Four names have been chosen for the naming of Tippecanoe Valley High School football field. (File photo by Mike Deak)

MENTONE — The Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation is one step closer to naming its high school football field, with four names being presented at a work session that took place at Mentone Elementary Sept. 6.

The school corporation asked the public for name suggestions in late August and received 183 emails. A committee consisting of students, teachers, and board members then narrowed the choices down to the four that were presented.

The four names are as follows: Death Valley Memorial Field; Smith-Bibler Memorial Field – Home of Death Valley Football; Smith-Bibler Stadium at Death Valley Field; and Smith-Bibler Field at Death Valley.

The names honor former Tippy Valley coaches Charlie Smith and Scott “Bibs” Bibler who were killed in a 2015 plane crash in South Carolina. “Charlie Smith made the program to what it is, and nobody coached more players than Bibs,” said Trustee Adam Heckaman.

Heckaman also explained the history of the Death Valley name. While much of the public think Death Valley is the name of the field, it is actually the name of the TIppecanoe football program.

The names will be discussed in a public meeting three times before a single name is chosen by the board of trustees. The Sept. 6 work session was the first meeting, the next is the regular board meeting at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 at Mentone Elementary and the final meeting will be a special board meeting at 7 p.m. at Mentone Elementary on Sept. 18.

A dedication ceremony featuring the new name is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 22, at the high school football field when Tippecanoe Valley plays Manchester.

According to school corporation policy, the board of trustees will make the final selection from the four names submitted by the committee. The policy also states that the board shall name facilities or portions of facilities after staff or community members for meritorious service to the corporation. Any name change in the future must also follow the same process: a chance for public input and deliberation throughout at least three board meetings.