Sealth sports feel at home

Nels Enquist graduated from Chief Sealth High School in 1970 and has been a coach, teacher or athletic director at the school since 1976.

These days, he strolls across the street and walks back with an irrepressible smile.

"I walk over there and come back and say, `Is this the same place?' "

The reason for the smile is the new Southwest Athletic Complex that features a renovated football/ soccer stadium with rebuilt stands, an all-weather track plus baseball, softball and all-purpose fields.

At Sealth itself, the improvements include replacement of six tennis courts and a softball field.

The first football game on the new field will be played tomorrow at 3 p.m. when Sealth plays Highline from the Seamount League.

"The complex is a boon to the school and the entire community," said Enquist, Sealth's athletic director. "It says we are important."

Enquist said the Southwest community had heard various plans for development for 12 years but nothing ever happened. Then in 1998, Seattle voters passed a $40 million field-development levy after a campaign in which SAFE (Seattle Athletic Facilities and Education) and Friends of Fields played key roles.

Seahawk football Coach David Green, a 1976 Sealth grad, calls the renovated stadium "heaven."

"I remember when it was all dirt," Green said.

The Seahawk team, which has played its games at Memorial Stadium in recent years, is looking forward to a true home field and tomorrow's game.

"This is great for us and the community," said junior quarterback Dustin Leighton.

The team was scheduled to practice on the field today and the track was to open for use this afternoon by the cross-country team.

Enquist said the community will benefit from the complex in two ways: 1) Using of the new fields when school teams aren't using them; 2) More availability of parks and tennis courts in Southwest Seattle because school teams won't be on them.

Enquist said West Seattle High School will use many of the facilities. For example, West Seattle's girls soccer team will play a home game on the field on Tuesday.

Enquist also envisions special events such as a Saturday in spring when West Seattle and Chief Sealth baseball and softball teams play each other.

Enquist said the complex will increase attendance at Chief Sealth football games because community residents won't have to trek downtown. He expects a big crowd for tomorrow's game.

Tomorrow also was to mark the opening of the new soccer-football field at Nathan Hale High School but the game against Cascade Christian has been moved to Franklin Pierce High School outside Tacoma. Cascade Christian, which played Hale at Memorial Stadium last year, had agreed to play again in Seattle but changed its mind upon learning that Hale's home field was now at the school.

Hale's home opener will be Sept. 22 when Lakeside visits.

The school district is awaiting approval from the City Council to install lights at the field. All home games for Hale and Sealth are afternoon contests this season.

Ammon McWashington, Seattle School District athletic director, said the artificial turf on the football/soccer stadium fields at Sealth and Hale isn't the same product that the University of Washington installed at Husky Stadium. He said the school fields have two differences: A pad under them for added softness and rubber as a fill material between the synthetic grass fibers instead of sand and rubber.

McWashington said construction is expected to begin next year on regional field complexes at Rainier Beach and Ingraham high schools, with preliminary work starting at Rainier Beach in January or February, weather permitting.