St. Frances Academy breaks ground on new field

When Oblate Sister of Providence Sister Rita Michelle Proctor taught physical education at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore in the early 1990s, there wasn’t a gymnasium, let alone a football field. Student football players would practice running skills on the side streets and alleys surrounding the school or travel several miles in passenger vans to practice.

A community center with a gymnasium became a reality in 2001. Now, a Nov. 10 groundbreaking ceremony heralded the coming of the school’s first-ever practice field located right across the street from the academy.

“There are many miracles and certainly God has provided for us as a school community, as a religious community and he keeps doing it,” Sister Rita said. “To see this and to see the community center, God will provide. I’m delighted.”

Standing in the vacant lot that’s destined to become the practice field, Deacon B. Curtis Turner, St. Frances’ head of school, told the Catholic Review that adding something “this beautiful” to campus is “really a blessed moment for us to be in.”

“The practice is kind of a big deal,” he explained. “And it’s not just football. It’ll give us a chance to develop the baseball program or to maybe start a soccer team.”

While Maryland’s top-ranked high school football team will be the primary user of the Cordish field on East Chase Street, the Johnston Square community will also be able to use the field and enjoy the open area.

“There’s so much great work happening in Johnston Square,” Baltimore City Councilmember Jermaine Jones, District 12, said to the gathering of school board members, staff and students. He noted that along with the new field, the area has seen the addition of a new library and new housing, with each project helping to revitalize the area.

“One thing I want to say about St. Frances Academy, you have been in Johnston Square throughout the bad years and good years,” Jones said. “We want to make sure the academy benefits from all the great work that’s being done here. The students here deserve it.”

Jones also issued a joyful warning to the school’s rival teams.

“If you thought they were a problem when they didn’t have a practice field, they could really be a problem once they get a practice field,” Jones said to applause.

Head coach Messay Hailemariam echoed Jones’ words after the ceremony to the Catholic Review.

“The councilman was completely correct. You know, I’d love to see what our odds are and the improvements we make once we have this field to be able to practice on every day,” Hailemariam said. He also is proud of all that his players have accomplished over the years.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be the head coach here. Whatever influences, leverages, opportunities God can provide myself to use this sport to bridge the gap for a lot of young scholar football players, it’s been amazing,” he said, adding that 207 of his players in the last seven years have attended division one schools on scholarships, 47 have masters degrees, 23 have double masters and 14 are currently active in the National Football League.

Construction on the field is expected to be completed for use by next fall, though Deacon Turner said it could possibly be ready by summer.

“It’s going to be a natural grass field so once the infrastructure is done, that’s great, but we still need to grow grass,” Turner said.

Funding for the field was provided by three donors: Jack Leuetkemeyer, David Cordish and Ben Griswold. Representing all three with his remarks, Cordish said they had “very, very, very little to do with this wonderful occasion.”

The cost of the project is estimated at $1.5 million.

“I’m amazed that we’re actually here today because of all the obstacles,” Cordish said. “The real credit, and the real thanks for the fact that we’re really here besides providence is the shoulders that we stand on. The original sisters who came from overseas who asked to be anointed. It’s not only the sisters. It’s the teachers. It’s the coaches. It’s the administration.”

School board chairman John Phelps said that he was blessed to be a part of St. Frances Academy’s “amazing journey.”

“This is what’s going to change Baltimore. This type of stuff. This type of work,” Phelps said. “This transformation of these students who come in and go forth to college or they go into the military. To me, the sports, that’s not the focus. The faith-centered education is the focus, and it’s just a great journey.”

 Email Katie V. Jones at kjones@CatholicReview.org

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