On Saturday, The New York Giants teamed up with the City of Newark and representatives from The Newark Board of Education in the event that invited area youth, high school football teams and other community programs to attend the "Back Together Saturday" community event.
New York Giants officials said in a statement that their training camp practice tour also included announced visits to Cleveland and New England.
Second-year coach Joe Judge wanted a camp event geared toward the local community and found an outlet in the NFL initiative called "Back Together Saturday."
More than a dozen school busses dropped off student-athletes, cheerleaders and community leaders at the newly-renovated 4,500-seat Eddie Moraes Stadium – formerly Ironbound Stadium – reopening after being closed by the federal government in 1987.
Newark city officials said after the long hiatus, the stadium, which frequently hosted local and international soccer games, will again be the home of the East Side High School football program.
NY Giants officials said the 5 p.m. start time event was attended by about 2000 students and invited guess but was not open to the general public.
High school football teams from Newark and surrounding communities, plus nearby Pop Warner and other youth programs attended the practice session.
Coach Judge and a few players addressed the students on the importance of staying in school and reaching high levels in learning.
In an ongoing relationship with The City of Newark, officials said The New York Giants contributed tens of thousands to multiple projects, including Eddie Moraes Stadium, one of six football fields in Newark that have been rehabbed through the LISC NFL Grassroots Program.
NY Giants officials said the other five are:
- Andre Tippet Field, Branch Brook Park, Newark, NJ
- Nat Turner Park, Central Ward, Newark, NJ
- Westside Park, Newark, NJ
- Jesse Allen Park, Newark, NJ
- Newark Collegiate Academy, Newark, NJ
- The Ironbound Community Corporation secured a $250,000 grant from the NFL for the refurbishment of Eddie Moraes Stadium.
The new Eddie Moraes Stadium Ironbound stadium will be a multi-purpose sports facility and is expected to host its first high school football game in the fall.
The stadium was renamed in 2020 in memory of Mr. Eddie Moraes, an Ironbound resident who was a prominent soccer player and administrator across the county for 50 years.
