The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
New turf unveiled at George Daniel Field
Cleveland Browns organization, Haslams donate to Lorain Schools
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and newly signed wide receiver Jarvis Landry were among a group of supporters at Lorain’s George Daniel Field, home of Titans football, April 17 for a groundbreaking of new synthetic turf.
The turf will be ready for the 2018 season and will be used by several boys and girls high school sports teams and by local youth programs.
In 2016, Haslam along with wife Dee announced a commitment to provide five Cleveland Metropolitan School District fields with high-quality synthetic turf in a two-year project, courtesy of Browns Give Back, a commitment to youth football by both owners. The Lorain project will be the sixth field covered since summer 2016 and the first outside of the Cleveland school district.
Among the speakers in attendance included Lorain Schools CEO David Hardy, Lorain football coach Dave McFarland, Mayor Chase Ritenauer, Council President Joel Arredondo, Titans
girls soccer player Nyaha Espitia and football player Cario Smith.
George Daniel Field is located at 2601 Oberlin Ave.
“There are definite studies that show that students who participate in afterschool activities do better academically and also have a higher attendance rate,” Haslam said. “I was really impressed with Coach (Dave) McFarland. I asked him how his record was, meaning football, and he said we made the playoffs last year. But he quickly switched the subject to
more importantly we had a 3.2 grade-point average. I think at the end of the day the athletics are important, but the academics are more important. And I’ve always felt since I played high school football that one of the great, underappreciated professions in the United States are high school football coaches who work tirelessly and put in unbelievable hours, have huge influence on young men and do a tremendous job.”
Last year, the Browns pledged to donate all of the team’s net proceeds from
items purchased in the Browns’ FirstEnergy Stadium Pro Shop to support Browns Give Back’s commitment to education and youth football, including to help educational initiatives and neighborhood fields projects.
“It’s our pleasure to do this today,” Haslam said. “We’re excited, and I’m assuming it’ll be ready by the summer. Hopefully it makes a substantial difference in the program and hopefully it encourages more kids to come out and play football and that in turn will keep more kids in school and graduate more and get more kids in college.”
Landry, who signed a five-year, $75.5 million deal with the Browns, has already been involved in the Ohio community.
“Truthfully, it’s an honor ... it’s an honor to be here and stand before you guys and ladies as well,” Landry said. “I can tell you what the game has done for my life and what sports has done for my life. It took me to places that I couldn’t even imagine, and I’ve been able to see a lot of things that I couldn’t have imagined as well. But also, in doing that, I had to become a better student.”
Landry also had a message to the athletes in attendance.
“I would say good luck ... but I don’t believe in luck. So be great ... you guys be great. No matter what you do, in school or life.”
McFarland is entering his fourth season at the helm of the Titans, and said this became a reality over the winter. Browns Vice President of Communications Jenner Tekancic and youth football manager Darrell Taylor toured the stadium and as it progressed, McFarland and Koury kept information sealed from the public until it became official.
“I do believe sincerely in the self-fulfilling prophecy and I told Mr. (Bryan) Koury, who has been an awesome AD, that we had to clean up that fieldhouse,” McFarland said. “Our kids need to feel good about themselves, whether it’s in the classroom and or weight room or beautiful new school.”
The stadium was built in 1927, named Recreation Field, and was renamed George Daniel Field in 1958, in honor of Daniel who was a three-sport athlete at Lorain and served as a teacher, coach and athletic director for more than 50 years. In 1960, future president John F. Kennedy spoke at the stadium.
“I came to practice a few years back when Coach took over, and what struck me was each and every one of the players came up to me, shook my hand and looked me in the eye and introduced themselves,” Mayor Ritenauer said. “What goes on in this field is not just about football — it’s character building. It’s building people for their lives and careers. It teaches them how to be a good human being. Coach understands like so many people in Lorain schools that it’s about relationships. It’s about forming those relationships one person, one student at a time to make a difference. And what’s going to happen on this field with the new turf — it’s going to look great and be great, but it’s ultimately the people playing on it. And I know we’ve got the right people at the helm.”