St. John Bosco High School hosted a prayer of dedication and groundbreaking ceremony in Bellflower, CA in preparation of a new $7.2 million stadium and football field. After three years of playing “home games” on campuses throughout the Southland, the defending CIF Southern Section and CIF State champion football program will finally have suitable turf to call their own.
Brian Panish, a St. John Bosco alum and former football player, attended the ceremony where he was recognized as a lead donor and joined fellow donors & faculty to turn the soil on the new stadium. Mr. Panish had lived on-campus when he attended the school in the ’70s and said he “owes a debt of gratitude” to St. John Bosco High School for helping him mature and put him on a path to success.
It was a visit to Mr. Panish from St. John Bosco president Dennis Mulhaupt and head football coach Jason Negro that kickstarted fundraising for a new stadium and football field. The school has now raised all the money needed to begin construction of the project that will replace the school’s previous 61 year old facility and offer an AstroTurf field, new lighting, two press boxes, stadium seating in several areas and suites.
The new Braves Stadium is slated to be completed by the 2018 football season.
(Photos courtesy: Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Read the Press-Telegram story here.
Read the Los Angeles Times story here.