McKissick statue to be unveiled Aug. 12 | Prep Sports | postandcourier.com - Charleston Post Courier

A family that has played a vital role in making Summerville’s Memorial Stadium such a special place will now have a permanent presence there.

The public is invited to the unveiling of the John and Joann McKissick statue. The unveiling ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. Aug. 12 at the stadium, located at 815 North Main Street.

“It’s a good way to honor the legend and legacy of Coach John McKissick and Mrs. McKissick and how much they mean to Summerville,” Eddie Crosby, president of South Magnolia Event Group, said. “They have contributed so much to high school athletics as well as to this community. Dating way back everybody who grew up here has a found memory of Friday night in Summerville. To be able to do this and unveil this with Mrs. McKissick there with her family is super cool and it’s a great way for the community to come together and celebrate Coach’s life and legacy.”

South Magnolia Event Group was formed by community members who wanted to raise funds for renovations at Memorial Stadium. The founding members’ vision was that by combining their resources with those of Dorchester County, The Town of Summerville and Dorchester School District Two they could renovate Memorial Stadium into a modern facility that is worthy of the storied Green Wave football program.

Early fundraising efforts combined with sizeable government allocations raised more than a million dollars for the project, which includes the addition of an artificial turf field that was completed prior to the 2021 football season and refurbishment of an office space that will become the John McKissick Museum.

“The statue developed organically as we were collaborating on stadium renovations,” Crosby said. “Some Summerville High School alumni and community members approached us with the idea of raising funds for a statue to honor Coach and Mrs. McKissick. We began asking alumni, starting with those who once played football or were cheerleaders, if they would like to contribute. Then word spread and people started contacting us.”

Sculpture in the South, a group that has installed more than 20 statues throughout Summerville including those in Azalea Park and Hutchinson Square, was commissioned to help with the design and creation of the statue.

“It’s pretty spectacular,” Crosby said. “The statue is life size and will be put on a brick pedestal that will make it even taller so it will be kind of a towering presence there in that new plaza and renovated area behind the west end zone near the district office.”

The school district’s administrative office is located behind the west end zone in the building built in 1924 as the original Summerville High School. A historical marker in front of that building includes a biography on John McKissick, who in 1993 became the winningest coach in the history of American football. During his years as coach of the Summerville Green Wave (1952 to 2014), McKissick amassed a 621-155-13 record and his teams won 10 state championships.

South Carolina Department of Transportation Commissioner Robby Robbins will MC the unveiling ceremony. Others scheduled to speak at the ceremony include South Carolina Sen. Sean Bennett, South Carolina Rep. Chris Murphy, Dorchester School District Two Superintendent Shane Robbins, Debbie Call and Jimmy Tupper.

South Magnolia Event Group is still raising funds for Summerville athletics and in the process of building a website related to those efforts.

“The outpouring of support from alumni near and far and the community in general has been fantastic,” Crosby said. “We are excited about continuing to share Coach’s story and building upon the tradition his family helped create over decades, half a century plus.”

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https://www.postandcourier.com/journal-scene/sports/prep_sports/mckissick-statue-to-be-unveiled-aug-12/article_12728956-15f1-11ed-9acc-bf020a2a3ffb.html

2022-08-07 01:34:00Z
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