Thursday was the official ribbon cutting event with today being the home-opening varsity football game for the Thunderbirds. There are few more thrilled than Chautauqua Lake’s athletic director Jeff Angeletti.

“It’s been exciting to be a part of this project from the very start,” he said. “To have seen the field being excavated, all the site work, it being installed, it’s all been very exciting. We are extremely proud to see our soccer and football teams take the field in the upcoming weeks.”

The new field offers many new opportunities for the school and community.

“Having a field like this gives more accessibility for our students and others to participate in athletic events and outdoor activities,” said school board member Travis Bensink. “With our athletic teams getting ready to take the field this coming fall, it adds extra excitement. This complex is a resource that we look forward to using with surrounding districts who are on our combined athletic teams — Westfield, Brocton, Ripley — a place that everyone can be excited about.”

Submitted photo

Chautauqua Lake Superintendent Dr. Josh Liddell agreed: “Our coaches, student-athletes and community have all been eagerly watching over the past few months as our new field turf system was installed and we are very proud of the final product,” he said. “The new field will enable our athletic teams, physical education classes, community teams and in-house child care center kids to be outside on a safe, all-weather surface long into the fall months and back out early spring.”

Liddell added: “The porous rubber shock pad system that was installed under the turf reduces the risk of athlete impact to playing-surface injuries. The field playing conditions will be very consistent as the drainage system allows rain to quickly be dispersed at a rate of 10 inches of water per hour. We are excited to see our students playing outside more and growing up on a safe new field.”

Submitted photo

Submitted photo

Submitted photo

Submitted photo