Upper Makefield soccer
christens Brownsburg Park
Gary Roberts (center) and Upper Makefield Park and Recreation Chairman Thomas Cino (left) address the crowd attending the fall kickoff ceremonies Sept. 25 at the brand new Brownsburg Park Pavilion.
By James D’ArcangeloFor BucksLocalSports.com
For as long as there has been an Upper Makefield, there have been rolling open fields and deep, rich woods--and the flowing intermingling of the two. And Upper Makefield’s citizens have long been drawn to, and basked in, the beauty and functionality of the two as they co-exist to create a warm, welcoming, active lifestyle.
The town’s heritage has been captured magnificently in the renewed and evolving Brownsburg Park, the town’s de facto soccer and social center. And more than 500 people from Upper Makefield turned out Friday evening, Sept. 25 to celebrate the kick-off of the fall soccer season, the inaugural campaign watched over by the stunning new Park Pavilion--and the town’s current Indoor and Outdoor State Soccer Champions in the Under-9 Division.
Brownsburg Park’s planning began over 10 years ago, and it’s been open for games since 2005.
“Our initial goal was for Brownsburg to be a community park, because we didn’t have one before,” said Dave Kulig, a member of the Board of Supervisors.
Part of the town’s long-term recreation and open space planning, Brownsburg Park was designated for new soccer fields while baseball and softball would claim a completely redesigned Lookout Park just up River Road.
The opening of the modern-yet-rustic Park Pavilion this spring was the next big step in the park’s evolution.
“Brownsburg Park has been a tremendous success--a true anchor for the town’s recreation and social activity, and community members of all ages,” noted Thomas F. Cino, Chairman of the Upper Makefield Park and Recreation Board.
He added, “With the huge turn out this evening, we think this fall celebration at Brownsburg Park has the potential to become a great town tradition.”
Future plans to further anchor Brownsburg Park as the town’s social center include the potential for adding two basketball courts and two tennis courts.
“We’re still contemplating whether it be basketball or tennis,” Kulig says, “but it will definitely be one of the two.” And lacrosse is now played on the Brownsburg Park field in the spring, adding a sport the town could not, heretofore, call its own.
In total, an estimated 5,000 participants use the Brownsburg Park fields for games throughout the year – and countless tikes and young parents now use the on-site new playground, another recreation addition for Upper Makefield.
With this new home of its own, Upper Makefield-Newtown Soccer has plenty to celebrate. Participation has reached new heights, with over 850 registrations, up 10 percent in the past five years. The organization and its competitive players have upgraded their dedication to the sport, beyond facilities, and has become very competitive, as well as just plain great fun for younger kids.
The U-9 team pulled off the most unlikely and difficult to attain dual State Championships, in both indoor and outdoor soccer.
Speaking of how far the program has come, League President, Gary Roberts, noted “It is really rewarding the leaps the program has made in the last few years. Some would say, most importantly, the parents’ and kids’ commitment has turned tangible dividends. There’s literally nothing better than a dual State Championship for these kids.”
Specific to the kick-off, Roberts added, “It’s really a town celebration of the start of fall - soccer kicking into gear while acknowledging the great job the Town Planning and Parks Boards have done on Brownsburg Park. The evening has even become a solid fund-raiser for the soccer program. But for anyone here, especially the hundreds of kids of all ages playing pick-up soccer games with their friends, it’s just a good time.”
As the sun set panoramically over the rolling forested hills in the background, and with a carpet of lush green grass under foot, everyone could agree that Upper Makefield had a new chapter in its evolving history and has become even more attractive, offering even more to its citizens and the town’s state champion soccer players.
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