SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — “It was difficult. It was hard because a ball would go a certain way because of holes in the field,” said senior Karla Mercado Rodriguez.
“It was muddy. There was a huge lump in the middle. Everybody would just slip and we would have no traction on the field,” said sophomore Shaundel Williams.
South Milwaukee’s Spaltholz Field didn’t always look as neat, clean and fresh as it does now.
“When there was rain, it was horrible. Falling, slipping,” said junior Ryan Nauman.
“It was bumpy; we played on a hill before the turf. It was a bit messy, twisted ankles sometimes,” said senior Aliha Espitia.
But, that is now a thing of the past, thanks in part to a $100,000 grant from the Green Bay Packers.
“There isn't a group, an activity or a sport that won't have access to this at some point,” said Ante Udovicic, Athletic Director, South Milwaukee High School.
The $3.8 million renovation project transformed the grounds, by replacing the grass fields with turf, resurfaced the track and added a brand-new scoreboard.
“It’s giving young athletes and future stars, potentially, the chance to play on a quality field and surface,” said Peter Dufek, Head Football and Assistant Track Coach, South Milwaukee High School.
While the school district says this grant is a huge step in the right direction, others say that this gift is bigger than just sports.
“This helps every student that will go through our high school and middle school, as far as being able to use it as a classroom, to be out here, to do different things,” said John Galewski, Co-Chair, Launching a Legacy Committee.
“Our facilities are in such great shape now. We're real lucky and our kids for many, many years are going to bear the fruits of all of this, for sure,” said Udovicic.
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