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The Henrico School Board unanimously voted on Tuesday to rename two football facilities at Varina High School in honor of two community legends.
The stadium and the football field will be named for James E. Dawkins and fieldhouse for Woodrow G. Sanderford.
Dawkins was one of the first African American football players at Varina High School and later rejoined the school as a custodian. He died last January.
Sanderford, known as Coach Woody, is a VHS graduate who returned to the school as an employee in 1963 after serving as a Marine in the Vietnam War. He’s still actively involved in the football program.
A meeting was held in early June to gather feedback, and Board Member Alicia Atkin’s motion to approve the name changes was unanimously approved at Tuesday’s school board meeting.
“These two legends — Mr. Dawkins who has gone on to glory, and Mr. Sanderford, who is still with us, are examples of that light,” Atkins said on Tuesday. “We know that there's power in a name, and to have them honored in their names on these facilities is important to the Varina District.”
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Anna Bryson is the Henrico Citizen's education reporter and a Report for America corps member. Make a tax-deductible donation to support her work, and RFA will match it dollar for dollar.
