Last year, while taking a stroll with his dog, Zach Frederick passed by the North High School football field and was shocked by what he saw: a football field with holes in it.
“This is really a shame. The field overlooks nice views of downtown, but was in such a state of despair,” Frederick said Saturday.
So Frederick, community service chairman for the Rotary Club of Denver LoDo, sprang into action.
He telephoned North head football coach E. Paul Kelly Jr. to ask him about the field problems and got more than an earful about some of the issues Kelly’s players have been facing for years.
“They were in greater need than I had thought,” Frederick said as he looked on from the bleachers as North took on a team from Thornton.
The field is to blame for the worst injuries ever suffered by North High Vikings football players, the coach said.
“There were a lot of injuries, the worst of injuries,” Kelly said.
Because of inadequate shoulder pads, one football player had a shoulder separated while another broke a collarbone, he said.
In addition to football players limping away hurt, they’ve had to share football practice equipment after thieves broke into an equipment room four years ago and stole uniforms, helmets and footballs. The items have never been replaced.
Frederick did not like what coach Kelly had told him, and after seeing a sign outside the school thanking Denver voters for approving a multimillion-dollar school bond package, it made him angry.
“The voters approved millions in bonds and the issue is why do we have no proper facility? Why do we have an inadequate football field, and why are these kids swapping out football pads?” Frederick said, referring to the 2003 approval of a $310 million bond issue for school projects.
Frederick is not the only one puzzled.
“It’s disheartening; our students can’t get a decent field to play on. We’re really looking forward to the Rotary’s help,” said Ed Salem, North’s principal.
Since his meeting with Kelly, Frederick and the LoDo Rotary Club have been helping North’s struggling football program.
The Rotary donated $1,700 for shorts and T-shirts for the football players to practice in while $2,000 went towards game jerseys. The organization recently donated $2,400 for T-shirts that the team will sell for $20 apiece to raise money for new equipment.
Although Denver Public Schools has done some repair work on the football field, problems with flooding have caused more potholes.
“I’ve got quality kids, and we strive to make them champions on and off the field, and they deserve much more,” Kelly said. “Zach and the LoDo Rotary Club have been a blessing.”
Annette Espinoza: 303-954-1655 or aespinoza@denverpost.com
