The Ellsworth Community College football home season opener will be on Saturday, Sept. 1, vs Highland Community College on a new turf field. The Cadet Turf Field project began this spring when both ECC and Iowa Falls schools realized that a change was needed. The previous grass field was being overloaded, which restricted its use and caused issues for a number of teams and events.

The new turf being installed this summer will provide a safer surface year-round for athletes and spectators, as well as enhancing the recruiting abilities of the College's football program, which makes up asignificant percentage of ECC's overall enrollment.

This collaborative effort between the Iowa Falls-Alden school district and Ellsworth Community College benefits both educational institutions and the community by proving a quality, safe surface on which to play, while resolving sporting and special event issues. The project has been financed through Iowa Valley Community College District/ECC, private donations, and the Ellsworth Community College Trustees. 

"The fundraising efforts for the field are going really well at this point," says ECC Athletic Director Nate Forsyth. "We are really looking forward to this. Not only for our football team but also for the community and high school to use for various sports teams. We are looking forward to this improvement for our community."

The field is set to be finished on Aug. 10.