Citizen photo/Glenn Harbison: Cutting the ribbon dedicating the new Athletic Complex at Fannin County High School are school board Chairman Bobby Bearden, FCHS Principal Dr. Scott Ramsey, Chief Operations Officer Darren Danner and School Superintendent Shannon Dillard.

By: Glenn Harbison | glenn@fanninbasincitizen.com

“(Today) is a celebration of what can happen when a community comes together with a shared vision and invests in its children.” With those words, Fannin County School Superintendent Shannon Dillard welcomed the crowd to the dedication of the new athletic complex at Fannin County High School (FCHS).

“We are opening the door to new opportunities, new experiences, and new memories for the students of Fannin County,” Dillard said.

The complex on the FCHS campus features new baseball and softball fields, tennis courts, state of the art public address systems, coaches’ offices, meeting rooms, separate press box areas, an indoor facility for all sports, and a weight room that would challenge those in many colleges. The complex also expands available parking for the school and football field.

The superintendent stressed the complex is more than just a place for the students to play ball when she said “it is where character will be built, leadership will be developed and life lessons will be learned that extend beyond the playing fleld.

FCHS Principal Dr. Scott Ramsey agreed, saying the facilities are “all about creating opportunities for our students.”

Speaking directly to the students who attended the ceremony, Dillard said, “This facility was built with you in mind. We believe in you, we believe in your future and we hope you’ll use this place to challenge yourselves, encourage one another, and proudly represent Fannin County with integrity, humility and sportsmanship.”

During the event Tuesday, July 28, both Dillard and Ramsey expressed their appreciation to Darren Danner, the school system’s Chief Operations Officer who oversaw the project. 

Praised by Dillard for “guiding this project from an idea to reality,” Ramsey credited Danner for making the complex functional, something many similar projects cannot claim.

Citizen photos/Glenn Harbison: Dr. Scott Ramsey, left, and Bobby Bearden talked of the positive affect the new facility will have on students.