Visitor stands collapse at Beech’s Shackle Island Stadium

By Blaine Kellar | on August 15, 2023

Three days before its regular-season opening game, the visitor stands at Beech’s football stadium collapsed.

Wind and heavy rain from the past week likely led to the unexpected cave in, according to a letter from Director of Schools Scott Langford,

“Early this morning, (Beech principal Kenneth Powell) alerted me that the middle section of the visitor side bleachers at the Beech High School football stadium collapsed overnight,” Langford said in a prepared statement.

“We are thankful that no one was in the bleachers at the time this occurred, and most importantly, that no one was injured. Our first commitment is to ensure that our students and families are safe.”

Langford said a structural engineer will begin examining Beech’s home bleachers as well as all others in Sumner County as a result of the collapse.

The Buccaneers football team was scheduled to host Station Camp to begin the season.

“Our maintenance team is onsite today, prepping for the removal of the visitor side bleachers,” Langford said. “Our plan is to install temporary bleachers in time for Friday’s game.

“We will update the community regarding Friday’s game versus Station Camp High School once these assessments are complete. Our goal is to have everything ready for Friday night’s game against Station Camp at Beech; however, we are also working on a contingency plan to move the game to an alternate site if necessary.”