The new sports facility at Holy Spirit College has already won a lot of fans.
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And it is not only students and staff who are raving about the all-weather surface which incorporates four retractable cricket nets, allowing for a number of sports to be played at the Bellambi-based college.
Representative cricket side Greater Illawarra will use the "world-class nets" to train for the upcoming Country Championships.
The team is coached by former Illawarra cricketer and Holy Spirit College PDHPE teacher Dean Merola.
"For me this is is one of the best cricket nets I've seen in terms of its quality," Mr Merola said.
"Thirty-five years in the game, I've never seen nets this good. The synthetic surface is state of the art. You have got four lanes. It is just a brilliant, brilliant facility.
"If I had to say, out of the whole of the South Coast, these nets would be the best on the South Coast. They are that good."
In fact, the quality facility was part of the reason why Mr Merola came out of retirement to coach the Greater Illawarra cricket side.
"When I saw these nets being built, I got an urge to get back into the game," he said.
"After the boss at home gave me the go ahead I applied for the coaching job and luckily got it.
"I'll be training the Illawarra team here on Wednesday. I'm sure the boys will be just as impressed with the facilities as I am."
Mr Merola said more importantly students and the school community would benefit the most from the multi-purpose facility.
"We've always had a lot of green space but this allows PE staff to run a number of classes for various sports in a designated area," he said.
Mr Merola praised school principal Chris Agnew and business manager Justin Bowden for improving the school's sporting facilities.
"I've been here 20 years and we haven't had much success. In the one year that Justin has been here, he has lifted the spirits of the PE staff and it has given us renewed energy to provide the quality lessons for the kids."
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Mr Bowden said the $160,000 project was fully donated and funded by the college's Parents & Friends (P&F) Association.
"They were quite excited about the project. They themselves wanted to make sure it was also a facility that was available for as many students within our community as possible and they have been very supportive of it," he said.
P&F Association president Kim Gray said the facility was a great investment for students and the school.
"From a parent's point of view it is a great facility that can be used by all of our students, especially for those who have dexterity challenges or physical disabilities," she said.
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
