Hayden High School Will Rename Football Stadium
The venue will be dedicated to former head coach Tom Stringer during a halftime ceremony this Friday.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Football
Hayden High School in Topeka will rename its football stadium to the Tom Stringer Family Stadium on September 25, 2026. The dedication ceremony will take place at halftime during the school's home game against St. Louis, Mo.-St. Mary's South Side.
Why it matters
The renaming honors the legacy of Tom Stringer, who led the Hayden football program for 15 seasons and cemented himself as one of the school's most successful coaches. Stringer, a 1979 alumnus of the school, passed away in 2025 at age 64.
Coach Stringer compiled a 131-35 record over 15 seasons, securing seven Centennial League titles. His tenure featured Class 4A state championships in 1998, during which the team finished with a perfect 13-0 record, and again in 2004.
The players
Tom Stringer
He was a distinguished football coach who led Hayden High School to two state titles and is a member of the Kansas Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Hayden High School
This educational institution located in Topeka is honoring its former coach by renaming its athletic facility.
The details
Tom Stringer remains a celebrated figure in local sports, having been inducted into the Hayden Hall of Fame in 2023. He is also a member of both the Pittsburg State Athletic Hall of Fame and the Kansas Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Timeline
Tom Stringer graduated from Hayden High School in 1979.
Stringer coached the Hayden football program from 1992 through 2006.
Tom Stringer died on November 28, 2025.
The stadium renaming ceremony will occur on September 25, 2026.
Season Trajectory
This dedication marks a formal institutional shift toward commemorating legacy coaches, a trend that reinforces the cultural significance of the program's peak era. The ceremony serves as a major community anchor for the current season's home schedule.
Attendees at the September 25, 2026, home opener should expect potential ceremony-related delays during the halftime interval. The event serves as the primary commemorative focal point of the current season's home slate.
The takeaway
Naming a stadium after a coach is a permanent way for a community to honor long-term institutional success. Supporters often use such moments to reconnect with the history and defining victories of their local athletic programs.
Further reading
For more background on local athletic news, visit Football.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wibw.
