2008 NFL Grassroots Awards> Download PDF version (118 KB) Glendale, ArizonaArizona Youth Football Federation-O'Neil Community ParkArizona Youth Football Federation has been awarded a $70,000 grant from the NFL Grassroots Program to repair the football field at O'Neil Community Park. Arizona Youth Football Federation-Pop Warner is an all-volunteer organization that operates the Pop Warner Program throughout Arizona. Pop Warner is a non-profit organization with over 400,000 youth football program participants between the ages of 5 and 16 in the United States and other countries. It is committed to promoting academic standards of excellence and sportsmanship. Since 1929, the Pop Warner Programs philosophy has been that athletics, scholarship, character-building, and civic responsibility go hand in hand. O'Neil Community Park has served the residents of Glendale since 1961 and is home to approximately 15,000 youth football players. In recent years the fields have been deemed unsuitable for game use due to chronic turf problems. The project will replace over 150,000 square feet of O'Neil's damaged football and practice field turf. The new surface will be safer for players and dust-related health concerns will be eliminated. This will lessen the burden on the other fields in the Glendale area and give local residents access to their neighborhood field. The City of Glendale will provide matching funds for the project. The Arizona Cardinals, the National Recreation and Parks Association and the Desert West Youth Football League support the O'Neil Park project. Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles Unified School District - Fremont Senior High SchoolThe Los Angeles Unified School District has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the NFL Grassroots Program to install a synthetic football field at Fremont Senior High School. The Fremont High School community catchment area has no other football fields within a two-mile radius and the area is comprised of 40% youth. With the high percentage of youth in the area, it is important that a safe and reliable football field be conveniently located in the neighborhood. Additionally, since field availability is scarce, this project will allow for increased athletic competitions, after school activities and community events. The new field has been a refreshing source of excitement and anticipation of parents, students, community members and civic leaders. The Los Angeles Unified School District will provide match funding for the NFL Grassroots grant. This project has received support from local community leaders. Oceanside, CaliforniaOceanside Unified School District - Oceanside High School Football FieldThe Oceanside High School Football Field has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the NFL Grassroots Program for the installation of a new synthetic football field. Oceanside High School is the oldest high school in the district and serves approximately 2400 students. The renovated, synthetic field will provide a surface that can be used more frequently. In addition to the high school, community groups and athletic organizations will also have access to the field. With the renovation, approximately 24,000 field users would be accommodated for athletic events. There is no charge for field usage for youth organizations and city-affiliated organizations. The NFL Grassroots grant will be matched by funds allocated from the Oceanside Unified School District. The City of Oceanside Parks and Recreation and the San Diego Chargers have expressed their support for this project. Washington, D.C.Beacon HouseBeacon House has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the NFL Grassroots Program for the resurfacing of the Edgewood Community Field with natural grass. Beacon House is a community based non-profit that provides academic, mentoring and athletic programs for several hundred low-income, at risk children in Washington, D.C. Beacon House provides programs at the Edgewood recreation center, two blocks from the organization's main facility. Adjoining the center is a large grass field that is in need of renovation. Some 260 children and youth, ages 5-16 play in organized athletic program but by far, the largest athletic program is their football league. Every year, the program enters 7 teams into the Pop Warner Football League. The field where the athletic teams currently practice has not been renovated for years; the grant will go toward a natural grass field and to install new bleachers. The Washington, D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation will provide matching funds for this project. Edgewood community members and the Washington Redskins have express their support for this project. Gainesville, GeorgiaThe Boys & Girls Club of Hall CountyThe NFL Grassroots Program has awarded The Boys & Girls Club of Hall County a grant in the amount of $100,000 to assist in constructing a new natural grass football field. For more than 54 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Hall County has been in the forefront of youth development, working with young people from disadvantaged economic, social and family circumstances. Boys & Girls Clubs of Hall County is dedicated to ensuring that young people in need have access to quality programs and services that provide promise, hope and opportunities to become productive adults. The site for the field is adjacent to the new Joseph Walters Boys & Girls Club. The football field, scheduled to open in the summer of 2009 will be part of a larger athletic complex that will include a playground, outdoor basketball courts and a baseball field. Boys & Girls Club will provide funds to match the NFL Grassroots award. The field will be used by over 2500 youth each year, and will be an Atlanta Falcons Fitness Zone site. Chicago, IllinoisAcademy for Urban School Leadership-Orr Academy High SchoolThe Academy for Urban School Leadership has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the NFL Grassroots Program to replace the grass football field at Orr Academy High with a synthetic sports surface. The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) is a non-profit school management and teacher training organization. Through a partnership with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), AUSL