For the first time this year, Akins athletes set foot on the campus practice field in late April — after most teams have finished their competition seasons. 

On April 27, the Akins football team held its first practice — a game of 7-on-7. The players ran drills and had their first proper workout 

The new track and field facility is part of the school’s $17,904,000 proposed projects funded through the school district’s 2022 bond package. Construction began last summer, and the project was expected to be completed by Jan. 31. However, as athletes arrived for the start of track season, the facility remained unavailable.

Without access to a completed practice track, the team has had to adapt their training. Practices were held on uneven grass fields, tennis courts, and at nearby Paredes Middle School in order to stay prepared for upcoming meets.

Akins is not the only campus experiencing construction projects tied to the bond program. New practice fields with artificial turf, stadium seating and lights as well as a scoreboard were built  at several other campuses, including Lyndon B. Johnson Early College High School, Northeast Early College High School, Liberal Arts and Science Academy, Austin High School, Bowie High School, and McCallum High School.

Despite the delays, when they got their first view on the field, every one was filled with excitement and anticipation of having an improved home field instead of having to go somewhere else in order to practice.