MENASHA — Menasha football head coach Jeramie Korth spent the day surveying the damage left behind by Monday's storms at Calder Stadium.
"I didn't think any storm would ever, ever take down Calder Stadium to be honest with you," Korth said.
The most significant damage came to the bleachers, with half of the stadium seats destroyed.
"With what people do with AI, you know I am thinking maybe that is not really our stadium. I just said no way," Korth said.
The damage extends far beyond Calder Stadium. The homes in the Calder community are heavily damaged or destroyed.
"I just worry about the people. The Johnny Smolinkski's and guys around town, and I can see how their houses are off," Korth said.
Johnny Smolinski, a former linebacker for Menasha who recently moved into his home, described the scene.
"It's shocking. I can't believe nobody got killed during this. This is unbelievable. Now we have a long road to recovery. That's for sure," Smolinski said.
Next door, Randy Boden's son Bryce was home during the storm.
"He looked out and saw everything whirling around, grabbed the dog, went to the basement, and he said it exploded then," Boden said.
Watch: Menasha football community rallies after Monday storms destroy Calder Stadium bleachers
Boden reflected on the support pouring in from the tight-knit community.
"I am glad everybody is helping," Boden said.
Coaches from the area have already offered their fields for the season. De Pere head coach Ben Strickland was at the stadium lending a hand.
"It is hard. Just the homes. Everything all over the place," Strickland said.
As the community looks ahead, Boden remained hopeful.
"It's alright. It will get all better. It has got to get better right," Boden said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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