takes over the most troubled public schools and transforms them into schools of excellence. To date AUSL has taken over 11 schools serving over 6,000 students. The synthetic turf football field will at Orr Academy High School will be part of a larger $2.6 million project that will include an all weather running track, re-grading, new landscaping, and an upgraded irrigation system. AUSL has received match funding from private donations and The City of Chicago. When complete the field will be used for all athletic programs at Orr Academy. The field will also be home to an elementary school football field with over 200 participants at eleven schools. The project has received strong community support from local public schools, parents, community development groups and the Chicago Bears. Indianapolis, IndianaGeorge Washington Community High SchoolThe NFL Grassroots Program has awarded the George Washington Community High school a $50,000 grant for general field support. George Washington Community High School sits near the Westside of Indianapolis and at the heart of four distinct working-class neighborhoods: Hawthorne, Haughville, Stringtown and West Indianapolis. The community was in need for a safe-space with after-school options for its youth. There are 90,365 residents in this area and 28% of the population is under the age of 18. The initial stage for this project was the creation of a weight room and fitness center that has been widely used by students and the community. The second stage to the project has focused on improving the football field. Improvements to the field will include replacing the sideline areas with new benches, the installation of new goal posts with goal post covers and a new scoreboard. The grant will also be used to purchase equipment for the concession stand area. The renovated field will provide an additional safe place for the community and school youth to come together. The $50,000 NFL Grassroots grant will be matched with funds from the Indiana Public Schools and the George Washington High School Alumni association. The Indianapolis Colts are in support of this project. New Orleans, LouisianaG.W. Carver High School for the Arts - 9th Ward Field of DreamsG.W. Carver High School for the Arts has been awarded a $200,000 from the NFL Grassroots Program for the installation of a synthetic field at the 9th Ward Field of Dreams. G.W. Carver High School for the Arts is a public high school located in the Upper 9th Ward of New Orleans. The 65-acre campus on which the high school and its associated elementary and middle schools were situated is the largest school campus in the Orleans Parish public school system. Hurricane Katrina submerged and completely destroyed the school's campus. When the school reopened in fall of 2007, classes were held in modular buildings located on what was left of the athletic fields behind the main campus. The school's rebuilding will be coupled with a new athletic facility. The 9th Ward Field of Dreams is envisioned as a multi-purpose facility that will be used not only by the high school but by the entire community. The proposed site for the facility is in the Desire community, an area that was previously known for its high crime and poverty. Over 3000 students live in the primary catchment area for this project. The field will serve as a catalyst for recovery and redevelopment in the economically challenged and hurricane devastated area. The project has received financial commitments from Nike and from New Orleans Councilmember-at -large, Arnie Fielkow. Additional funders and in-kind donations have been approached for potential funding. The project has the support of the community and the New Orleans Saints football team. New Orleans City Park- Tad Gormley StadiumFriends of City Park has been awarded a $400,000 grant from the NFL Grassroots Program for the installation of artificial turf at the Tad Gormley Stadium. City Park, where Tad Gormley Stadium is located, in one of the ten largest urban parks in the United States. The park suffered $43 million in damages as a result of Hurricane Katrina with 90% of the park flooded with salt water. The grant will replace the current natural turf at the stadium. Additional improvements include repositioning the field for better viewing from the grandstands and widening the sidelines. The field receives a tremendous amount of play by high school football and soccer teams. The New Orleans Saints are supporters of this project and will provide matching funds. Baltimore, MarylandLiving Classrooms Foundation-City Springs ParkLiving Classrooms Foundation has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the NFL Grassroots Program to construct a new synthetic surface football field at City Springs Park. Founded in 1985, Living Classrooms Foundation is a nonprofit organization that works to provide a wide range of innovative educational programming for children, at-risk populations and the underemployed. The Foundation helps people, especially children, and communities achieve their potential. Participation in Living Classrooms' programs has grown from 100 students in 1985 to over 40,000 students enrolled in 35 different programs. City Springs Park is a small neighborhood park in east Baltimore, in the neighborhood of Washington Hill. The park currently includes a swimming pool and multi-use grass playing field. Living Classrooms will replace the current field with a synthetic turf field, excavate the gravel parking area, install a scoreboard and goal posts and install a new ornamental fence. Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks will match the Grassroots Program grant. An estimated 2000 young people from six public housing sites, seven schools, and three recreation centers will utilize the new field. This project has received support of the Baltimore Ravens, Under Armor, the Carmelo Anthony Youth Development Center and the local community and former Baltimore Ravens Head Coach Brian Billick. Minneapolis, MinnesotaFriends of South High Foundation - Les Barnard Athletic FieldThe NFL Grassroots Program has awarded the Friends of South High Foundation a $50,000 grant for general field support at the Les Barnard Athletic Field. Les Barnard Athletic Field is the home field for Minnesota South High School athletic teams. The school has the largest student population of all the high schools in the Minneapolis school district. The field will be easily accessible for students and community members as it is located on the block directly north of the school. Over the past 10 years, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has used the football field for their youth football league games. Over 1000 youth ages 9-14 participate in the program. The maintenance and sports equipment is currently stored in a school gym facility which is one block away. Tere are currently no restroom facilities and card tables are used to sell tickets and concessions. The grant will be used to construct a facility that will house an athletic equipment storage area, restroom facilities and a concession area. The NFL Grassroots grant will be matched by individual member donations that are made to the South High Foundation. The Minnesota Vikings have expressed their support for this project. Kansas City, MissouriNECCO Raiders Youth Football Team - San Rafael ParkThe NECCO Raiders Youth Football team will renovate the field at San Rafael Park with the help of a $100,000 grant from the NFL Grassroots Program. The NECCO Raiders have earned a reputation as one of the most successful and pre-eminent teams in the 12-member league of the Northland Suburban Youth Football League. They just celebrated their 25th year of being sponsored by NECCO. The team's home field for the past 30 years has been San Rafael Park. The park is the sole green space and recreational park for almost 40,000 residents of the Gracemor-Randolph community. Almost 30% of the community's residents are under the age of 18 and over 125 players participate on the NECCO Raiders football team. Renovations to the field include re-grading the field and the installation of a scoreboard, announcer's box and bleachers. The concessions building will also be reconfigured and a restroom and a storage facility will be constructed. The NFL Grassroots grant will be matched by in-kind donations, NECCO Coffee and the Simone-Fontana Foundation. The project has received strong support from the local community and the Kansas City Chiefs. Morristown, New JerseyMorristown High School - Memorial FieldThe NFL Grassroots Program has awarded Morristown High School a grant in the amount of $200,000 to install a new synthetic turf at Memorial Field. Morristown High School is the Morris School District's only secondary school serving grades 9-12. The school has 18 sports teams that engage approximately 500 students. The school recognizes that supporting neighborhood athletic leagues and events are critical to maintaining its own football and sporting programs; town residents and community groups will also have the opportunity to enjoy the new field. Approximately 1600 members of the Morristown community use Memorial Field annually. The field's existing natural grass surface is currently in fair to poor condition. The new synthetic field will allow for increased usage year round. The Morris School District will be providing match funding for this project. There is strong support from local organizations and the New York Jets. Newark, New JerseyEssex County Parks Foundation - Branch Brook ParkThe NFL Grassroots Program has awarded the Essex County Parks Foundation a $200,000 to install a synthetic field at Branch Brook Park. The current football field is in poor condition and lacks proper drainage. The field has soft and muddy terrain that makes playing football dangerous at times. Local high schools use the field for practice only as its condition is not adequate to host games. The new field will not only serve as a place for athletes to compete, but will also be a source of encouragement and amusement for the neighborhood's youth. The Essex County Open Space Trust Fund and the Green Acres program are providing match funding to the NFL Grassroots Program grant. Local community groups including the North Jersey Pop Warner and the Branch Brook Park Alliance have expressed their support for this project. Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo Olmsted Parks ConservancyThe NFL Grassroots Program has awarded the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy a $50,000 grant to upgrade the field at Riverside Park. The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is an independent, not-for-profit, membership based, community organization. Their mission is to broaden awareness of and investment in the Buffalo Olmsted Park and Parkway System. In 2004, the Conservancy assumed full management and maintenance responsibility for the entire 1200-acre Olmsted Park System. Riverside Park is located in the Riverside/Blackrock section of Buffalo. The park is 22 acres and features a playground, football field, baseball diamonds, tennis and basketball courts, swimming pool and picnic shelters. The football field will receive an upgraded irrigation system, and new bleachers and benches made from recycled plastic. The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy will provide match funding through a combination of raised funds and in-kind donations. The project is has received the support of the Buffalo Bills, the City of Buffalo and the New York State Assembly. Clarksville, OhioClinton-Massie Local School DistrictClinton Massie Local School District has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the NFL Grassroots Program to help install a new synthetic playing surface at the Clinton-Massie sports complex. Clinton Massie Local School District is a rural school district located in southwest Ohio. The entire district is housed in one complex on a 26-acre site. Formed in 1963 with the consolidation of three high schools, the district has continued to grow with the addition of a middle school and elementary school in the 1980s. In 2004 a new high school was completed. The district is finalizing plans for a new elementary school that will sit adjacent to the current buildings on the same campus. The Clinton Massie sports complex is 44 years old with a natural turf field, a six lane track and seating for approximately 1250 people. The three phase improvement plan will replace the natural turf with a synthetic surface, double the seating capacity with new bleachers, install new lighting and increase the track from 6 lanes to 