BURBANK — Football players at Burbank High are chomping at the bit to get a chance to practice on their new football field for the first time.
However, the Bulldogs might only have to wait a few more days to get their first feel of the new facility.
Some final preparations on the field itself were being taken care of on Tuesday, and first-year Burbank Coach Hector Valencia said he hopes to have his squad trying out the field by the end of the work week.
However, Valencia said he hasn’t been given a specific date when that will happen.
Burbank Athletic Director Fred Cook said the first game on the field could be a freshman nonleague contest at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 10 against Chaminade.
The Bulldogs will not play their home games at the new facility, as Memorial Field at Burroughs is the team’s home field.
The Burbank field is, however, the home of the Burbank Vikings Youth Tackle Football program, which opens its season Sept. 12.
The improvement project is part of an $18-million joint venture to improve facilities at Burbank, Burroughs and Jordan Middle School.
The Burbank field and all-weather track installation, which began in the spring, will cost $4 million. The facilities are to be shared for both public and school use, costing the city $13.4 million and the Burbank Unified School District $4.7 million.
— Jeff Tully
