Former Kilgore College Ranger and current Philadelphia Eagles football star Lane Johnson has given a $500,000 gift to the college to construct “The Lane” Athletic Performance Center.
The facility will encompass 3,800 square feet of what currently is a large, mostly unused locker room and dressing facility in the same building that houses the Parks Fitness Center.
It will include state-of-the-art weight and training equipment for use by all sports at the college including football, men’s and women’s basketball and softball.
“I wanted to give back to one of the places that was pivotal for helping with my success,” Johnson said.
Johnson said he has always been told to try to leave a place better than how he discovered it.
“I’m finally in a place where I can make these things a reality and inspire the next generation to chase their dreams,” Johnson said. “It truly is an underdog story – coming from small town East Texas to a JUCO to making it in the NFL and winning a Super Bowl. My whole purpose is to show them that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. The only ones who are going to stop them are themselves and people who are trying to diminish their confidence. I am excited for the future of Kilgore College athletics and look forward to watching this program compete for championships.”
The gift is one of the largest gifts ever given as a single donation to the athletics department at KC.
Construction on “The Lane” Athletic Performance Center is set to begin in the upcoming months and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2020.