Football Fields Ready for Practice and Play

The DPW director and Swampscott High football coach walked the practice football field in the far corner of Phillips Park last week.

On Monday the Big Blue players had their first practice on the field.

The surface is looking as good as it has in years, said DPW Director Gino Cresta.

The field was rebuilt and had drainage installed, improvements paid for by Columbia Pictures and Grown Ups 2 in exchange for serving as home to the movie's soundstage.

Football Coach Steve Dembowski was pleased with its condition, the DPW director said.

The holes are gone but there are a few rocks here and there. And there are some weeds. They will be weeded out with the next fertilizer application, the director said. The rocks get thrown to the side when people find them.

Meanwhile, nearby at Blocksidge, the newly planted turf has taken root and will rest until the first game of the season.

That's Saturday, September 7, at noon against Triton.

The DPW director checked out the field Monday morning and found the field nice and high in the middle of the field where it was re-sodded from hashmark to hashmark.

"Blocksidge looks great," he said.