Coach Keith Adams said guests are steered away from the California School to the Deaf Riverside football field during tours.
The Cubs made program history on a bumpy mess of grass and dirt last season. Illuminated by dim LED machines. In front of a series of concrete stands with a home capacity of about 150. The football team was the pride of the CSDR and became a national sensation – and they were embarrassed about their home turf.
“I grew up with a lot of big schools, in their fields and [at] At our school, it was real grass, holes and dirt,” junior quarterback Trevin Adams said through a video interpreter. “It just felt kind of disrespectful, almost.”
The Cubs have finally earned their respect. One worth millions.
On Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed funding for a complete overhaul of CSDR’s athletic facilities in a revised budget, a Department of Education proposal with a total project cost of $43.1 million.
After the Cubs’ 12-1 season — in which players took it upon themselves to speak up for the deaf community — the state took notice.
“The Cubs are California legends through and through, and we will lift them up just as they lifted us up with their inspirational journey,” Newsom said through a spokesman.
This sod is uprooted and artificial turf is laid in its place. Permanent lighting will replace portable LED machines. The rickety grandstands will be overhauled to increase seating to around 800.
Junior Ricardo Terrazas, a lineman who will switch to wide receiver next season, said his reaction to the news was “complete shock.”
“I love the governor,” Terrazas signed through an interpreter.
Friday’s announcement didn’t come from left field. Working with the state to secure funding is a “master plan” that has been in place for more than 20 years, according to Superintendent Nancy Hlibok Amann.
These years of inadequate facilities have lowered community interest. The fans told Coach Adams that they weren’t in the mood to watch games because the field was so dimly lit. Seniors in the community could not find a reason to go there, knowing they would be forced to stand on the sidelines for a good view.
“I have a feeling ours is probably one of the worst in the state,” Adams said of the interpreter about the field.
A new lawn was overdue, the trainer thought.
“The state has definitely not prioritized us again and again,” he said. “We kind of slipped to the bottom of the list.”
The Newsom spokesman did not comment on the timeline for the school’s funding requests, but said the Department of Education has been working with the Treasury Department on proposed improvements for a number of years.
“We felt this was a great thing to emphasize and the state is really putting dollars into projects that are really aligned with our values,” the spokesman said. “This is one of those projects that really shows that because of what this team was able to accomplish in the fall.”
The improvements leave quarterback Adams and Terrazas feeling bittersweet, excited as they are. The two will graduate next season, well ahead of the project’s expected completion in 2026.
But they are proud of the students who come after them.
“Wow, I wish I could play,” Terrazas said. “In the future, however, I plan to attend these games as a fan, because this school is my heart. I was born and raised there – I bleed the school colors.”
The school spirit carries over to a wall in his home, which features two of his Cubs jerseys from previous teams.
“Our team still has unpaid bills,” he said. “We’re not done yet… I want a ring. So that’s what I think about when I look at it [the jerseys].”
It is an honor, said Keith Adams, that the government has recognized his program. He looks forward to even more fans once the project is complete, unhindered by a lack of seating and difficult lighting.
“What kind of film is this?” asked Adams. “’Field of Dreams’ – starring Kevin Costner. If you build it, they will come.”
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