A Place They Can Call Home

Looking at no one in particular, a girl rose from her seat at last Friday’s Marmonte League football game between Westlake and host Newbury Park.

“I don’t know who did this, but thank you,” she said.

If for no other reason, the girl was thankful that she had a seat in which to sit. It was the first game in Newbury Park’s new stadium.

The stadium had been more than four years in the making, when four sets of parents decided their sons should have a place to play football when they enrolled at Newbury Park.

In the absence of its own playing field, Newbury Park played its home games at nearby Thousand Oaks High.

Thus, CATS--short for the Community Action Team for a Stadium--was formed.

The group’s goal was not initially well received because the bill for a new stadium amounted to more than $200,000.

Slowly, however, the project took shape. Fund-raisers ranging from dog shows to barbecues brought in more than $100,000, according to Sharon Peterson, one of CATS’ founding members.

Along with $100,000 matching funds from the County of Ventura and $48,000 from the school district, the skeleton of a stadium was completed in time for Friday night’s game--with a little help from some friends.

“We had between 50 and 70 volunteers out there Wednesday and Thursday night to help get ready for the game,” Peterson said.

As construction workers laid the main foundation for the stands, volunteers bolted seats and set up guard rails and fencing.

To the more than 2,000 who turned out for the stadium’s debut, it was a thing of beauty.

“It was wonderful,” Peterson said. “It was a perfect night for our boys to play their first game in their own stadium.

“After the game, all the players came up and hugged us. Just to see the excitement in their eyes was all we ever wanted.”