Rams fans of all ages braved rain and storms to celebrate the dedication and opening of O’Hara Field on April 5. The O’Hara Family, John ’81, Linda, David ’14, Tom ’15 and Katie ’17, were in attendance for a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the field for competition. The Varsity Boys Lacrosse team made opening day a winner with a 13-8 victory over Lafayette High School. For STLToday.com coverage of the game, click HERE.
MICDS also hosted celebrations for the inaugural Girls Lacrosse and Girls Soccer games on April 6 and April 7. In addition to boys and girls lacrosse and soccer, O’Hara Field will also be home to Rams football.
Following is a reprint of remarks prepared by Josh Smith, MICDS Athletic Director, in honor of the occasion. Because of the inclement weather, these remarks were not given at the ceremony.
It is my honor to welcome everyone today for our dedication of O’Hara Field! Today we have an opportunity to thank an incredibly generous family who has played a huge part in making it possible for our student-athletes to compete in this special venue.
Over the last few years our athletic program has grown, alongside our school, and it became apparent that we needed a new field venue that would highlight our student-athletes and all of their amazing team and individual achievements. We imagined a playing field that would enhance competition and personal growth, while fostering and placing a spotlight on the schoolwide community spirit that makes MICDS special. When we incorporated this vision into the priorities of our Bold Action Campaign, the O’Hara Family came forward and stood tall helping us with this project.
The O’Hara Family’s commitment to MICDS athletics began more than three decades ago with John O’Hara. A 1981 graduate of St. Louis Country Day School, John played for coach Ron Holtman. David ’14 and Tom ’15 were both lacrosse captains during their senior seasons, and they worked side-by-side helping to reestablish the Rams lacrosse team as the best in the area, beginning their current run of three straight championships. Katie, a junior, is currently leaving her mark on athletics competing for both our field hockey and lacrosse programs. Linda is currently the president of our Sports Boosters Program. She has prioritized the recognition of our student-athletes, and her passion for supporting our teams is well known. All of the O’Haras are known to be big fans of MICDS athletics, and they are consistently a presence in our crowds cheering on the Rams. And this field will offer countless opportunities to do just that.
O’Hara Field is the host for an MICDS record 5 Athletic Programs. We see this impactful space as a tremendous resource that will push our student-athletes, coaches, and teams to achieve at the highest possible level. The excitement generated from the competition on this field will fuel our athletic programs in the years to follow.
To the O’Hara family: on behalf of the entire MICDS community, thank you for your leadership and thank you for your generosity in transforming our vision of this field into a reality for our students. Your commitment to this project, and to MICDS is remarkable.
As our lacrosse team takes the field today, we begin a new chapter in our school’s athletic history.