MANSFIELD — Madison’s Startek Stadium could have a new turf football field by the 2026 season opener, thanks in part to the legacy of an alumnus.
Madison Supt. Rob Peterson announced Wednesday the Milliron Foundation has donated $200,000 to the turf replacement project.
The foundation carries on the legacy of Grant Milliron, a local businessman and philanthropist who died in 2023.
Milliron graduated from Madison High School and was part of the school’s football, basketball and track teams, his obituary states. According to Peterson, Milliron was named the football team’s most valuable player his senior year.
Peterson said the turf is slated for installation at the end of the 2025 football season, pending board approval. The board still needs to vote in order to move forward with the project.
Peterson said the original turf was installed in 2014 and the company that installed it predicted it would last about 10 seasons.
“We’ve taken what I feel is very good care of it,” Peterson said. “We get it evaluated every year to make sure it’s still safe. We’re still in the safe zone, but it’s time.”
Peterson said the board, athletic department and athletic boosters all committed to set aside $10,000 each per year to save up for turf replacement when the first field was put in a decade ago.
He said the district’s athletic boosters are also going to foot the bill for turf on the baseball and softball infields later this year, pending board approval.
“If that project comes to fruition the way we foresee it, this spring will be the last season that the baseball and softball teams play with dirt. Next spring, the infields will be turfed,” Peterson said.
Peterson said the district will not be contributing funds to the baseball and softball portion of the project.
“The boosters have applied for a $600,000 loan, plus they have some funds set aside,” he said.
“We very much appreciate our booster club and all they do, not only for our athletic programs, but for the school.”