For most high schools, holding football practice is as simple as walking just a few steps away from the classrooms. For nearly 60 years, this was not possible for the student-athletes at Mary Star of the Sea High School. Now, with a brand new campus in San Pedro, the Stars have a field of their own.

In 1950, Mary Star of the Sea High School was established on the intersection of Eighth Street and Cabrillo Avenue in San Pedro. At the time, it consisted of a couple of buildings, a parking lot and a playground/athletic area.

To make room for a new church (completed in 1958), the playground/athletic area was removed and the dirt lot was paved. This turned the football team into vagabonds as they practiced at various sites around the L.A. harbor area --- Peck Park, Daniels Field, Harbor Park and Fromhold Field among them.

On Nov. 28, 2007, students and faculty enjoyed the experience of arriving for classes at the new 27-acre home of the Stars: 2500 N. Taper Avenue, in the northern part of San Pedro. The school's enrollment has been at capacity ever since (500 students).

The athletic field --- spearheaded by the Mary Star High School Athletic Booster Club, parents and other Mary Star supporters --- took a little over a year to get into shape. It's not a stadium, but a practice field is a good start.

"The new practice field will give our student-athletes a sense of pride of having something that's theirs," said Coach Dino Andrie. "It will definitely save on time, so our players will be able to get home sooner. Practicing on campus gives the school a better sense of community. It eases the worries of having athletes commute to off-site practice fields. The football program will be able to use our time more effectively, getting more accomplished without having to travel to practice."

Andrie has seen much happen since he became a member of the Mary Star of the Sea High School family. After a stellar football career, Andrie graduated from Mary Star in 1979 and returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach while in college. This will be his 25th year coaching the Stars and 14th as head coach.

"As a player in the '70s, I never envisioned a new campus, let alone a practice field on campus," Andrie said, as practice began Aug. 17. "What a blessing it has been to have our own field on campus."