If you’ve heard of Jerry World in Dallas, the nickname for AT&T Stadium where the Cowboys play, Jerry’s House might be an adequate nickname for Federal Way Memorial Field’s rebuild.

Now of course I’m just poking a little fun at the Federal Way Public Schools Athletic Director Jerry Peterson, who was at the head of the table for the renovation for the Federal Way Memorial Field. But anyone who knows Jerry and has talked with him about this project knows he’s the last person to take credit for something extremely special for the city.

With all that being said, the stadium that was demolished and resurrected in the span of eight months hosted its first event on Oct. 18. It was a soccer game between Todd Beamer and Thomas Jefferson, which Thomas Jefferson won 3-1.

The night wasn’t only about the game. It was about the school district representing everybody in Federal Way and keeping its promise. FWPS has said time and time again that they couldn’t have done it without the voters and taxpayers who passed the levy to commit to a facility.

Federal Way Memorial Field, in its new state, will benefit everybody from gameday workers to parents and administrators, let alone the athletes who play on the field.

The lights, the stands, the press box and the turf all prove that we as athletes can have some pride in where we play. That is really the key — a place where visiting teams come and they are in awe of the stage. Where the play on the field gets played at the highest level.

The stadium looks fantastic, from an optic standpoint. You walk into new signage, a much sleeker and modern Memorial wordmark. It takes a modern look at concessions, security and safety — even adopting a “clear bag policy” that not many high school stadiums have, but one that is adopted at large scale events all around the state.

We even got a taste for what is to come when Todd Beamer scored their goal — there was a light show that emphasized how cool this environment can be.

There was no doubt a lot of hard work that went into the stadium. You can see from all the staff and workers wearing the “M” trucker hats and the attention to detail around the concourse. On six signs/posters around the bathrooms on the home side of the stadium, there are action shots of athletes. They aren’t just stock images either. It’s real athletes and real students.

That emphasis, to make a stadium a true home, is something special from FWPS. The kids in those pictures will be immortalized until the stadium needs another renovation. But who knows when that will be.

By no means was it a packed house for the Raiders and Titans in their initial game at the stadium. But for football, track and graduation, the stadium will be loud and will create an electric atmosphere.

Now I never played a sport that could be played under the lights. As a high school baseball and tennis player, my games were played at 3:30 p.m. or 3 p.m. most of the time. But man, it would be hard to not want to try football, track or soccer to get a chance to play in that stadium.

A true hats off to everyone involved at the stadium. They did an extremely good job, and the City of Federal Way should be proud to call Federal Way Memorial Field home.

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Federal Way native Ben Ray writes about sports in South King County. Contact benjamin.ray@soundpublishing.com.