Not too long ago it looked like the Biddeford High School football team would have to find a new home. The bleachers at historic Waterhouse Field were deemed unsafe and the field was closed in April of 2017 — and it was definitely not guaranteed that the Tigers would ever be back on the iconic field.
The Biddeford community made sure future generations of Tigers would continue to play at Waterhouse Field. The old bleachers were cleared off the site by residents, and local business owners and contractors — led by Waterhouse Field Alumni Association President Jim Godbout — did a lot of work to help cut the costs down for the school district.
With all of their work and voters passing a budget that funded the rest of the project, the Tigers are going to be playing at Waterhouse Field for a long, long time.

“I’m so very proud of this community,” said Biddeford coach Brian Curit. “I think that it’s the only community in Maine where you would have had this type of effort — all the artisans, all the people who just said ‘hey, what can we do?’ I don’t know what the final price tag was, but I know they said it was (cut in half) as a result of the people that volunteered.”
Curit and the Tigers were able to play at Waterhouse last fall thanks to the work of the volunteers and Massabesic High School letting Biddeford borrow some temporary bleachers. But when the Tigers take the field tonight against visiting Cony, they will be starting a new era on a brand-new turf field with new bleachers and a high-tech scoreboard ready to greet them.
“I think it’s going to be amazing. So many people from this community have helped out and I know that a lot of people from the football community want to go see that game. It’s going to be a special place to play,” said Biddeford quarterback Carter Edgerton on the first game at the renovated Waterhouse.
Curit agreed with his senior captain.
“It’s going to be remarkably special,” said Curit, who gave credit to Biddeford Superintendent Jeremy Ray and Godbout for spearheading the Waterhouse renovation.
Biddeford’s other senior captain, Marty Martel, believes the community will show up in full force to celebrate the new-look Waterhouse.
“There’s been a lot of talk. It’s going to be a lot of fun. Everyone is going to be there,” said Martel. “We’re going to kick off the new field and I don’t think there’s going to be a spot left in the seats. I think it’s going to be something to be at … it’s not something (you want) to miss.”
Martel is ready to play at a Waterhouse Field that won’t look like what he called “a construction zone.”
“It kind of wasn’t fun last year because we didn’t have the same environment,” said Martel, who admitted he didn’t know how to feel about Waterhouse losing its grass field. “I didn’t know how it was going to be having a new facility and not having that old-school feel to the field, but now that it’s all together (it looks) great. There’s not going to be anything like it … it’s going to be one of a kind.”
Curit certainly heard some people saying they wanted Waterhouse to stay the same and keep a grass field, but he is confident they will change their minds when they step into the stadium.
“They’re going to see the best stadium in Maine. I have absolutely no doubt about that,” said Curit. “When the crowd is there, the bleachers are filled, our scoreboard is second to none, you’re even closer to the action than you were. Initially I was really a grass guy, but in regards to feasibility and in regards to making sense and amount of usage, it only makes sense (to move to turf).”
The longtime Biddeford coach is also thrilled to see the new turf field become a reality for other BHS sports teams — especially the Tigers’ field hockey program.
“We’re ecstatic for the girls field hockey team. I believe they are going to win a state championship, I think they’re that good and that sport needs to be played on turf and I’m happy for them,” said Curit. “My daughter’s a former soccer player here, I’m happy for them. I’m happy for the guys’ soccer team and lacrosse in the spring.”
A new turf field could have been built somewhere else in Biddeford, but Curit firmly believed the only place it made sense was right back where so many residents have made memories over the last nine decades.
“There was a movement afoot to put a comprehensive complex across the street (from the high school) where we practice and it was quite a plan, frankly, but you know what? You don’t close Fenway Park, you don’t, you just don’t. I think that would have been a shame,” said Curit.
Edgerton and Martel are certainly happy to play their senior campaigns at Waterhouse Field — a place where they grew up watching the Tigers and waiting for their moment to shine.
“They had one week every year where the (Biddeford Youth Football Association) kids used to line up and get to high five the high school kids and I thought it was the coolest thing … they were like celebrities to us,” said Edgerton.
“Just like every kid (who will be there tonight), I wanted to be there. I wanted everybody to be cheering me on, playing on the field and (to) be those big football players making hits and making everybody go ‘ooh and aah,’” added Martel.
And of course a win against Cony tonight would certainly make the celebration even better.
“I think it would mean so much to not only the team and coaches, but also to the community to just know that it hasn’t changed. I mean (there is) turf and everything, but it’s still the Waterhouse Field we always played on and (getting a win) would be amazing,” said Edgerton.
— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at pmcdonald@journaltribune.com or at 282-1535 ext. 322. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.