The man in charge of the process, Vuksich and Borich field consultant Laurie Stubbing, had predicted the pitch would be ready for use by the first week of July.
But with the grass cover very nearly at its optimal level, the decision has been made to open it up for action slightly earlier than anticipated.
“We are extremely happy that our field is ready for use,” Football Federation of American Samoa (FFAS) chief executive officer Tavita Taumua says.
“We have actually been able to start using it a lot earlier than expected. It has been used mainly for our men’s and women’s national team training sessions but we have also been using it in the mornings for our junior programmes as well.”
Pago Park has experienced a dramatic existence in recent years and the redevelopment work to the surface is the latest chapter in an amazing story of hope and triumph.
The facility has almost had to be entirely rebuilt after suffering massive destruction during the tsunami that struck American Samoa in September 2009.
The Home of Football was in the direct path of the wave that killed 33 people in the small island nation, including 11 in Pago Pago. The headquarters were badly damaged while FFAS groundsman Paepae Soia Su was lucky to escape with his life after he was swept 100 metres before clinging to a tree for survival.
Paepae became one of those who exemplified the spirit of the community, going straight back to work to lead the clean-up efforts.
With the assistance of FIFA’s Goal Project initiative, which aims to help national associations around the world improve their facilities, Pago Park has undergone a complete transformation in the months that followed the devastating tsunami.
The rebuilding process has seen the completion of two international-sized playing fields and four changing rooms, the refurbishment of the grandstand with medical and cafe facilities, and the rehabilitation of administrative, maintenance and executive offices.
FFAS President Iuli Alex Godinet is pleased that the icing has now been put on what is becoming a very impressive cake and couldn’t be happier about the field’s condition.
“Finally, after a long wait, we can use it for our activities,” he says.
“From the time of the tsunami and during problems with the re-seeding we’ve had to make do with other arrangements. Helping us in this situation was Kananafou Theological Seminary – we will be forever grateful to them for allowing us the use of their field and our partnership will continue.”
The park will see it’s first official action next week when the FFAS Summer Youth League kicks off on July 5. The national teams will continue to train at Pago Park until they head to New Caledonia in August to compete at the Pacific Games.
“Our national league is tentatively scheduled for late September so when our teams leave for New Caledonia there will be some weeks when we can rest the field and have it fertilised,” President Godinet says.
“All of our clubs cannot wait to compete here because after the FIFA Goal Project phases II and III, our fields are bigger and they will be playing on international sizes when the competition kicks off.”
For more on American Samoa football go to www.ffas.as