Photos of Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86
Highland Fieldhouse 9135 Erie St. Highland, IN 46322
Year Opened: 1970 Capacity: 2,200
Highland High's Home Dome
Highland High School is home to the Trojans basketball program. It is located in Highland, Indiana, in the state known as “The Region,” just outside Chicago. Its home building has a distinctive circular dome roof that is separate from the rest of the building. The gym opened in 1970 with a seating capacity of 3,200. The gym's design is similar to other facilities at Benton Central, Greencastle, and nearby rival Munster High Schools.
The fieldhouse construction began in 1968 and forced the Trojans to play home games at the middle school. This was due to the old high school gym being converted into an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Tons of steel and wooden frames towered over the construction site as students awaited its completion. A carpenter’s strike forced construction to be delayed a few months until its grand opening in November 1970.
In 2019, the gymnasium received $12 million in renovations to improve the court, seating, locker rooms, and offices. The Trojans are part of the Northwest Crossroads Conference. The boys have won five conference and four sectional championships, while the girls have had better success, winning 15 conferences and four sectional titles.
Food & Beverage 3
The concession stand serves a familiar selection, including hot dogs, popcorn, chips, soft pretzels, nachos, and soda pop. However, different items are worth mentioning. Visitors can order Polish sausage, walking tacos, spicy chicken sandwiches, nacho supreme, and street tacos. The price range starts at $2 for chips and $6 for a nacho supreme.
Atmosphere 2
The Highland Holiday Hoopfest is an annual event held during the Holiday season. Eight high schools compete in the three-day event. However, with that being said, some of the charm of a regular high school game is missing. There are no cheerleaders, the sounds of the band, and the cheer sections at the event. There is also a lack of a crowd that definitely could add a nice backdrop to the atmosphere.
The gym has an aura from its exterior; it is a dome facility that is easy to spot off the main road. Once you walk inside the lobby, you are practically inside the gym and staring at its wooden ceiling. A digital four-sided scoreboard breaks away from the standard electronic kinds, which are still popular in many parts of the state. The school colors of blue and gold are everywhere, along with banners of multiple team championships against the walls.
There is bleacher seating on all three sides, with one end opened up with a few rows of handicapped seating. Additional seating can be pulled out to accommodate larger crowds, perhaps games against rival Munster High School, but the open space is a welcome attraction to the spacious gymnasium.
Neighborhood 4
The high school is in a residential area of Highland, Indiana, but a few miles away from the busy US-41, where many shops, retail chains, and malls exist. The average fan will find almost everything they want in these various spots.
Sophia's Pancake House, Kui Korean BBQ, Theo's Steak & Seafood, and Highland Gyros are on US-41, AKA Indianapolis Blvd. The Blue Top Drive-In is a throwback to the early 1960s, featuring burgers, fries, shakes, and a few muscle cars. It is a great spot for families.
The Highland Grove Shopping Plaza offers a variety of regional chains, including Chipotle, Panda Express, Dave's Hot Chicken, Noodles & Company, Tomato Bar Pizza Bakery, and Naf Naf Grill. Lou Malnati's is home to Chicago-style deep-dish and thin-crust pizza.
About a mile north of the high school is a collection of restaurants in downtown Highland. Fuzzyline Brewing Company offers great craft beer, homemade burgers, and smashed potatoes with curry ketchup. Dan’s Perogies is a Polish restaurant that serves stuffed cabbage dinners, sandwiches, blintzes, and homemade soup.
Fans 2
It is hard to judge the fan score based on the holiday hoopfest. It was not a typical Trojans game, and some holiday tournaments don't bring out a large number of fans. Many of the schools are within the area, but it is during the break when most kids are not thinking about high school or anything school-related.
Access 4
The high school is within a few miles of US 41, the main road that connects to I-65. GPS is the best way to arrive at the school, but the gym is noticeable from the main street. There is plenty of parking for the game, and once inside, there is plenty of room to move around to enjoy the view.
Return on Investment 3
The ticket price is $7 per person, and concession items are around $3 to $4 apiece. One can enjoy a night watching Hoosier High School hoops, and it can be a nice detour from the family functions taking place during this time of year.
Extras 2
The Polish sausage is hot and tasty, along with the walking tacos. The food is enough to keep fans more than satisfied until after the game. The gym’s domed ceiling gives the place its charm and adds to its character.
Final Thoughts
In a state where there are plenty of great gyms to visit for high school basketball, Highland High might get overlooked. However, it's worth checking out when in the area, especially for a regular season game. It has all the charm and design to make it worth your time when in “The Region".
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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com
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