New football field honors memory of player who was paralyzed in Robbins, Illinois

A special ceremony was held this weekend in the south Chicago suburb of Robbins to dedicate a new state-of-the-art football field.

County and statewide elected officials were on hand for the event.

For more than 30 years, Robbins has been without a true home football stadium. Now it has one, thanks to a $2 million grant from the State of Illinois.

The field is dedicated to Rasul "Rocky" Clark, a former Eisenhower High School football player who was paralyzed by a catastrophic spinal cord injury in a game back in 2000.

Clark passed away in 2012 following complications from abdominal surgery.

"This project is about more than football," Robbins Mayor Darren E. Bryant said in a news release. "It is about restoring pride, creating opportunity, and ensuring that our children have access to facilities that reflect their worth and potential. The Rocky Clark Legacy Field stands as a symbol of resilience, perseverance, and hope."

The new field includes 83,025 square feet of engineered multipurpose synthetic turf, permanent football and soccer markings, a Brock SP-17 shock pad system, a high-performance Pivot Turf System, new goalposts, and advanced drainage and stormwater management features.