Ching Field now open in Manoa

The Clarence T.C. Ching Field on the University of Hawai“i-Manoa campus is now open.

Hawai‘i officials, state legislators and representatives from the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation gathered Monday to dedicate the field with UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw and Hawai‘i Athletics Director Jim Donovan joining House speaker Calvin Say and T.C. Ching Foundation chair Jack Tsui in untying the maile lei.

The multi-purpose facility will be used by various athletics teams as well as intramurals, the ROTC, and the Hawai‘i band. It will also continue to host other non-UH events including Special Olympics.

“It’s great to have the Clarence T.C. Ching Field completed,” Donovan said. “This will help all of our sports programs, especially football. Other UH programs will also benefit like the band, kinesiology and leisure science, intramurals and ROTC.”

The $1.2 million turf replacement project is the first phase of the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, which upon completion will include a 5,000-seat stadium with locker rooms and coaches offices. The new artificial surface installed by Sports Turf Hawai‘i displays the “H” logo at midfield and “Hawai‘i” emblazoned in both end zones.

“Today we move closer to the creation of the Ching Athletics Complex — a multi-purpose center of student activity for athletics, physical education, recreation, band, cheerleading, and a facility to host community-wide events,” said Hinshaw.

With a $5 million donation from the Ching Foundation, the former Cooke Field was renamed the Clarence T.C. Ching Field last May.

Cooke Field, which hosted Hawai‘i’s first on-campus track meet in 1916, was permanently relocated to the makai campus in 1960. The grass football and soccer practice fields adjacent to the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium will continue to carry the name Cooke Field.

Ching Field which has not been used for football practice since 2003, will host the Warrior football team’s opening of spring practice on March 30.