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Off the Beaten Track: Finding Gold and Good Times at Maverick Stadium

Kenneth Perkins has been a contributing writer for Arlington Today for more than a decade. He is a freelance writer, editor and photographer.

Jay Ryan by Jay Ryan
June 2, 2025
in Arlington News, Community, Scene, Sports
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Ebby Halliday April 2020

Oh, the scent of Icy Hot mixed with sunscreen. It hit me the moment I stepped into Maverick Stadium in mid-May. The crowd buzzed, the sun blazed, and every square inch of shade was already claimed like beachfront property. I was here for the final day of the three-day WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and while I’ll admit I came without knowing a single runner or thrower or jumper, I left with a newfound appreciation for this not-so-hidden Arlington gem.

UT Arlington runners Winnie Kipsang and Kash Powell ran like they had rockets strapped to their backs. The 800-meter dash is not for the faint of heart—or lungs—but both Mavericks made it look almost… graceful. They each snagged gold with impressive finishes, adding to UTA’s 15 gold medals across the weekend. (Kipsang also won the 1500 in impressive fashion).

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While the Entertainment District with its Cowboys and Rangers hog the spotlight with towering stadiums, Maverick Stadium sits quietly on the west side of the University of Texas at Arlington campus, modest and mighty, offering a different kind of thrill. It doesn’t need a retractable roof or dancing fountains, though.

The stadium has seen it all. Born in 1980 and seated for 12,000, it’s hosted everything from UTA’s football glory days (yep, they actually had a football team) to Special Olympics, Greek life events, and high school showdowns that might as well be Super Bowls. And even though UTA football made its last stand here in 1985, you can still feel the echoes of helmet-clashing Friday nights and ESPN’s first taped broadcast humming through the press box.

Speaking of press boxes, Maverick Stadium’s has three stories, which, to be honest, is two more than I expected. During football games, coaches and media types huddle like Mission Control, while below, the west grandstands hold about 8,000 spectators, including 1,831 prime chair-back seats—VIP comfort for die-hard track parents (like me) and Texas sun warriors. (not me).

It’s not just a sports venue, it’s practically a time capsule with a treadmill. Over the years, it’s kept pace (pun intended) with updates like a new Polytan USA track surface, fresh locker rooms, and a putting green added for the golf team. What makes this place shine isn’t just the field or the facilities—it’s the moments it hosts. Like the Dean Corey Band Extravaganza, where AISD bands take over the field in a brass-and-drum spectacular. Or the Bed Races, UTA’s charmingly chaotic fall tradition that puts wheels on mattresses and dignity on pause.

Pantego Christian Academy plays its football games here, and the stadium occasionally dusts off the goalposts for high school playoff clashes. Sure, those games are fewer these days, but when they happen, Maverick Stadium feels like the center of the football universe—or at least the epicenter of enthusiastic marching bands and competitive concession stands.

As I sat in the stands and glanced around the place, I realized Maverick Stadium might not be where the tourists flock. But that’s kind of the point. It’s a space for the locals, for us, the competitors, the community—a place where you can cheer on your neighbor’s kid one weekend and catch elite athletes breaking records the next.

So next time you’re in the mood for some exciting sports at a lower cost than, say, AT&T Stadium or Globe Life Park, wander west and find yourself a seat at Maverick Stadium. Whether it’s a flag football showdown or a blazing track meet, you’ll get a front-row seat to the heartbeat of a community—and maybe even leave with a slight sunburn and a full heart.

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