When it opened as Junior College Stadium in 1965, it was one of those facilities that would serve as home to several area football and track programs, searching for a facility that was large enough to handle what was a growing sports scene in Miami-Dade County.
From the first year, there was never any doubt that the structure would have a chance to be legendary, sitting to the south of Miami-Dade Junior College.
In the early years, Junior College Stadium was home to such schools as Mays, Northwestern, Central, Carol City, North Miami and Norland – and then in 1971, North Miami Beach joined the group of teams.
With Central Stadium, the fabled Orange Bowl. Hialeah Stadium, Memorial Field and Harris Field, Junior College Stadium was the perfect solution for a growing northeast Miami-Dade area.
TRAZ POWELL’S LEGACY
After a stellar coaching career, compiling a 167-373 record with no losing season, Nathaniel “Traz” Powell died from a heart attack in 1980, but his legendary career and ground-breaking legacy lived on. He later went on to coach track at Miami-Dade Community College North Campus and taught physical education.
His lasting impression on players, coaches and administrators become the rallying point of naming the field in his honor – and it has certainly been home to some of the major stars of south Florida for decades.
While some of the top teams, players and games have been played at this landmark, it was time for this facility, known as “The Mecca” to get a facelift – and on Thursday, Nike, the Miami Dolphins and the Miami-Dade School District unveiled the newly renovated Nathaniel Traz Powell Stadium.
Leveraging the power of sport as a unifying force, Nike has long committed to helping athletes reach their greatest potential and creating more equal playing fields for all.
In the effort to protect the future of sport, Traz Powell is one of Nike’s most sustainable renovations ever. Featuring 282,000 lbs of Nike Grind Infill — rubber material created from recycled athletic footwear and surplus manufacturing scraps to maximize playability while reducing environmental waste.
The stadium will feature an updated waste system, LED and eco-friendly lighting solutions throughout, and newly planted trees and garden to keep the air clean.
They also installed SmarTracks Timing Gates within the stadium’s track, which are magnetic gates that allow for precise time measurement up to the millisecond.
The track connects with the free Athlete app, the timing gates allow for a precise analysis of performance tests, whether on the running track or on the sports field.
Additionally, Traz Powell Stadium has been the home field for more NFL players than any other high school football facility in the country.
To spotlight former Traz Powell alumni and add a one-of-a-kind local touch to the project Nike partnered with Miami-area artists, Michael Vasquez, Alejandra Estefania and Mojo, to create murals within the dressing rooms and hallways featuring notable Traz Powell and Miami Dade area alumni. The murals highlight both on and off field accomplishments and help solidify their lasting legacies.
In addition to Dalvin Cook (Central), Duke Johnson (Norland), Quinton Dunbar (Booker T. Washington), Olivier Vernon (American), Amari Cooper (Northwestern) and Teddy Bidgewater (Northwestern), current Miami Dolphin Allen Hurns was also featured on the mural.
It was an honor that the one-time University of Miami and Carol City star relishes and appreciates.
“This is the community I grew up in and it was great to see my photo up there with some of the greats,” he explained. “This entire stadium really looks awesome.”