Overhaul for Hewlett High School field

Looking to expand the number of games, practices and special events its high school athletic field can host, the Hewlett-Woodmere School District is repairing the track that encircles the field, replacing the synthetic-turf field with a new artificial surface and installing lights.

Due to Hurricane Irene, completion of the project has been delayed, and will force the Hewlett High School varsity football team to play its first game, on Saturday against Floral Park Memorial, at Hofstra University’s Shuart Stadium.

The cost of the renovations, $1,028,866, is part of the planned capital expenses for this school year that were approved by the Hewlett-Woodmere community when residents voted on the school’s budget in May, said Dennis T. Sheridan, the district’s executive director of facilities, operations and safety.

“The benefits of having the lights will be the extension of the day, permitting more access to the field for more teams to safely practice and play games,” Sheridan said. The high school’s field is used for lacrosse, soccer and football.

The project was originally expected to be completed by the end of September. Work on the track is now scheduled to extend until the end of next month, according to Sheridan.

District Athletic Director Jeff Malis said that the lights would be used for a variety of practices and events, including football, boys’ and girls’ soccer, lacrosse and track. “The lights will increase opportunities for games and practices, night games for parents to watch and for special events,” Malis said.

He added, “This will allow us to schedule games and practices later in the day to accommodate the needs of several teams. The turf allows us to use the field even in inclement weather.” Four light towers will be installed.

Stephen Witt, vice president of the Hewlett-Woodmere Board of Education and a volunteer basketball, football, track and lacrosse coach for district teams, said that, for years, districts such as Hewlett-Woodmere were hamstrung by a lack of facilities for both boys’ and girls’ sports, especially after Title IX was enacted nearly 40 years ago by Congress, opening the door to the expansion of sports for women. “We had to provide sports for girls,” Witt said, “and all of a sudden you have twice as many sports teams but no additional fields to accommodate them.”

In addition to extending the time Hewlett’s high school teams can use the field for games and practices, the lights will help the district accommodate outside organizations, Witt said. “It expands the use of the facility because the lights allow us to run the sports programs into the evening,” he said. “There are also more opportunities to make the field available to travel teams and Little Leagues.”