Foundation Academy celebrated the birth of upgraded facilities

When Foundation Academy welcomed the public and donors to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the brand new, eight-lane track and bleacher expansion Friday, Oct. 17, it’s celebration marked the beginning of a long-awaited dream becoming a reality.

The new track and bleachers are the first projects that were completed in a larger facilities upgrade to the school. A new concession stand, restrooms and a press box still are to come. 

The expansions began as an idea four years ago and have transformed into a multi-phase project to reshape and enhance Foundation’s athletic facilities to set a higher standard of experiences for student-athletes, students and fans. 

Foundation’s planning team laid down a base plan in 2021 and once funding officially was secured in February 2025, the team quickly sprung into action by updating designs and hiring contractors.

“We had a commitment from our booster club and some other very generous individuals,” said Robert East, Foundation Academy’s chief operations officer. 

In late April, the team officially broke ground on the track by painting the outline of the new track and approving its placement on the field. It was the first step in a larger facility upgrade picture. 

East said the school is hoping to have the new concession stand ready by Nov. 1. The press box is being built offsite and its scheduled to be fully completed and installed Dec. 1. 

The decision to build the press box offsite was strategic. East said it’s about the same price as having it built onsite, but with an offsite build they are able to use better materials such as concrete walls, a fortified roof built to hurricane standards. 

“You simply can’t get that kind of durability onsite without spending a lot more money,” he said. 

For a Florida school, where hurricanes and serious storms are a frequent concern, the offsite build made perfect sense. Foundation Academy had to battle the Florida elements as the track was being installed over the summer. 

“Construction always comes with challenges,” East said.

There was an aluminum supply slowdown that affected the bleachers, and they had weather-related issues with the track. During the summer, which is the rainy season in Florida, they were working on laying down the surface of the track. 

East explained the track’s material is rubberized and poured in a liquid form, so any form of moisture during installation can ruin entire sections. 

“One day, the whole back curve — about 80 meters — had to be stripped and redone after rain hit during installation,” he said. “It was frustrating for everyone involved and of course added to the cost. Some days it was too hot to pour, other days it rained. There were only about four of five good hours each day where work could happen.” 

When deciding on a type of track, Foundation had two options: the sandwich system, where it’s rolled out, or the pour-in-place, where everything comes as a liquid.

“We chose the pour-in-place system,” East said. “It’s more durable, binds better and gives a professional-level surface.” 

Despite the challenges, the end result was worth it and the pour-in-place track is going to enhance the performance of not only the student-athletes but also the students in class. 

SERVING THE STUDENTS 

The main force behind all the upgrades has been the students, East said. 

“Everything we do is to serve the needs of our students,” he said. “A track isn’t just for track and field, it supports cross-country, PE classes and training for our entire athletic program.” 

When students were first told about the upgrades to come, East said it was a mix of excitement and skepticism. Students told him, “I can’t wait for this to happen, but I’ll believe it when I see it.” 

“Now that they’re out here running on it, you can see their faces light up,” East said. “It’s building excitement for the future of this school, not just athletically, but in every area.” 

Photo by Megan Bruinsma

The new surface is providing all students a safer and more functional space on which to run. East said it’s not only for competition, but it’s also a training surface. It’ll help to prevent shin and ankle injuries, the repetitive injuries you get when you’re running on asphalt. 

East said the new track will allow Foundation to host home meets, which will cut down on the travel costs and gives the school fundraising opportunities through the concession stands and gate fees. The financial bonuses of hosting a home meet will create less financial pressure on the athletes. 

“Every athletic program needs funding,” East said. “We’d rather our kids spend their time training or serving the community than selling cookies door-to-door. With this facility, we can host meets, bring the community to campus and generate support in a way that benefits everyone. It’s a triple win.”

The concession stands will enhance the fans’ experience and now if they’re hungry, they can grab a bite to eat. But the real enhancement to any spectator is the expanded bleachers. 

For years the school had crowds standing or sitting in camping chairs because there wasn’t enough seating, East said. 

“We needed increased capacity for our growing community and now we finally have it,” he said. 

Spectators have much better visibility from the stands now to watch football, soccer and track events more clearly. Visitors have their own dedicated seating now, too. East said the new home stands were built from scratch, and they moved the old home stands to the visitor side. 

The change makes Foundation a more welcoming host. 

“Now our visitors feel comfortable coming here,” East said. “They have a real place to sit, to relax, to enjoy the game. That sense of hospitality matters.”

REPRESENTING THE FUTURE

East coached track for 15 years and he knows what a good facility looks like. He said this one is phenomenal. 

“I try really hard as an operations leader to provide what I always dreamed of having as a coach and teacher,” he said. 

His unique perspective has shaped every decision along the way. When he works on classrooms, he thinks about what teachers need to succeed. When he focuses on athletics, he thinks about what coaches need to run an excellent program. 

The coach is the most important part of any team’s success, but it’s challenging to do their job without a good facility, East said. Foundation’s blessed with professionals and he’s thrilled they can give the coaches a space to do advanced work. 

For Foundation Academy, the new track and other upgrades represent more than just an enhancement to their facilities — it’s a symbol of the future. 

“It’s about creating something lasting for our students,” East said. “When they step onto that track they’re not just running laps, they’re running towards the future of this school.”