It wasn’t easy but after years of keeping their program together while their new campus was being built – the Compton High football program is finally home.
“That was the tough part,” Compton coach Calvin Bryant said of the campus being relocated to nearby Roosevelt Middle School during the construction of their new campus. “When you take your whole campus and go to a new campus and you go to a middle school and you’re trying to build a program, you know, it’s going to be a tough time.”
Those years of waiting and uncertainty are now being replaced with excitement and anticipation as the Tarbabes are preparing for the season on their brand-new field that includes upgrades to their weight room, training facility, and turf field.
“Anything is better than a middle school,” Cash Maluia said. “We got a new weight room and field – it’s great.”
Maluia’s excitement was repeated by teammate Jaelyn Baker-Nelson who isn’t just excited about the new field, but also the $200 million campus project. The new campus was unveiled in May, but will be open to students when school starts this Fall.
“I’m really blessed to be here,” Baker-Nelson said. “One thing I’m blessed for is the new campus, you know everybody is going to want to come see us ball out. Everybody gonna want to see what’s the new Compton like. They laughed at us last year, they gonna cry this year.”
Those high expectations are already translating on the field as the Tarbabes have found a new home away from home on the new campus as the team bonds.
“It’s exciting to be able to have some turf and a new field,” Bryant said. “Don’t have anything to worry about throughout the day. Our guys are fired up – I can’t get the guys off the field.”
Compton will have plenty of time to break in their new field as they host seven of their 10 games at home starting on August 22nd against Rancho Dominguez.
“We ready,” Edward Rivera said. “We ready to play right now.”
