The Socorro Independent School District has leveled the playing field across the district after inaugurating its last two newly renovated turfs at Pebble Hills and Eastlake high schools on Sept. 25 and 26, respectively. All Socorro ISD high schools and the Student Activities Complex now have new turf on their athletic fields.
“It’s all about safety and what is best for our students,” said SISD Superintendent Nate Carman, Ed.D., who noticed that the athletic fields needed renovating after touring high school campuses last year.
“This is such an upgrade from what they previously had,” Dr. Carman added. “The logos they have now, they’re outstanding. It helps to build that culture, that positivity. It makes the kids excited. They’re proud of their field.”
Principals, coaches and administrators joined Dr. Carman at each school’s ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring football and soccer players, cheerleaders, and drum lines. District leaders and student-athletes threw footballs and kicked soccer balls to inaugurate the fields, which will provide students with a safe, more dependable surface to practice and compete on year-round.
Pebble Hills High School Principal Ivan Ramirez said having a new turf meant a lot for the high school and the entire Spartan community.
“It is a place where future Spartans will grow up playing the games they love,” Ramirez said. “For our Spartans, it is a place where they hone their craft in sports and fine arts. Our students will learn to be Resilient, have Integrity, develop Strength, display Excellence, RISE.”
Destiny Gallardo, a Pebble Hills girls soccer team member, said she is excited about kicking off next season on the new field. She is also looking forward to less turf burns.
“I think this (new field) shows that (the district) cares about the students so that they have the best fields and the facilities,” Gallardo said.
Tyrese White, a senior offensive tackle on the Spartan’s football team, said the old field was a little patchy, and he is glad that the district got it fixed, and the area looks much nicer than it did before.
“They’re trying to protect us and our safety,” White said. “We all like it; we especially like the letters in the endzone and how it looks. Especially the logo in the middle.”
Eastlake High School Principal Gilbert Martinez said the new athletic field also represented a classroom where students learn values such as teamwork, discipline, commitment and resilience.
“This field will reflect our community values and become (a) vibrant environment,” Martinez said. “It will become a place where our students feel welcome, safe and energized to stretch their own expectations to be great. I want this to serve as a reminder to my students and to all my future students that this is their home, and their possibilities are endless, and that we will always be rooting for you.”
The new field is music to Eastlake sophomore Mia McCray’s ears. McCray has played with the drum line for two years and said the Falcons were pleased that SISD provided them with the opportunity to march on a new field.
"We are very fortunate," McCray said. "The old field was very lumpy. This one is flat, and it's easier for us to march on and less hot."
Junior Jerilynn Singletary, an Eastlake High School cheerleader, said the new field is bouncier and easier to tumble on. “I feel really thankful,” Singletary said. “For years to come, we’ll have a new turf to play on. It’s also way prettier than last year’s turf.”