JCPS announces upgrades to athletic facilities at Louisville high schools

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jefferson County Public Schools announced plans for the largest construction and renovation plan of high school athletic facilities in the district's history.

The plan calls for installing turf fields at 16 high schools over the next three years, with plans to install turf field at another five high schools in the next 10 years.

JCPS athletic facilities getting upgraded

"JCPS facilities, including our athletics stadiums, have been neglected for far too long," said Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio in a written statement.

At a press conference Monday morning, Pollio said these upgrades are "long overdue."

"Our kids deserve to have the same facilities and the same opportunities as every other child in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. And I'd put our facilities behind nearly every district in this state," said Pollio.

The upgrades are part of JCPS' Future State Plan, which includes millions of dollars of investments in new schools and facilities.

Pollio said the Future State also includes the new student assignment plan, changing start times, and focusing on improvements to renovate and build schools.

"We will be building about 26 schools in the next 10 years," he said.

The installation of the turf fields will occur in phases, with construction at 16 schools scheduled for completion by the end of the 2025-26 school year:

Summer 2023 - Construction begins at Academy@Shawnee, Central, Jeffersontown, Marion C. Moore, and Pleasure Ridge Park High Schools.
Summer 2024 - Construction begins at Doss, Fern Creek, Louisville Male, duPont Manual, and Waggener High Schools.
Summer 2025 - Construction begins at Atherton, Butler, Eastern, Fairdale, Southern and Valley High Schools.

Future State of JCPS Athletics Facilities — Pictured: A 2023 info graphic listing the JCPS high schools slated to receive new or upgraded athletics facilities within the next 10 years. (Jefferson County Public Schools)

As part of the plan, new school buildings will be constructed for W.E.B. DuBois and Grace James Academy in the next two years. New buildings will also be built for Iroquois, Seneca and Western High Schools within the next 10 years. Those five schools will also get new stadiums when their new buildings are finished.

Iroquois, Seneca, and Western will get updated paint on their concession stands and press boxes while they await a rebuild.

For students at PRP and others on the Summer 2023 construction list, they're hoping to be able to use their new athletic facilities sometime next school year.

"I heard rumors about it and I was hoping that it would but I never thought that we'd finally get a turf field while I was here," said sophomore PRP linebacker Tucker Roth.

Roth said generations before him have played football at PRP, including his dad.

"I think he'll be very excited to see me on that (turf field) because he never got that opportunity and I luckily have," said Roth.

The turf is also expected to benefit other sports like soccer and lacrosse.

Tommy Ferrell graduated from PRP in 2015. He said he played football his entire high school career and is glad to see these current students get the chance to play on an upgraded field.

"I think it's a great experience for them. The turf most definitely makes the difference when playing because there was some county teams we played that had turf already and we were like, 'Wow, why can't get this?' You know, and that's what we call home field advantage," said Ferrell.

Ferrell said he had a wonderful experience on the team at PRP, and hopes these upgrades can also help momentum with school pride.

"Kids probably want to go to PRP knowing that, 'Hey we've got turf fields. We get to play on turf,'" he said.

The district's plan calls for more than just turf fields. New tracks, bleachers, press boxes, and/or concession stands will also be part of the upgrades at "some of the schools," according to a release from JCPS.

PRP is one of those schools getting a new track surface. It's something students said is very needed.

"It's terrible, especially on my knees, I will say that," Jada Murry, a junior on the school's track team said about the current track. "I am coming back from physical therapy, knee injuries, and concrete definitely does not help."

Murry said due to the current concrete track, some drills have to be practiced in the grass. Also, PRP isn't able to hold any home meets. But that could change for Murry with her upcoming senior year.

"It feels like our hard work and showing them that even without the facility that we need, we still, I feel like, proved ourselves for them to give us a track and it'll enhance our performances for sure, I think. And it will bring more people out as well," she said.

Pollio said construction is expected to begin immediately. He estimated the cost of the new turf fields to be around $2 million per school.

According to JCPS, Ballard is currently the only school in the district with a turf football field.