A New Chelo Huerta for Terriers?

Despite tough economic times, Hillsborough football coach Earl Garcia firmly believes he can add a  significant piece to his program.

Garcia is poised to raise $1 million to renovate Chelo Huerta Field, a project that would include installing a synthetic turf field, a new rubberized track, press box improvements and aesthetic improvements to the stadium's fencing area. Hillsborough recently received permission from the school district to begin fundraising.

It's a huge pricetag, but if the project is successful, Hillsborough would be the first county public school to install an artificial turf field (They cost about $650,000 to install). Jesuit installed a sythentic turf field before last football season. Two other public schools, Plant and Chamberlain, are pursuing artificial turf fields. All three schools are land locked.

But Garcia believes his project is realistic. He hopes to receive a $200,000 gift from the NFL Grassroots program, which helps renovate sports fields in low-income urban areas. He hopes to receive a matching grant from the Bucs and also fundraise through the football boosters.

"A lot of people say we can't do it," Garcia said. "But a lot of people said we couldn't build (a football fieldhouse) either. We feel like if we can leave that to Hillsborough and the community here, that when I retire we will have done everything we need to do -- besides win a state championship -- and we're still trying for that."

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Comments

[loser]

that's great.finally one of the good guys get one.

[Boo Bird]

Take that $ to improve the quality of education, not football fields.

So it's alright for private schools to get donations AND fundraise to get their field turf, but not alright for a public school to do it. I didn't see nobody complaining about Armwoods
$1 MILLION fieldhouse for football. I can't imagine kids fundraising for education. Isn't that the countys job to fund education. 10:57 your a joke.

Like everything Coach Garcia does this will be top of the line and sometthing the county can be proud of.