Ribbon cutting held for Tyler Boyd Stadium in Clairton
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Thursday for Tyler Body Stadium in Clairton.
The Clairton Bears have a new, fresh look for their home field this year, and the Clairton alumnus is the namesake of the stadium. The ceremony was a way to honor countless memories made by Boyd at Clairton and the countless more the Bears hope to have.
For Boyd, a former Pitt football star and NFL player, the honor of having the field named after him left him speechless.
"I'm very happy and overwhelmed," Boyd said about the honor.
Thursday's event ended the first phase of construction, which put in new turf, modern lights, a 1,200-seat grandstand, a press box, and a digital scoreboard. The second phase will add a multi-use fieldhouse with locker rooms, training spaces and classrooms.
"I always told myself that I will always come back and help and support the next generations or whoever is in need of help, that I was going to be that guy," Boyd said.
Boyd remembers playing on the field during Clairton's 63-1 record run, and it certainly needed some love.
"When I was growing up, I wished we had turf as well," he said.
He said this is so much more than just a stadium. In a community that has socioeconomic problems, this field is a way to put aside problems and see what can bring a town together.
"The one thing that's always going to be a united group activity is coming to the football games. You're going to get stands full of the Clairton community," Boyd said.
Boyd put money toward the project, but he wanted to keep the amount private. The Bears will play their first game on the field when they take on Imani Christian Academy on Friday.