SLIDESHOW: Belmont Titans Play First Match at Koret Field

Absolutely nothing could have made the Belmont Titan's soccer match on Sunday any better.

Playing on warm, sunny afternoon on a meticulous, regulation-size turf field before a welcoming crowd and an approving city government, the Titans won their match 5-2.

Normally a mid-season match wouldn’t be all that significant, but this California Youth Soccer Association Under-15 boy’s team from Belmont was the first youth soccer team to play on Notre Dame de Namur University’s (NDNU) Koret Field.

After nearly two years of discussions and negotiations with the City of Belmont over who live near the field, youth sports groups were granted permission to use the field in a

Mayor Coralin Feierbach attended the match with her husband Gary Feierbach, and admitted it was her first. “I decided to come and see what it was like, and it’s great.” said Feierbach from her seat in the covered bleachers. 

Bill and Debbie Moyle, parents of Belmont Titan Brandon Moyle were thrilled to be watching their son play on the artificial turf field. “It’s a real privilege to play here and it’s a huge difference playing on a turf field,” said Bill. And within seconds of Bill's comment, Brandon scored the Titan's third goal. 

Debbie added, “We were at a disadvantage by not having a turf field, because it’s a much faster game on turf, and when the kids get to high school all the fields are turfed, so now they’ll have the experience of a faster playing surface.”

Although the team’s home field will remain the Belmont Sports Complex, the Titans and other youth soccer teams will be able to use Koret Field to help alleviate the overcrowding at all of the other fields.

For Brad Driver, whose son Cole plays for the Titans, controversy over playing fields is nothing new. "I was involved in the turfing controversy at Highlands Park in San Carlos. But now that it's turfed, everybody loves it."

Councilman Warren Lieberman arrived at half-time after attending his own son’s away match in Sunnyvale. Asked what he thought of the Titans using the field, he said, “In a word, awesome with a capital ‘A’. I’m delighted this match is going on right now. It’s a good indication of the type of relationship NDNU and the City should have.”

Also in attendance was Councilman Dave Warden who agreed that it was good to see the field being used by youth soccer teams.

Titans player Nathan Rosenthal's dad, Don, summed it up from a parent's perspective, "We are very happy and very grateful--this is a terrific field."

But no one seemed more pleased than Titans coach, Tom Snider, who along with Greg Snow of AYSO, led the effort to gain access to Koret Field for youth sports teams.

As he jogged across the field at half-time, he just smiled and said, “Awesome.”