Seaford athletic field a community effort

Athletic field upgrades at Seaford High School were officially unveiled on Sept. 21 during an afternoon ribbon-cutting ceremony.

It was a chance to thank the community for their investment to create a new multi-purpose field behind the school that can be used for numerous fall and spring sports, as well as physical education classes.

The crowd for the special event numbered in the hundreds, which included board of education trustees, administrators, teachers, buildings and grounds staff, student-athletes, community members, elected officials, leaders of local service organizations, representatives of LandTek, which installed the field, and others who helped make the dream a reality.

As the crowd gathered, the Pep Band performed under the direction of Dr. Anthony Romeo. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the Chorale sang the National Anthem, led by Yvonne Bendzlowicz. Retired teacher and varsity football announcer Steve Bongiovi served as the master of ceremonies.

The new turf field, which replaced a grass field, spans from the back of the high school to the walkway that leads to the track and football field. A few finishing touches still need to take place, such as the installation of bleachers as well as dugouts for baseball and softball. But that hasn’t stopped the fall soccer and field hockey teams from using the field for practices and games.

The Seaford community approved construction of the field in a May 2022 Capital Reserve Fund vote. Work began in early 2023. Superintendent Adele Pecora said the idea began when the district received a grant from Nassau County Legislator Steve Rhoads, now a state senator. The idea went from adding dugouts to the existing baseball and softball diamonds, to a brand new multi-purpose field.

“This is not possible unless a whole community comes together,” Pecora said, adding that this enhancement will benefit current and future Seaford students.

Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics Kevin Witt said that this is the type of facility that Seaford athletes deserve. He noted that last year, the high school’s varsity teams captured a collective eight Nassau County championships, three Long Island championships and one state title.

“It’s a beautiful complex,” Witt said. “Enjoy it. We’re going to have it for a very long time.”

Several athletes from teams that will use the new field also expressed their gratitude. There were also remarks from Sen. Rhoads, former State Sen. John Brooks and Town of Hempstead Councilman Chris Carini.

The next enhancement to the athletic complex will be the addition of a comfort station, which will be largely funded from a grant from Sen. Brooks.