Stadium Tour: Segerstrom

(Click here for 360-degree view of Segerstrom stadium)

SANTA ANA - Let's see. Two thousand seats worth of bleachers need to be put in, the bathrooms on the visitor's side are incomplete and so is the press box. Two ticket booths still are on their way. But standing on this side of the fence at Segerstrom's stadium, the grass is rather green.

"We're still under the gun here," Segerstrom athletic director Frank Alvarado said. "As we get closer the anticipation builds. But that first game, when those kids come out of that locker room and onto the field, it's going to be special."

Alvarado is the individual who must see to it that those bleachers are put in and asphalt is poured on the dirt area around the bathrooms before El Modena and Saddleback play there Sept. 15. (Segerstrom plays host to its first game against Laguna Beach on Sept 22.)

He is also largely responsible, however, for turning what was not long ago just a patch of grass into a 3,000-seat venue. In July, a chained-link fence was built around the field to strengthen the stadium feel. Bathrooms replaced port-a-potties on the visitor's side, and an elevator was instilled for disabled access.

"You want people to feel comfortable and be able to enjoy the games," Alvarado said.

Some of the intricacies of the stadium include a grassy mound bordering the south end of the field. It provides a clear, elevated viewpoint of the field but is off-limits to loitering. There is also a stretch of grass near the middle of the field that is noticeably light.

"We can't figure that one out," senior groundskeeper Jim Hunt said. "We thought it was water, but it's getting plenty of water.

"So the only thing I can assume is that when they came out to fertilize it, maybe it was thinner at that spot. And it could be a disease, we really don't know yet."

For the past year Hunt and his two assistants have maintained the carpet-soft, hybrid Bermuda turf, which has been aerated, fertilized and cut at 1 1/4 inches. Only football and soccer games and track meets in the spring will be held on the field.

Last season the freshman and junior varsity football teams played a few home games at the on-campus site. Aside from an early evening affair to end the season, the scoreboard and lights never were used. Neither was the press box nor bleachers. Now, with the school entering its second year of existence, and fielding its first varsity football team, Alvarado is about to realize the dividends of the past 20 months.

"To see it come together, to see our kids actually play on it, I can't describe that feeling," Alvarado said.

Born and raised in Santa Ana, Alvarado was most recently the athletic director at Santa Ana High for 12 years. Last fall he applied for the athletic director position at Segerstrom to "open a new school, start a new program to do something different."

He was hired in December 2004 and immediately began work on everything from hiring a coaching staff to purchasing gardening equipment. He had done this before, somewhat, having worked at both Spurgeon Intermediate and Century High in their respective inaugural years.

"This town has been very good to me, and so for me this is what I should be doing," said Alvarado, entering his 33rd year in the district.

And with a football roster made up entirely of sophomores and juniors, Alvarado is not overly concerned with results.

"We're going to be successful this year, win or lose," Alvarado said, matter of factly. "Success isn't predicated on wins and losses. It's about how you develop those kids, and how those kids play the game. That's how you determine whether or not you've had a successful season."

He would know. And soon, Segerstrom will, too.