With the opening of the new Selma High School this fall, the school’s student body won’t be the only ones seeing an upgrade in facilities, as the Saints football team will also have a new home.

With each passing day, more progress can be seen on the new Selma High football fieldhouse located near the practice fields behind the school.

Expected to be completed before the upcoming school year, Selma City Schools athletic director Patrick D. Evans said the new facility will benefit the entire student body along with Selma High’s athletic programs.

“It’s going to benefit the entire school, however, we’re going to have it primarily for the football team,” Evans said. “But we will also have a weight room in our new gymnasium that will also benefit, primarily, our basketball teams and student body, as well as our faculty. The new fieldhouse more likely will benefit our football team, softball team, baseball team, as well as track and field.”

Evans said the new facility will be about 4,000 square feet larger than the old football fieldhouse, while Saints head football coach Leroy Miles added it will include a number of new amenities for the program.

“It’s going to have a locker room that’s going to accommodate somewhere around 91 players, it’s going to have a weight room, it’s going to have coaches offices, men’s and women’s restrooms, showers, equipment rooms,” Miles said. “I think it will give the kids a sense of pride to have a new facility. Everybody likes to have something new. I think it’s going to do a lot for our program. I think the kids deserve it, and everybody wants a new house. I think it’ll be motivation for the kids to be a part of it.”

Miles said the new fieldhouse will be a plus for the football program and will allow the Saints to better view game film, as well as have more players in the weight room.

“I think we’ll be able to accommodate more players,” Miles said. “Right now, it’s tough on us to accommodate 50 players. It (new fieldhouse) will give us more room, some more equipment where we can accommodate somewhere around 90 players at one time in the facility.”

Evans added the new facility will also help the program keep up and be competitive on the gridiron.

“It’s great for our school system and it’s something that’s well overdue,” Evans said. “I think it’s going to increase our enrollment, I think it’s definitely going to help with our athletes as far as getting them ready for the season and developing their muscles and strength and conditioning, not only within the program, but keeping our program in line with all the rest of the programs in 5A football in Alabama.”