San Benito High School’s new physical education and athletic multi-use field was officially dedicated with a Sept. 10 ribbon-cutting ceremony prior to the girls’ varsity field hockey match against Gilroy.
The 177,000-square-foot turf facility on the southwest side of campus was made possible by funds from the voter-approved Measure U bond measure, which, along with Measure G and district funds, is paying for various other facility upgrades on campus, according to SBHS district staff.
Superintendent Shawn Tennenbaum opened the ceremony by thanking everyone involved in making the project happen, starting with the voters without whose support “this project would not have been possible.”
The project was designed and constructed by Blach Construction, Verde, Aedis Designs and FieldTurf.
“To our students, student-athletes, teachers and athletic coaches, this project provides an opportunity for you to enjoy a state-of-the-art facility to improve your physical fitness and competitive spirit each day, without fail,” Tennenbaum said. “It is with this opportunity that we embrace the gift of lifelong physical fitness and good health.”
Board President Steve Delay and Athletic Director Tod Thatcher thanked the board for its continued support of Baler athletics and vision to design a facility on which students “can can play field hockey today, and tomorrow, if we wanted to, we could play a varsity baseball game.” He said the field is “truly a multi-purpose facility that will benefit our P.E. students and our athletes.”
Thatcher said that on any given day after school, more than 200 student-athletes are using the facility to play and practice on a “safe, consistent surface.”
