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This SLO County high school didn’t always have lit football field. When did it get upgrade?

david middlecamp
·2 min read

The phrase “Friday night lights” is associated with high school football — but to be honest, as a photographer I enjoy the twilight of early season games before standard time kicks in.

That little extra bit of light reveals faces that really help tell a story.

As helmet face masks become more elaborate, I sometimes wish I had worked in the days of the single bar face-guard or in the leather helmet era. That would have been a while ago, since the NFL officially adopted plastic helmets in 1949.

But this is a photographer problem and keeping kids safe from injury is the first priority.

This year, San Luis Obispo High School is celebrating 100 years of fielding the sport.

In September of 1971, the big lights were just coming to the high school. This story from Sept. 4, 1971, was written by then-sports editor Johnny Nettleship:

Charlie Walters of Walters Constructon operates the crane while V. Whinnery, left, and Buster Bello of PG&E watch the light pole being put in place. Published on Sept. 4, 1971. A Sports page logo was glued onto the photo during the design of the page.
Charlie Walters of Walters Constructon operates the crane while V. Whinnery, left, and Buster Bello of PG&E watch the light pole being put in place. Published on Sept. 4, 1971. A Sports page logo was glued onto the photo during the design of the page.

Fans to see night ball at Holt Field

One of these fine nights very soon now, there’ll be a glow of lights emanating from the San Luis Obispo High School campus and another dream of the Black and Gold Club will have come true.

The glow will be coming from the new lights of the Frank Holt Field and will mean that the boosters club project has been successful.

The club, headed this year by Mario Rizzoli, provided the necessary manpower to help PG&E and members of the high school staff in placing the poles, wiring and lights. The work, expected to be completed between Sept. 11 and Sept. 18, will cost an estimated $13,000 with the club providing a healthy portion of the money.

Will Hairgrove, left, Edward Perry and John Rebensdorf complete the framework for a portion of the electrical system for lighting at Frank Holt Field. Published on Sept. 4, 1971.
Will Hairgrove, left, Edward Perry and John Rebensdorf complete the framework for a portion of the electrical system for lighting at Frank Holt Field. Published on Sept. 4, 1971.

While the installation of lights is a necessary part of the school’s plan to permit the Tigers to switch their home games from the Cal Poly Stadium to Frank Holt Field, the overall project also includes the addition of bleachers to seat about 1,000 fans on the visitor’s side of the field and a concession stand behind the existing bleachers.

The school district purchased the new bleachers at a cost of about $12,000 and that phase of the project is to be completed by Sept. 30. That’s a day before the Tigers of coach Leon Criner open their home slate by hosting the Paso Robles Bearcats at 8 p.m. on Oct 1.

San Luis Obispo’s season opener is against Madera at 8 p.m. on Sept. 24 in Madera.

The field will have four poles each with a 30-unit bank of 1500-watt tungsten halogen lights.

Stub Sweeney, long associated with youth athletics in this community is in charge of the lighting project for the Black and Gold.

Phil Prijatel, prone, and Rusty DuVal handle the corner turn as the Glack and Gold Club members place the wiring that will provide San Luis Obispo’s Frank Holt Field with lights. Published on Sept. 4, 1971.
Phil Prijatel, prone, and Rusty DuVal handle the corner turn as the Glack and Gold Club members place the wiring that will provide San Luis Obispo’s Frank Holt Field with lights. Published on Sept. 4, 1971.