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Rural Texas school in running for $1M to modernize football facilities

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Published  October 4, 2025 4:22pm CDT
Texas
FOX 7 Austin
article

Stockdale High School football field

The Brief

    • Stockdale High School, a small rural school with a grass football field, is a finalist for a $1M stadium upgrade.
    • The school's facilities are outdated and their field is considered dangerous, which has become a safety concern for players.
    • The winner of the grand prize will be determined by daily voting, which is open to all until Oct. 24.

STOCKDALE, Texas - Stockdale, Texas, has a population of 1,488, and sits about an hour southeast of San Antonio. Their small rural school is one of the last in the dry, drought-stricken region to operate with a grass football field. 

Now, Stockdale has a chance to modernize their football facilities with a grand prize of $1 million.

All they need is the free support of Texans, who can submit daily votes until Oct. 24 to bump the school towards first place. 

Stockdale's football field woes

The backstory:

Stockdale is known for their hard-working residents who value God, family and country above all else, according to members of the Stockdale Independent School District, who spoke with FOX Texas Digital about their competition. 

Despite the community's dedication to supporting their high school, the Stockdale Brahmas still play on a natural grass field — though there is little grass left on the dry stretch of earth. 

Upgrades for players' safety

Why you should care:

The concern of the district is the safety of the players. They say the South Texas climate brings little rain to soften the 115-degree summer highs, and their field has become an uneven space with divots, dry patches, and loose soil. 

These conditions make it dangerous for their players, who risk ankle sprains, knee injuries, lower back problems and other health concerns every time they perform on the field. 

The situation is complicated further by ongoing droughts and strict budget limitations, the district says, which make it impossible to properly maintain the grass. 

T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights

Every year, T-Mobile holds the Friday Night 5G Lights competition, giving schools in small US cities a chance to win the $1 million grand prize. 

Stockdale sits at 11th in the top 25 finalists for the prize as of Saturday. 

If the school wins, they plan to use the money to upgrade their facilities with an artificial turf field, creating a safer environment for their players. 

What you can do:

Voters can input a submission every day until Oct. 24. The winner will be announced on Oct. 30. Click here to see the 25 finalists.

If you'd like to vote for Stockdale, click here. 

The Source: Information in this article came from Stockdale ISD administration. 

TexasEducation