On Friday, September 22, Brookfield Central held its long-awaited field dedication ceremony with Olympian Kenny Harrison and Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Joe Thomas. The ceremony took place during Central’s homecoming football game and included speeches from Harrison and Thomas, among others. “We were honored to have had these esteemed athletes come home for this special celebration,” stated BC Principal Brett Gruetzmacher. “They stand as a testament to our students of what is possible when you work tirelessly to achieve your dreams, and we are grateful for their contributions to BC’s legacy.”
Kenny Harrison is a 1983 BC alum and Olympic Gold Medalist in the Triple Jump (1996), who earned various awards throughout his professional track and field career and still holds school records in the long, high, and triple jumps. Harrison was inducted into the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2013 and held the Wisconsin state triple jump record from 1983 to 2005.
Joe Thomas is a 2003 BC graduate and Pro Football Hall-of-Famer, who played offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns from 2007-2017 and earned numerous accolades along the way. Thomas played in the Pro Bowl for 10 straight years and started all 167 games in his NFL career.
The Harrison-Thomas Stadium opened in 2020 after sustainable renovations to the field and track. Congratulations to Kenny and Joe on their field dedication.
Photos from Alan Herzberg of Focus Arkansas below.