Worlds Largest High School Gym

Welcome to New Castle Indiana, home of the Chrysler High School Trojans and the "Field House", the worlds largest high school gym which seats 9,235 but has, in the past held 10,000 for basketball games. It's an amazingly large building. The level I took the photo on is at ground level and the basketball floor is underground. It was finished in 1961 but continually upgraded since to keep it as modern as possible. It's a fun place to see a basketball game though.
Odd, the floor does not have permanent markings for volleyball, it appears they use tape now. They used to use a paint they could just mop up after each game. Each year they host volleyball sectionals, wrestling sectional and basketball sectional.
Three of the other biggest gyms are a quick drive from New Castle, one in Anderson known as the Wigwam, and then the one in Connersville which a smaller version of the NC Field House that seats right around 7,000.

This photo is not the best, I was in a hurry and didn't clean it up any.

JS

Wow...That's bigger than my College's gym. That's bigger than a lot of college's gyms.

It's almost as big as Conseco Field House where the Pacers play...I think it seats 17,000 give or take.
I have shot a couple basketball games there and it's just crazy. Shooting there you sit on the floor under the basket on either side... and get run over constantly, hit by the ball and more. Steve Alford play high school ball there, his father was the coach during the teams best years before he headed off to Iowa.

JS

woo.. that is huge. I don't think they made gym that big for high school

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Originally Posted by JTcooper

woo.. that is huge. I don't think they made gym that big for high school

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Yeah, and it hasn't been sold since 1996! Odd, thats about the time they went to class basketball.... what does that say about class basketball?

JS

Whoa! I wouldn't have thought a gym for hs that huge existed. :eek:

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Originally Posted by JETA

Whoa! I wouldn't have thought a gym for hs that huge existed. :eek:

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Thats nothing, some of the high school football fields in Texas, Georgia, and so on are BIGGER! Indiana is starting to catch up though. Alas, some schools still think basketball is king in Indiana, but since the advent of "class basketball" it has fallen on hard times, lost many spectators and avid fans who are now turning to football... odd, football is a "class sport" but no one complains.... well, except the ones who want the private schools to have a multiplier or in their own class.


JS