becoming head football coach at crosstown Southside in 1970. He moved into Southside's administration as an assistant principal in 1982 before moving to AD and director of student activities nine years later.

Southside Stadium, a 4,000-seat venue, opened in the fall of 1989. Before then, both Southside and Northside shared Mayo-Thompson. Jim Rowland Stadium will be dedicated before the Bentonville-Southside game - the Rebels' 7A-West home opener - on Oct. 2.

Whether designed that way or simply a scheduling fluke, that dedication will haveadded hoopla as Barry Lunney makes his third trip to back to Southside since he took over as Bentonville coach in 2005. Lunney is 1-1 in games at Southside since coming to Bentonville.

Rowland says it will mean a lot to have Lunney there at the dedication - whether he coaches at a different school now makes no difference.

"I wouldn't be truthful if I said it wouldn't be special (with Lunney there)," Rowland. "Barry and his staff - Benji (Mahan), Robbie (Jones), Barry, Jr., - they are all a part of our success at Southside."

In 16 years at Southside, Lunney won eight conference titles and four state championships. He added his fifth state title last December with a win against Southside in Little Rock.