East Texas

By KELLY GOOCH
Staff Writer

BULLARD -- Hundreds of student athletes, faculty, family and friends looked on Friday as The Brook Hill School dedicated its new Kyle Lake Athletic Center.

The dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony not only marked the official opening of a building, but also served as a tribute to its namesake.

Lake led Brook Hill summer sports camps before the school opened in 1997 and was involved in founder Steve Dement's Bible study. He also wrote Bible curriculum for Brook Hill.

He died in 2005 at the age of 33 while he was serving as pastor of the University Baptist Church in Waco.

During Friday's ceremony, guest speakers shared their own memories of Lake. His childhood friend, Michael Renner, read the definitions of "friend" and "teammate" to the audience.

"For most of my life, Kyle was both of those to me," he said. " � We played Kick the Can. It was a time before video games."

Renner said they also took family ski vacations together and played on the same soccer team many times.

Although it's been four years since his death, not a day has gone by in which he hasn't thought of Lake, he said.

"I have to remind myself that things happen for a reason," Renner said. "Hope is a good thing and maybe the best of things."

Lake's former youth director at Tyler's First Baptist Church, Steve Wilson, said he got to watch him grow into someone who "stands up and praises God."

He said Lake made an impact on people while he was on Earth and is still making an impact today.

"Kyle knew how to love, Kyle knew how to live and Kyle knew how to laugh. He would do something silly and just giggle," Wilson said.

He encouraged Brook Hill students to "love God with all your heart, embrace beauty and live life to the fullest with a life filled with Jesus."

Deanna Sims, a close Lake family friend who serves on the Kyle Lake Foundation board, told attendees that Lake made a decision early in life to follow Christ.

The purpose of the athletic center, she said, is for students "to take a road less traveled."

"It's a path of service and selflessness. It's the one that leads to the greatest blessing," Ms. Sims said.

Dement said he always considered Lake a friend, despite their 18-year age difference.

Although Lake was unpredictable at times, he said one thing that was predictable was his walk with Christ.

"His walk matched his talk. No exceptions," Dement said.

He later announced that the Kyle Lake Foundation has established a $2,500 scholarship, which will be presented to a senior athlete.

Also part of the dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony were prayers, special music from seventh-grader Claire Dixon and a rendition of "Amazing Grace" led by Erica Eden.

Additionally, family members of Lake were given a drawing of the athletic center with the phrase "love God, embrace beauty, live life to the fullest."

All attendees got a chance to tour the athletic facility for themselves before Friday's Homecom-ing football game.

Kent Travis, a senior English teacher at Brook Hill, said he enjoyed seeing the facility and is glad the athletic department now has a place of its own.

Brook Hill junior Tyler Baker said he has already lifted weights in the athletic center.

"No other school has something like this," he said.

Construction of the 25,000-square-foot facility started in October 2008 and took about a year to complete.

RPR Construction served as the contractor while Fitzpatrick-Butler Architects designed the project.

The $3.2 million building was funded through generous donations from Lake's family, Dement and numerous other donors.

David and Shirley Lake, Kyle's parents, said their family is blessed to be involved in the process.

"We want kids to see Kyle's name and know where his strength came from," Mrs. Lake said.

The athletic center features a cheerleading room, weight room, training room, circuit weight room, founder's suite, film room, laundry facilities, offices and two locker rooms.

Students in grades six through 12 will use the facility, and Brook Hill also is looking at opening up the fitness equipment to families.

Laurie Humphries, director of development, has said the athletic center was built, partly because the school added a football team in 2005 and enrollment grew rapidly.

Brook Hill opened with 31 students and now serves more than 500 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

At one point, the school had three or four students sharing a locker because of the growth, Ms. Humphries said earlier this week.

The school as a whole will not officially move in until Monday.

"This athletic center is going to tremendously enhance the entire athletic program. It's going to allow our student athletes to reach their full potential," Brook Hill Headmaster Rod Fletcher has said. "Everybody's incredibly excited about what this new facility will mean to the school and the athletic program."

Asa Kerr looks back over his shoulder during the dedication of the Kyle Lake Athletic Center at The Brook Hill School on Friday.
(Staff Photos By Tom Turner)