🦁 Save Townsend Field – Protect the Legacy of the Santa Clara Lions and Coach Craig Connelly
Urgent Issue: Demolition Threat, Softball Team Priority & Unfair Treatment
The Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD) is threatening to demolish Townsend Field, a historic home for the Santa Clara Lions, while giving a softball organization from San Jose first priority over the back section of the field. This forces our 80+ local kids to share a single 100-yard football field, while the other team uses the entire back field, even hitting baseballs toward our players.

When our coaches tried to finish practice after the softball team left, the district turned on the sprinklers and shut off the lights while our players were still on the field.

This behavior is completely unacceptable and directly harms our youth, our families, and the legacy of our program.

The softball team’s $30,000 donation for lights — a deal made before Coach Craig Connelly’s passing — was always meant to benefit both programs under a shared-use agreement. Since his passing, the district has gone back on that promise, giving full control to the outside program and disregarding the Santa Clara Lions’ 60-year history in this community.

We also want to make clear that Michal Healy, who has been leading these decisions, is from Sacramento, not Santa Clara. She is attempting to make changes that affect our city’s youth and legacy — decisions that should be guided by local community members who know and care about Santa Clara.

We call on the district — and Michal Healy — to immediately:

Honor the original shared-use agreement.
Restore fair field access to the Santa Clara Lions.
Stop prioritizing outside organizations over local youth.
Our kids deserve to practice safely and proudly on their home field — the same one that has shaped generations of Santa Clara athletes.

 
Background: Protecting Townsend Field and Coach Connelly’s Legacy
For decades, Townsend Field has been the home of the Santa Clara Lions — a place where generations of young athletes have learned teamwork, discipline, and pride under the guidance of dedicated coaches and community members. This field represents more than just grass and fences — it is a living part of Santa Clara’s history.

Following the passing of our beloved coach, Craig Connelly, the heart and soul of our program, the proposal to demolish the field feels especially painful and disrespectful to his legacy. Coach Connelly gave years of his life mentoring local youth, and Townsend Field stands as a testament to his dedication to this community.

We understand the district’s goal of expanding soccer facilities, but this plan makes little sense. Santa Clara already has several newly built and well-maintained soccer fields, including the large Santa Clara Soccer Park that has served the community for years. Meanwhile, Townsend Field is one of the few remaining dedicated spaces for youth baseball and the Santa Clara Lions, who have called it home for decades.

If the district truly needs more field space, Cabrillo Middle School and the baseball fields behind it currently sit vacant and could be developed instead. These sites would meet the district’s goals without erasing a historic and actively used community field.

Recently, it was mentioned that another program donated $30,000 and will receive first priority for field use in 2026. We believe financial donations should never outweigh decades of community investment, volunteer work, and local tradition.

 
We, the undersigned, request the following:
Immediately pause all demolition or redevelopment plans for Townsend Field.
Hold a public hearing where community members, parents, and athletes can share input before any final decision is made.
Explore alternative sites — such as Cabrillo Middle School or other vacant fields — for soccer expansion.
Protect Townsend Field as a shared-use space for the Santa Clara Lions and community teams.
Dedicate Townsend Field as “Coach Craig Connelly Memorial Field” to honor his legacy and the generations of youth he inspired.
Townsend Field belongs to the community. Its legacy deserves respect, not removal.

Save Townsend Field. Honor our past. Protect our future.

Signed,
The Santa Clara Lions, Families, and Community Supporters