The walk from the parking lot to the field took several minutes. Two silver goal posts have already been set. The grass is unkempt. There's a pile of dirt near the end zone. There's no lights, no seating and no press box.
If everything goes according to plan, Central Valley High's football program will have a completed 3,000-seat stadium before the start of the 2006-07 season.
"We found out a couple of weeks ago," said Sean Mcleod, a member of the JV football team. "We're going to have our own place to call home."
"It's going to be nice," said Zak Muller, Mcleod's teammate.
"I'm so excited," said Jeff Rocchi, athletic director. "Now, I can tell people we're going to have a stadium by next year."
The estimated cost of the project is $1.4 million, including $750,000 for the lights and $650,000 for the bleachers and press box.
The stadium will seat 2,500 fans on the home side.
"From what it sounds like, it's supposed to be pretty amazing," said Tim Garcia, Central Valley head football coach.
So who's paying for the project?
"There's two sources of money," said CUSD Superintendent Walt Hanline. "Developer fees will be used to add the lights. Bleachers are part of the funding that Central Valley High already has.
"We don't have the finances to do the concession stand and rest rooms. Hopefully, the community can help us out with the two facilities."
This year, Central Valley's football teams will play all of their home games at Ceres High School.
"We can't complain," Muller said. "We got all brand-new stuff." - By DALE BUTLER / Staff reporter of the
Ceres (Calif.) Courier
If everything goes according to plan, Central Valley High's football program will have a completed 3,000-seat stadium before the start of the 2006-07 season.
"We found out a couple of weeks ago," said Sean Mcleod, a member of the JV football team. "We're going to have our own place to call home."
"It's going to be nice," said Zak Muller, Mcleod's teammate.
"I'm so excited," said Jeff Rocchi, athletic director. "Now, I can tell people we're going to have a stadium by next year."
The estimated cost of the project is $1.4 million, including $750,000 for the lights and $650,000 for the bleachers and press box.
The stadium will seat 2,500 fans on the home side.
"From what it sounds like, it's supposed to be pretty amazing," said Tim Garcia, Central Valley head football coach.
So who's paying for the project?
"There's two sources of money," said CUSD Superintendent Walt Hanline. "Developer fees will be used to add the lights. Bleachers are part of the funding that Central Valley High already has.
"We don't have the finances to do the concession stand and rest rooms. Hopefully, the community can help us out with the two facilities."
This year, Central Valley's football teams will play all of their home games at Ceres High School.
"We can't complain," Muller said. "We got all brand-new stuff." - By DALE BUTLER / Staff reporter of the
Ceres (Calif.) Courier
