OCEANSIDE — The city is exploring field options to find a permanent home with on-site storage for Oceanside Pop Warner and Thunder Rugby, including future fields at El Corazon Park.
A 4-1 council majority on Aug. 19 directed staff to evaluate the city’s current and future multipurpose sports fields and return with recommendations that prioritize one as the home field for both youth sports organizations.
Council members Jimmy Figueroa and Rick Robinson, who introduced the proposal, said the move was intended to address a long-standing request from the sports programs and their families.
Although most Oceanside Pop Warner and Thunder Rugby players are from Oceanside, the programs often must look elsewhere for fields to host home games, including neighboring Vista and Carlsbad.
“If we could have a home field here, it would be a benefit to the families,” said Josh Williams, president and founder of Thunder Rugby.
Several coaches and supporters spoke in favor of designating the future multipurpose fields at Supul/El Corazon Park as the teams’ home fields. However, the council ultimately agreed to have staff examine other locations as well, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Melba Bishop parks.
Because rugby and football are played at different times of the year, the programs would not conflict. Robinson said other sports teams could still use the fields, but the two programs would receive priority.
“I think our football program and rugby program deserve it,” Robinson said.
Both programs have made significant strides over the years. Most recently, Oceanside Pop Warner made history by sending three teams to the 2025 Pop Warner Super Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina, and bringing home two national championship titles.
The council’s direction also included exploring on-site storage options, which became a sticking point for some.
“If we’re going to give them storage, we have to give storage to other people,” said Kelyn Hsu, vice chair of the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
Joan Bockman, president of Friends of El Corazon, pointed to the years of work that have gone into designing the future Park Site 1, which includes the planned fields. Any change to that vision would require a thoughtful process, she said.
“This park is spoken for. It is for the people of Oceanside, and what we do when we make a minor change is full hearings to make those changes,” Bockman said. “Please use a process that is dependable and can be used for everyone.”
Although supportive of efforts to find a permanent home for the teams, Deputy Mayor Eric Joyce suggested examining other parks as well. He noted that potentially poor soil conditions at El Corazon could affect use of the fields, along with other possible conflicts at the future park site.
“I just want to know if El Corazon is the right place,” he said.
Mayor Esther Sanchez cast the lone vote against the direction, saying she wanted to hear from staff about the available options and costs first. She also expressed concern about maintaining city control of the fields and providing on-site storage.
“I don’t feel comfortable supporting such a very specific motion tonight,” she said.
In a separate motion, the City Council unanimously directed staff to evaluate the feasibility and cost of installing synthetic turf at the new El Corazon fields and other locations, including Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
Gonzalez told the council it would cost approximately $2.2 million to install grass fields and $3.2 million to install synthetic turf fields at Supul/El Corazon Park. Installing synthetic turf at Martin Luther King Jr. Park would cost approximately $4.2 million. Over the course of its useful life, synthetic turf would be less expensive to maintain and replace than grass, he added.
Speakers were divided over the use of synthetic turf. Sports teams supported it because it would let them keep playing after rain, while environmental advocates raised concerns that plastics and carcinogens in synthetic turf could make people sick.
Gonzalez said the synthetic turf industry has removed the carcinogenic “crumb rubber” product and has worked to reduce its environmental impact.
