New turf planned for Strobel Field in 2024

SANDUSKY — The turf at Strobel Field is showing its age. The playing surface at the historic football stadium was installed in 2011, but if all goes according to plan the Blue Streaks will be playing on new synthetic turf next year. "Our goal is to have it done next June, once we get through graduation," Sandusky superintendent Dan Rambler said. "It needs to get done; we can't keep waiting." Sandusky City Schools hopes to secure naming rights for the stadium in the coming weeks, which would be tied to the replacement of the turf. "The naming rights is tied to the cost of the turf," Rambler said. "The athletic boosters and the district also have money that we could utilize. The challenging part is there are multiple groups involved, so we're working through that part of it." The cost to replace a turf field is approximately $500,000. "We're working with various foundations with the athletic boosters trying to solidify it," Rambler said. "Hopefully within a couple months we'll be able to finalize all of it. There are a number of foundations involved. They're phenomenal; they blow me away at how much they support the community and the district." Rambler said Sandusky City Schools is working with six foundations, including the Erie County Community Foundation, which he called "the driver." Money for the new turf would go through the booster club, which is led by Tom Sharrah. "We're working with the athletic boosters," Rambler said. "They're leading a lot of the effort, but the district is helping them." The facility currently is called Cedar Point Stadium, but Cedar Point told SCS last September that it wasn't interested in contributing to a new field. That means the Cedar Point signage above the stadium entrance will be taken down. Cedar Point, the Wightman Wieber Charitable Foundation and Sandusky legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Orlando Pace were the major donors for the 2011 turf project. Sandusky football coach Lucas Poggiali was a senior quarterback for the Blue Streaks when the new turf was unveiled. "We're due to get a new one and I feel very good about what our administration has been able to do to ensure that it happens in the future," Poggiali said. Rambler said that SCS has already set aside more than $300,000, but wants to use that to replace the crumbling track at Strobel. The combined price tag for new turf, a new track and long jump pit would exceed $1 million. "I feel like we're in a good place with the turf, it's going to happen," Rambler said. "As we move that along I want to see if there's any group that wants to partner on the track. If we're going to do it right it's going to be expensive, probably more than we have. "If we get the naming rights done, then we have money from the district we can use for the track and other upgrades. There are also infrastructure issues at the stadium that we have to be attentive to." Rambler would not reveal the new name for the stadium, but is focused on a "collaborative naming rights" arrangement. "It's an exciting opportunity for a good name," he said. "Cedar Point was a great name, too, obviously, but companies change and that happened. With this name it can be forever." Rambler, who is entering his second school year as Sandusky's superintendent, visited district buildings and facilities in July 2022, just before he officially started. It didn't take him long to recognize a need at Strobel Field. "I watched band practice in the parking lot and then I went into the stadium," Rambler said. "I coached baseball for a long time so I'm pretty familiar with athletics. When I walked on the turf I thought it was pretty old. We have really good facilities but there's always the upkeep. "It's just deteriorating. When I was at the game last Friday I was on turf talking to Mr. Poggiali. Awhile ago I looked up the signs of turf deteriorating. You can see the pieces coming out of it and that's normal, but there were a couple places where I could see the seams, which is not normal. Thankfully they're on the sidelines." Sandusky athletic director Shawn Coakley and Sharrah have been in contact with Maumee Bay Turf, which installed the surface at Strobel 12 years ago and has installed new turf at Clyde, Perkins and Huron in the past three years. Clyde's football field was 13 years old when it was replaced in 2021. "I think it's going to be in a good place pretty quick," Rambler said. "The financing will go through the booster club. It'll make it a little more efficient." Rambler is committed to maintaining Strobel Field, which was built by the Works Progress Administration, a program to help employ Americans affected by the Great Depression. Strobel Field was dedicated in 1936. "It's a strong symbol in the community. It has so much history behind it," Rambler said. "I loved it when I walked through it and saw the plaque about Earle Bruce. That was so cool. I'm a big Ohio State fan. "We're the managers of it right now. It's such a well-used environment by families and kids." --- Area turf fields Synthetic turf football fields generally last 10-12 years. Sandusky's current field was installed in 2011. The seven area schools that play football on turf: School&emsp;&emsp;Year installedSandusky&emsp;&emsp;2011Bellevue&emsp;&emsp;2013Port Clinton&emsp;&emsp;2015Huron&emsp;&emsp;2020Norwalk&emsp;&emsp;2020Perkins&emsp;&emsp;2020Clyde&emsp;&emsp;2021