John Drager Field: Generations of Mullan Tiger Football in the Silver Valley

In a small North Idaho town, a football field can become much more than a place to play a game.

It can be where generations of students grow up, families gather on Friday nights, longtime residents reconnect, and some of a community's proudest moments unfold.

In Mullan, Idaho, that place is John Drager Field.

Home to generations of Mullan Tiger football, the field has been the setting for decades of games, championships, school traditions, and community memories. Its history offers another look at the close-knit character that has long defined this Silver Valley town.

A Home for Mullan Tiger Football

For generations, Mullan's football field has provided local athletes with a place to represent their school and community.

Players have suited up as the Mullan Tigers, families and fans have gathered along the sidelines, and students have experienced the traditions that make high school athletics an important part of life in many small towns.

In a community the size of Mullan, those games can mean more than the final score.

Friday nights become community events. Former students return to watch another generation take the field. Parents, grandparents, neighbors, teachers, and friends gather together with a common reason to cheer.

Over time, those moments become part of the community's identity.

The John Drager Era

One of the most memorable chapters in the field's history came during the coaching tenure of John Drager.

Under Drager's leadership, Mullan football built an impressive record of success, winning 14 league titles and capturing back-to-back state championships in 1983 and 1984.

For a small Silver Valley community, those accomplishments became a source of local pride and helped establish a football tradition that extended well beyond individual seasons.

The victories were memorable, but so were the experiences surrounding them—the practices, road games, Friday nights, teammates, coaches, families, and fans who shared in those seasons.

Becoming John Drager Field

In 1996, Mullan's football field was officially renamed John Drager Field, permanently connecting the location with an important figure in the town's athletic history.

Naming the field after Drager recognized a successful coaching career, but it also preserved the memory of an era that meant something to generations of Mullan athletes and residents.

Today, the name serves as a reminder of the traditions established on the field and the role local athletics can play in shaping a community.

More Than Wins and Championships

The history of John Drager Field is bigger than any single coach, player, championship, or season.

For generations, the field has provided a place where local kids could put on a Mullan Tigers uniform and represent their hometown.

It's where teammates learned to work together, students gathered to support their school, families watched their children compete, and neighbors came together on the sidelines.

That's part of what makes athletic fields in small communities so special.

The scoreboard resets after every game. Players graduate. Coaches eventually move on. But the stories and memories created there can remain part of a town for decades.

Another Side of Mullan's History

Much of Mullan's history is understandably connected to mining and the development of the Silver Valley. The surrounding mountains, historic buildings, mining heritage, and connection to the Mullan Road all help tell the story of this North Idaho community.

But places like John Drager Field reveal another side of that history.

Community history isn't created only through major industries and historic events. It's also created in school gyms, local parks, churches, businesses, and football fields.

These are the places where everyday life happens—and where generations of residents develop the connections that give a town its character.

John Drager Field is one of those places.

Discover the Small Towns of North Idaho

Exploring communities like Mullan offers a chance to see a different side of North Idaho. Beyond the mountains and outdoor recreation are towns with their own traditions, landmarks, histories, and generations of stories.

John Drager Field represents one small piece of that larger story—a place where athletics, school pride, and community have come together for decades.

If you've been thinking about life in North Idaho, True North Property Experts would love to help you explore the area. From the historic communities of the Silver Valley to Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Hayden, and beyond, our team can help you discover the homes, communities, and lifestyles found throughout North Idaho.

Ready to discover more of North Idaho? Connect with the True North team and let us help you explore the communities that give this region so much character.