BROKEN BOW- Senior day at the gym affectionately known as the ‘Bow Dome’ had a dash of extra emotion on Saturday afternoon. Indian fans came together to witness one final set of starting lineups, jump balls, and final buzzers ahead of construction set to begin immediately Monday.
Saturday’s crowd was peppered with current and former coaches, players, and parents who descended on the gym to notch one last memory. Some attendees were not of Broken Bow connection, but had played in the gym for another team during tournaments or in the postseason. Broken Bow Athletic Director Jeff Ellis described the feeling in the room as “bittersweet”.
Although cliché, the saying ‘you just have to experience it’ had come to fit the gym during its lifetime. Many believe there wasn’t a gym out there that rivaled its volume, citing a specific Broken Bow sporting event or MNAC tournament game as reference. That volume, in fact, caused interviews of those in attendance on Saturday to have unusable audio which feels perfectly fitting.
Not much time will pass between the lights turning off on the Indian gym and the jackhammers firing up, as the gym portion of the $26.5 million dollar bond is set to begin immediately on Monday. As a part of the ‘renovation’ portion of the bond, the gym will be getting an expanded footprint that will allow more seating as well as more walkway room on the court’s sidelines.
While excitement is high for a new-look gym and its own memories, Saturday’s diverse crowd gave a peek at how many will always hold dear those made at the original ‘Bow Dome’.
