FAIRHOPE — St. Michael Catholic High School broke ground on its new football and soccer field June 7, where school officials, faculty, students and special guests celebrated the school’s commitment to athletic excellence.

After 2016 marked the first year of operation for the school, 2018 was the first year the Cardinal football and soccer teams played on the varsity level without a field on campus. Now the 2023-24 seasons should be St. Michael’s final football and soccer seasons without a true home-field advantage.

Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony commenced at 9 a.m. on the school's premises, where a large crowd gathered on the designated site of the future field.

Simon Cortopassi, the co-athletic director at St. Michael, attributed the realization of this new field to the "Bring Our Cardinals Home Campaign," which was launched a few years ago with a focus on the school community.

“We created the ‘Bring Our Cardinals Home Campaign,’ with the plan to expand and build a field,” Cortopassi said. “The field will benefit the students, allow kids to tailgate and strengthen the community. The overall environment is just better being at home.”

The new stadium, scheduled for completion by the fall of 2024, will be a multifunctional facility intended for both soccer and football games. Designed with state-of-the-art features, the stadium will include a natural grass field. The exact seating capacity for fans remains unknown but will be updated as construction progresses.

Tucker Tomlinson, a football player at St. Michael's, eagerly anticipated the arrival of the new field, where he and his teammates could compete. He also mentioned that he and his teammates enjoy an atmosphere that is vibrant and energetic.

“It is awesome to have a home field. I think every team should have a home field and it is something to be proud of as a school,” said Tomlinson.

The groundbreaking ceremony concluded with a ceremonial shoveling of dirt by school officials, head football coach Philip Rivers and two student-athletes who are members of the football and soccer team.