Lancaster Country Day School officially dedicated its new Lombardo turf fields on April 13, marking the completion of a multi-year project aimed at improving and expanding opportunities for student athletes.
The idea for the fields had been discussed for years, but became more urgent as the school faced challenges with its existing grass fields and as turf fields have become the standard for high school athletics.
“We were one of the only schools in the Lancaster Lebanon League without them,” said Chief Advancement Officer Mr. LaMar. “Our fields were taking a beating, and we were seeing lost practice time… It was a logistical challenge.”
In the past, athletic teams sometimes had to travel off campus for practices, which created time and scheduling difficulties. The new turf fields are expected to provide a more reliable and consistent playing surface for teams.
School leaders decided to build two fields, instead of one, to allow for the use of multiple teams.
“We have seasons where multiple teams need them,” said Mr. LaMar. “It made sense to build two and to do it all at once.”
The new turf fields were funded through a large fundraising effort, led by the school’s advancement office and Board of Trustees and chaired by Christina and Mike Jemison.
“We are lucky to have a generous community and that people were so excited for this project.” said Mr. LaMar. “People have different reasons for giving… It can be a very emotional thing. It can be a very analytical thing, but so many people saw the value of turf fields they all came together to guarantee the success of this effort”
The project moved forward quickly. It was proposed about two years ago, and the fundraising took a little more than a year.
Major donations played a key role in making this project possible, especially a generous gift from the Lombardo family.
“We were extremely grateful to the Lombardos for making a gift equal to half of the project cost,” said Mr. LaMar
Their contribution helped build momentum and encourage others to give. The Lombardos were recognized at the April 13th ribbon cutting ceremony for their generosity and support of the school.
As Mr. Lombardo spoke, the atmosphere became more focused and personal, with students and families gathered closely around the podium.
“It was really nice that we were able to literally surround the Lombardos in this kind of community embrace… Letting them feel that full community effect that our school is known for,” Mr. LaMar said.
With student athletes standing behind Sam and Dena Lombardo, and a crowd surrounding him, the moment reflected both appreciation and excitement, highlighting the impact of their donation and the sense of community behind the project.
In addition, the project was supported by many other donors.
“There were a lot of people who made stretch gifts,” said Mr. LaMar. “They helped make this project possible.”
The ribbon cutting ceremony brought together school students, families, faculty, and other supporters, showing the strong sense of community at LCDS and in support of this project.
“It was one of those rare moments when a lot of our students and parents are all together in the same place,” said Mr. LaMar. “It was a good reminder of the importance of community.”
For student athletes, the impact of the new turf fields have already been worthy of remark.
“It’s like day and night,” Senior Connor M., a member of the boys’ lacrosse team, said. “The old field had a lot of bumps… Now you can run freely without worrying about rolling your ankle.”
Other than gameplay, athletes say the new fields also improve team spirit.
“Our fields used to be really bad,” said Sophomore Ryland M., a girls’ lacrosse player. “Now it gives us a sense of [school] pride.”
The Lombardo fields represent the latest of a series of improvements made over the past 25 years to improve the school’s facilities. During that time, the school has renovated the lower school and its playground, replaced the upper and middle school and Dining Commons, added Gardner Theatre and expanded the athletic center.
Future additions to the Lombardo fields could include a locker room, spectator bathrooms, concessions, and more parking, according to Mr. LaMar.
“We’ve reached a point where we have fewer facility needs than we did even 10 years ago and I don’t know what’s next,” Mr. LaMar said. “But I think it’s realistic to say that we’re not done.”
