Friday Night Lights celebrates new Ocean Air fields

The fun of Friday Night Lights returned to Ocean Air Community Park on Sept. 17, the co-ed youth flag football league playing on newly refurbished fields. Football action and cheering parents were stretched out across the new turf.

“We could not be more proud of our FNL families, especially for our athletes and what we all have had to overcome the past 18 months,” said FNL Commissioner Ed Har. “The smiles on the kids’ faces, the competitiveness, but most of all, seeing our close community come back together is simply heartwarming.”

Work to resolve the issues at the field began last spring. The field is a joint use field, representing a partnership between the Del Mar Union School District and the City of San Diego. Har and FNL Assistant Commissioner Ty Humes were able to bring both entities together with a plan that rebuilt the field including physical revisions, sodding and complete irrigation repairs. The FNL reps coordinated the project through Councilmember Joe LaCava’s office.

“The communication and responsiveness expressing our concerns regarding our youth’s safety with our local representative was met with professionalism and action,” Har said.

Work began in July and the entire field was shut down to the public and reopened on Sept. 13.

The maintenance staff at Ocean Air and support services and irrigation crew from the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department monitored the irrigation system daily for full coverage on the fields: “The fields look great,” he said.

The FNL Bruins.

(Karen Billing)

LaCava was present on FNL’s opening night to celebrate the new fields and the hard work of the city’s parks and recreation department.

“They’ve done an amazing job leveling the field, filling the holes, fixing the irrigation and planting new turf so kids can have a lot of fun in a safe way,” LaCava said, also complimenting FNL for the amazing work they do to bring the community together.

Opening night and the christening of the new field kicked off with a booming rendition of “The National Anthem” sung by Eva Mather, a Sage Canyon School third grader. Local businesses Porkyland, Jersey Mike’s and Kona Ice provided refreshments and a DJ played music as games unfolded one after the other, flags flying.

FNL in action on the new Ocean Air fields.

(Karen Billing)

“With all of work that we collectively have put in, we have seen a significant increase in participation and it could not have been done without the help of so many,” Har said thanking his volunteer staff, that includes JR Robinson, Derek Cox, Seyi Ajirotutu, Paul Coartney, Humes and countless volunteer coaches.

“This is what community is all about, and we should all be proud of our community – Carmel Valley.”

Eva Mather sings “The National Anthem”.

(Karen Billing)