LOS ANGELES – The Notre Dame High School softball team celebrated the dedication of the Gladys C. Burns Softball Field on Thursday, where the Burns family, along with other donors were honored before the Knights’ game against Chaminade.
On behalf of Notre Dame High School, the Notre Dame softball program; our players, coaching staff and myself, I speak for all of us in expressing our sincere gratitude to the Fritz B. Burns Foundation and all the donors, not only for their generous contributions to Notre Dame, but for helping to “realize a dream” in building a softball facility we can call home,” said head softball coach Dana Vasquez. “Our players have a new sense of belonging and purpose and we are extremely honored and humbled to play on a field dedicated in honor of Gladys C. Burns.”
A project years in the making, Notre Dame Board Members, donors and staff were in collaboration in getting the field funded and built.
Major donors made the field possible, including the Fritz B. Burns Foundation, Justin Rawlins and Rawlinson family (’91), Murphy and Ed Romano, Diego Munoz-Flores, Janet, Chris and Richard (’11) Lucas.
Wanting to honor one of the matriarchs of their family and celebrate female athletes, The Fritz B. Burns Foundation named the field the Gladys C. Burns Softball Field.
Coach Vasquez, Dean of Women and former coach Ann McClung and Athletic Trainer Cindy Kramer were also honored during Thursdays dedication, with the Dana Vasquez Knights Softball Team Home Dugout, The Ann McClung Knights Softball Team Room and the Cindy Kramer Knights Softball Team Visitors Dugout.
"The addition of the Gladys C Burns Softball field for Notre Dame is a huge game changer for us as an athletic department,” said Athletic Director Alec Moss. “This facility will be home to many current and future Knights and give us a great opportunity to compete at the highest level. We are so grateful to everyone who made this happen. "
The Knights capped off their dedication with a 3-0 sweep over Chaminade, advancing to 2-0 in league play.