Thursday, October 1, 2026
Parents, alumni and supporters of the Lawrence High School football program pressed the Board of Education on Sept. 1, demanding answers about when the Golden Tornadoes will play on their home field again, as they prepare for their second consecutive season without one.
The lively discussion, held at the board’s monthly meeting at the high school, came as the football program continues to struggle with participation and morale. The team added three players on the first day of school, however, giving coaches and supporters hope that interest in the program is growing.
For Lawrence resident Mike DeRosa, who is an alumnus and longtime football supporter, the lack of a home field is about more than where the games are played. He said it is affecting the players’ connection to their school and community.
The Golden Tornadoes are scheduled to play all eight games on the road this season, DeRosa said, questioning why the team cannot play at least some games on the newly renovated soccer field at Lawrence Middle School.
“Give these kids a home,” DeRosa told the board.
The middle school field was recently renovated and newly sodded. Lawrence School District officials have stated that the field needs time for the sod and roots to establish, but DeRosa questioned why the football team could not use it for several games while soccer continues to have its own schedule.
“Grass can grow back,” DeRosa said. “High school memories, high school experiences, don’t. These 13 seniors are in their final year.”
Heshy Blachorsky, president of the Lawrence Board of Education, said the district remains committed to the football program and to eventually providing the team with a dedicated field.
Blachorsky added that the district has a pending Federal Emergency Management Agency claim that was previously pre-approved for more than $70 million in funding for district projects, including a new football field at the high school.
“Our football program remains fully funded,” Blachorsky said. “Our intent to have this field up, if it was up to us, this field would have been ready already this year.”
The district has been attempting to move the FEMA-funded project forward, but the process has been delayed by additional studies related to flooding concerns raised by residents living near the high school.
Superintendent Ann Pedersen explained that two years ago, the district reached what it believed was the final stage of the FEMA approval process. A public meeting, however, raised concerns that construction could worsen flooding in the area.
FEMA subsequently requested additional studies, which now have been completed, and the district is again awaiting pre-approval, Pedersen said.
“We are waiting the pre-approval for the second time,” Pedersen added.
Matthew Russo, whose son is a junior at Lawrence High School, asked the board directly for a timeline for the new field.
“I think just having the field would be justice,” Russo said.
Pedersen explained that the timeline is difficult to provide because it depends on the next steps in the FEMA process. Once pre-approval is given, another public meeting would have to be held before the district could proceed.
Blachorsky said the district is pushing ahead with the project and wants the football program to have a dedicated home.
The issue has become particularly emotional for football supporters, who argued that the program’s declining participation is being compounded by a lack of school spirit and a place to call home.
Daniel Amaya, a Lawrence alumnus and assistant football coach who has been with the program for five years, said players also are dealing with poor conditions at their current practice field.
“The kids are getting bit up by mosquitoes,” Amaya said. “It’s very hard to get kids to be interested in a sport that they’re going to be participating in while getting bit by mosquitoes.”
Amaya said coaches have seen students struggle with the conditions during practices, with some players wearing long sleeves and sweatpants to protect themselves from insect bites.
He said the mosquito problem is just one of several challenges facing a program that is trying to rebuild.
“We need to keep it about the kids,” Amaya said.
The football team received recognition last season as one of Nassau County’s most improved teams, according to Amaya, despite its struggles on the field. He said the coaching staff wants to build participation and keep the program alive, particularly for the seniors who have been playing without the traditional Friday night home-game experience.
Amaya said the team has the equipment it needs, including helmets and shoulder pads, but players also need to feel supported by their school and community.
“We want to give ownership to the boys and girls that are playing soccer,” Blachorsky said. “We want to give ownership to the boys and girls that are playing football.”
The board also said it has searched extensively for alternative football fields. Last season, Lawrence played at Firemen’s Field, but Valley Stream is using that facility this year. District officials also explored other locations, including fields in Inwood and elsewhere along the South Shore.
“We have the interest,” Amaya said. “We need to do a little bit more for the program.”
