The South Huntington School District officially celebrated the grand opening of West Hills Field with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 5th. Conveniently located right at the entrance to Walt Whitman High School along West Hills Road, construction on the new turf field wrapped up this past June. While the new surface has already been buzzing with action throughout Wildcat Summer Camp, its full impact will be felt this fall as our sports teams kick off their competitive seasons. 

With expanding athletics programs and increased participation across both JV and varsity levels, the addition of a second turf field fills a vital need for our school and community.

"It's really a necessity with the increased number of teams and participation that we've had the last several years," said South Huntington’s Athletic Director David Barth. "There's been a backlog of teams on the stadium field. This alleviates scheduling conflicts and gives both our JV and varsity teams access to a beautiful field, and also frees up field time for marching band.”

“There was so much activity on the stadium field, and most districts were already installing or had their second field. With our sports program, we felt it was the right thing to do for our students and our community, especially since they can rent our fields,” said Superintendent Dr. Vito D’Elia. “Having a second turf field really alleviates a lot of the pressure from the stadium field. We value all of our teams, sports, and student-athletes, so this is a nice opportunity for them.”

West Hills Field isn't just designed for varsity competitions; it will be used by physical education classes, summer camps, and community organizations year-round.  

Although the new turf has more of a soccer look, West Hills field is equipped for football practice. However, Wildcat varsity football games will continue to be held at the stadium field. 

"We put lines on the field so football can practice here. That's the reason it's a different shade every five yards, with little hash marks down the middle," AD David Barth pointed out. "There’s also a box for football so they know where the center of the field is.”

In addition to expanding athletic options, the project brings a major aesthetic upgrade to the high school entrance.

"It also significantly improves the look of our campus. Driving in and seeing this new field and our beautiful grounds adds a lot to our high school,” said Whitman principal Dr. John Murphy. “Between our marching band and all our different sports teams, sharing was really difficult, and some groups couldn't get onto the field until late at night. Beyond scheduling, having a second field helps prevent overuse, allowing both fields to last longer."

Thank you to our entire community for your continued support in making this project a reality for our students!

Walt Whitman’s boys and girls soccer teams joined district and high school administrators and Board of Education members at the August ribbon cutting.