BISHOP, Tx — It's been a little over a month since Bishop Athletic Director George Luna passed away after a long health battle. But even as time passes, Bishop CISD is making sure he is forever remembered by renaming the Badger Stadium the George Luna Stadium.
When Luna passed away, Bishop staff and administration came together to think of ways to honor the coach, who worked with the district for 23 years.
They presented the stadium name change idea to the Bishop School Board on Jan. 22.
"We took the agenda item to the school board and it was an easy agenda item. I bet it took about thirty seconds," Bishop CISD Superintendent Christina Gutierrez said.
To make the name change known from Badger Stadium to the George Luna Stadium, the district plans on highlighting his name wherever they can for both Badgers and visitors to see.
"The scoreboard will have on top it will say the George Luna Stadium, the ticket booth, maybe something behind our concession stands, of course the press box..." Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez said that putting Coach Luna's name everywhere speaks to how his students viewed him throughout the years.
"When you were at a baseball field there was George, when you were at a softball game there was George when you were at a basketball game there was George... George was everywhere. I felt that we had kind of cloned him and sprinkled him all around the district," Gutierrez said.
Student athlete senior Caden Griffith said Luna’s impact alone makes him deserving of having the stadium named after him.
“My older brother played for him so I knew him and saw him at all the games growing up. I saw their relationship and it made me want to have a relationship even more. He took me under his wing and it was nice. I think he should be remembered always. This is a great way to remember him. When you see this field, you know its named after him,” Griffith said.
Student athlete senior Nicholas Zimmerman agreed, saying that to him, Luna was a coach and mentor, but more than that he was a friend
"Everywhere I went he was always smiling. At every practice, every game, he was always on the sideline, so it’s very fitting. They’re going to know who he is and who its named after,” Zimmerman said.
Along with the name change, the district plans to renovate and beautify the stadium. They also plan to hold a vigil or presentation to make it known to the school and community.
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