8 lanes. The updated field will be used by over 1500 student-athletes. Match funding for the project will provided by the Clinton Massie Board of Education. The project has the support of the Cincinnati Bengals, local football and soccer leagues as well as local business and community leaders. Cleveland, OhioParksWorks -James Rhodes High School Athletic StadiumThe NFL Grassroots Program has awarded ParkWorks a $100,000 grant to renovate the football field at James Rhodes High School Athletic Stadium. ParkWorks is a leader in creating and executing strategies that promote neighborhood and downtown revitalization through the development and programming of public spaces. ParkWorks is a recognized expert in designing, fundraising for, constructing and programming lively public spaces that serve as integral building blocks to healthy neighborhoods. ParkWorks leverages each neighborhood's unique development agenda to address broader community challengers and to bring additional public and private investment to the neighborhood. The field at James Rhodes High School Athletic Stadium is tightly compacted and has not been renovated in years. The sod will be cultivated and re-graded to reduce compaction. The field work will be done congruently with other improvements including new sideline benches, seating repairs and asbestos abatement. Cleveland Metropolitan School District will provide match funding for the project. In addition to James Rhodes High School the field will serve John Marshall High School and the 4000 participants in Municipal Football program. Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh Public Schools - George L. Cupples StadiumThe NFL Grassroots Program has awarded Pittsburgh Public Schools a $200,000 grant for the installation of a synthetic field at George K. Cupples Stadium. The George K. Cupples Stadium is a 9,700-seat facility that serves as the home-game site for all varsity and junior varsity City League football teams. From January through November, 11,803 people are anticipated to use the stadium. The field is heavily used and in need of resurfacing. The catchment area for the stadium is the entire city of Pittsburgh, as all of the city's high school teams hold their home games at Cupples Stadium. The field is also used by the local community for events and other athletic competitions. The NFL Grassroots grant will be matched with funds from the Pittsburgh Public Schools. The community, other field users and the Pittsburgh Steelers have expressed their support for this project. York, South CarolinaYork School District OneWith the help of a $200,000 grant from the NFL Grassroots Program, York School District One will install a new synthetic playing surface at the site of the New York Comprehensive High School. York School District was incorporated in 1954 and serves 5300 students in the westernmost section of York County, South Carolina. One of four public school districts in York County, York School District One encompasses the largest geographic area in the county. The field at New York Comprehensive High School will be a multipurpose field surrounded by an 8 lane rubberized track. The stadium will include concession stands, ticket booths, press box, bleachers, field lighting, restrooms and home and visitors field houses. The field will be an asset to the entire community, not just the school. A variety of community groups and partners will use the field including: Special Olympics, National Park Rangers, National Guard, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and York County Middle School. The field will also be accessible to the general public. The NFL Grassroots grant will be matched by York School District One. The Carolina Panthers, York County Mayor Dr. J. Edward Lee the National Park Service and many other local business and non profit partners are in support of this project. Houston, TexasYMCA of Greater HoustonThe YMCA of Greater Houston has been awarded $100,000 from the NFL Grassroots Program for a new grass field. A new Houston Texans YMCA facility will be opening its doors in 2010. This new facility replaces the South Central YMCA which had been serving the Greater Third Ward community for over 40 years. The previous facility had been aging and no longer financially stable. The YMCA of Greater Houston was still committed to this community as population in the Greater Third Ward area continued to increase. There are currently 216,178 residents and youth under the age of 18 make up 28% of the population. The new sports facility will incorporate an outdoor pool, gymnasium, health and wellness center, sports fields and multi-purpose rooms. Both youth and adults will have the opportunity to use the sports facilities. The Houston Texans are strong supporters of this project and are providing match funding. The new facility is a community collaborative between the Houston Texans, the YMCA of Greater Houston, the city of Houston and the families and community organizations of the Third Ward. Aberdeen, WashingtonAberdeen High School - Stewart Athletic FieldThe NFL Grassroots Program has awarded Aberdeen High School a $200,000 grant to install a synthetic field at Stewart Athletic Field. Aberdeen High School currently serves approximately 1000 students and has a strong athletic program. A community coalition consisting of high school staff and local organizations was formed to save the historic Stewart Athletic Field. The purpose of the coalition known as "Save the Stewart Field," is to preserve and improve the venue by making improvements to the drainage system, lighting, concession area, restrooms and playing surface. An increased amount of 800 users will benefit from the field improvement. The field has served as the sole athletic field for the city of Aberdeen and the high school since 1906. Due to the field's age and deteriorating condition, the grass field will be replaced with an artificial turf field. The new field will increase the amount of athletic games and community events held at the field. The NFL Grassroots grant will be matched by funds from the Aberdeen School District, in-kind donations and donations made to the "Save the Stewart Field" project. The project has the support from the community and the Seattle Seahawks. |
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