The Pop Warner League’s New Haven Steelers football team members got to play the first game Sunday on a new football field in the West Rock neighborhood. Team members lined up for weigh-ins prior to the park’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The parks department spent $714,000 to renovate the field, including putting in lights and seating stands. The field is located at the intersection of Wilmot Road and Wayfarer Street just north of Clarence Rogers School.
(Click here to watch a video of Sunday’s event made by Empower New Haven’s Tom Ficklin.)
Tracey Lyons Jr., a first-year player, waited excitedly in line. “I’m gonna kick butt today,” Lyons said before the ribbon-cutting, and before his team’s game against a squad from Stratford.
Mother Love is one of the Steelers’ team managers. She previously had children play for the Steelers and now has grandchildren in the leauge.
“When my chlidren were young this field was dirt, now its a brand new field,” said Love.
Parks Director Bob Levine spoke in the place of Mayor John DeStefano at the ribbon-cutting. “We have been looking forward to this for two years,” Levine said.
After years of waiting, Steelers players are now able to play games in the evening with the new lighting in the field. Players can also have Saturday and Sunday games without having to search for field to play on.