ELKTON, Fla. – The St. Johns County Police Athletic League held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for its new athletic fields in Elkton.
The ceremony was hosted by Thompson Hinman, the executive director of the Police Athletic League, or PAL. For Hinman, a former PAL kid himself, this is a passion project.
“Years ago, the idea of this PAL sports complex was nothing more than a dream,” Hinman said. “But today, as we stand on this very ground, we witness that dream taking shape. The PAL sports complex will create a sense of unity and camaraderie within our community.”
PAL is a mentorship program partnered with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. This mentoring program specializes in all youth, not only the ones who are considered troubled, because to PAL, everyone needs a mentor, no matter where you live or what walk of life you come from.
“In fostering such a spirit, this complex will also strengthen the bond between law enforcement and the community and create a united front against all adversities,” Hinman said.
This project is more than a sports complex. To those involved in making it a reality, it is a signal to come together and form a safety net for the children of the community.
The event was attended by Sheriff Robert Hardwick, Rep. Cindy Stevenson, Commissioner Roy Alamo, Commissioner Christa Joseph and her husband, Ron, but also by young members of the PAL program, including Brooks Barnett, a young boy on the Warriors baseball team.
“When I am older, I will not talk about the championships, but the friendships I made,” Barnett said, “The Police Athletics League has given me the opportunity to compete as a student-athlete at a high level while teaching us the importance of hard work and leadership.”
The field the sports complex is being built on is 37 acres, which is enough room for not only a state-of-the-art facility but also multiple sports fields for mentees to play on.
The hope is to open the complex in 2025.