Gary Kidwell signed his son up for the Lower Loudoun Boys Football League 22 years ago not only to teach him the fundamentals, but also the spirit of the game.
Kidwell, the president of the Lower Loudoun Boys Football League, a football and cheerleading organization for elementary- and middle-school children, watched his son grow up under the football lights of Bill Allen Field, where the league plays its games during the football season, six days a week. Now, he watches his grandchildren play under the same lights, on the same field, located off of Sterling Boulevard.
"I stay because it's good for the kids," Kidwell said. "We teach them sportsmanship and it helps keep them off the streets."
Bill Allen Field is a "beautiful facility," Kidwell said, but it is in need of some major renovations. The league bought the 43-year-old facility in 2000. Both the lighting system and the bleachers have been around for more than 30 years, Kidwell said.
The league's board of directors kicked off a $250,000 renovation project last month, in an effort to revamp the lighting system and the bleachers. The league uses the field during football season, playing two games a day Monday through Friday and eight games on Saturday.
"That's 18 games, six days a week," Kidwell said.
The league is the only program of its kind in eastern Loudoun and the football and cheerleading organization serves as a "minor league" for Dominion, Park View, Potomac Falls and Broad Run high schools.
"We're the only league in eastern Loudoun that feeds into these high schools," he said.
NICK MACIOCE, treasurer of the Lower Loudoun Boys Football League, said the league requires commitment from both parents and students, but in his mind, it's worth it.
Macioce drives his sons to summer practices five times a week and watches their games on Saturdays.
"It's great because it gives kids an outlet. It teaches them life lessons," Macioce said. "Athletics help form quality kids."
Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) said he jumped on board when he heard about the improvement project to the private field because of the number of Sterling children who utilize the facility, which includes a snack bar, locker room and equipment room.
Delgaudio compared the $250,000 field improvement project to Sully Elementary School PTO’s Discovery Park project. Last year, the Sterling elementary school’s PTO raised money through community fund-raisers and donations, to build an educational playground.
Delgaudio hopes to help raise money for the project through word of mouth.
"This is the only way grammar-school kids can prepare for high-school football," Delgaudio said. "This is a farm league for all the high-school football teams in eastern Loudoun. This is where you get your future stars."
DELGAUDIO HELD a press conference Friday, Feb. 23, at the Sterling Community Center, to help spread the word about the field improvement project.
He said he hopes to help raise $80,000 for a new lighting system by July.
"We're just beginning," Delgaudio said. "We hope to get the bleachers done by July 2008."
Delgaudio said he plans to help raise money through fund-raisers and hopes to receive donations from local businesses and developers.
"Anyone who has a commitment to Loudoun should kick in," he said.