---

The Asbury Park High School [APHS] football team Friday night played for the first time in the school’s history under new stadium lighting installed at the Asbury Park football stadium.

The lighting was installed two months ago and paid for by funds from the sale of a the former board of education building downtown, according to William Shannon, director of special services for the Asbury Park school district

The lights proceded for “a nice little Friday night for the visiting kids, the our kids and parents in the community of Asbury Park,” said Walter Barrett, APHS athletics liaison.

Barrett has been athletic liaison for two years. The initiative to get the football grounds in order and add lighting began  at least five or six years ago, before his tenure as athletics liaison, he said.

“First came the turf, then the lights. It’s going to make the program grow, he said, “all the kids that are coming up now, playing Pop Warner for us, are going to grow up to play on this field at night.”

“It’s a nice field, the reputation of the school is back out there,” said High School Principal Reginald Mirthil.

Although the football team was shutout by Shore Regional in their first home night game, 10-0, Mirthil will use the chance to stress the importance of academics along with athletics.

“Even though they lost, I think it is humbling,” he said. “Now they get to understand, there are other options than football. Not everyone’s going to make it to the NFL, or even a division 1 school”

Mirthil is a 1996 graduate of APHS who played football on the same field. He holds a masters degree from Rowan University.

“I wasn’t as good as these guys,” he said.

When Mirthil was appointed high school proncipal two years ago, athletic ability held a larger precedence than athletics, he said.

Mirthil uses opportunities like these to talk to the kids about having a plan B. For him, Friday night might have been a loss for athletics, but it was a win for academics.

“For me, it’s not about the athletics,” said Mirthil. “I’m working on instructional rigor and making the school a home away from home. But [the lights] are good for revitalizing the program, and improve the way the student’s view the school.”

[Photo at top: The Blue Bishops line up to receive a kick at the start of the third quarter under newly installed stadium lights.]

————————————————————

Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook and Twitter.

---