'A lot of excitement.' Newport Central Catholic dedicates new athletic complex
Newport Central Catholic dedicated the Ciafardini Family Athletic Complex with mass and a ribbon cutting on Tuesday, April 14.
Before blessing Newport Central Catholic's Ciafardini Family Athletic Complex and Robert J. Schneider Field, Most Rev. John C.
Iffert, Bishop of Covington, noted that it was probably his first time on a football field since he was in high school. He recalled the advice of his freshman offensive line coach, Whitey Miller, yelled at him an estimated 2,000 times. "Head up!
Feet moving! " Iffert went on to preach about how that message, as well as how meekness, courage and humility can be applied to life and sports. The athletic complex, now almost five years in the making and set to open to NewCath's football and soccer teams this fall, was dedicated on Tuesday, April 14, with mass and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Tony Ciafardini, a 1966 graduate and local businessman, provided the keystone gift for the campaign. The field is named after legendary coach Robert Schneider , who died in 2021. He won 345 games from 1966 to 2009 and won state championships in 1984, 2005 and 2006.