Tailgaters Out Early For 1st Football Game

Allen football’s kick-off game may start at 7:30 tonight, but for one group of men it started nearly 12 hours earlier.

The “Balding Eagles,” including the club’s founder Mark Kapocsi as well as James Adams, Nolan Srader, Thad Dingler, David Holcombe and Alan Wright have all been tailgating outside of the newly repaired Eagle Stadium since 8 a.m.

The Balding Eagles showed up early to the first football game to tailgate.
Jackson Stone
The Balding Eagles showed up early to the first football game to tailgate.
Members of the Balding Eagles started tailgating at 8 a.m. in anticipation of the first home football game.
Jackson Stone
Members of the Balding Eagles started tailgating at 8 a.m. in anticipation of the first home football game.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been at home,” Kapocsi explained. “But the Balding Eagles are always here bright and early wherever we’re at.”

Even though none of the men in the group are Allen Eagle alumni, they all have a connection to the school through family members and a shared love for the Allen’s athletic programs.

“We’re just six guys who have known each other for five or six years now that are just fans of Allen athletics,” Kapocsi said. “So we formed this little booster club.”

The group has been grilling all day and offering lunch to football players who have stopped by to visit.

The Balding Eagles, like most of Allen’s population, are celebrating the official reopening of the stadium tonight.

“We’re excited,” Neil Fonville, a friend of the group, said. “We’ve been waiting for this day for almost a year and a half.”