ALLENTOWN, Pa. — In celebration of its centennial, Allentown Central Catholic High School plans to build an athletic complex in Whitehall Township that will serve as a “home away from home” for current and future students, officials said.
The high school, at 301 N. Fourth St., Allentown, is raising money for the project and other initiatives as part of a capital campaign to mark its 100-year anniversary in 2026.
“We’re the only Diocesan high school that doesn’t have our own fields, and so I think that is really where a lot of that athletic focus came from,”Adrienne Motley, Central Catholic's director of alumni relations
Central Catholic is working with Ruotolo Associates Inc., a national fundraising and public relations firm in New Jersey, to raise the funds.
The campaign is in its early stages, and a goal has not yet been determined.
School leaders said they aren’t ready to disclose the cost of the athletic complex project or its specific location yet either.
They confirmed the school has an agreement of sale for 23 acres in Whitehall.
The purchase will be finalized pending the completion of testing, permitting and zoning requirements, they said.
If all goes well, the complex — to consist of a turf field and track — will open for student use sometime next school year, said Adrienne Motley, Central Catholic's director of alumni relations.
“We’re the only Diocesan high school that doesn’t have our own fields, and so I think that is really where a lot of that athletic focus came from,” Motley said.
Giving students what they need
The athletic complex would include a synthetic multi-purpose field, bleacher seating for 500 to 600 spectators and a training and storage facility.
Additionally, the proposed complex would have restrooms, a press box, lights and a scoreboard.
“We need to really make sure we have this to provide what our kids need."Adrienne Motley, Central Catholic's director of alumni relations
Motley said the school has researched and discussed such a project for decades, but the centennial has provided an opportunity to take action.
“We need to really make sure we have this to provide what our kids need,” she said.
More than 80% of the student body plays a sport, Motley said. The school has about 600 students enrolled.
Depending on how much money is raised, the school will explore the potential for other projects at the Whitehall Township land, too, she said.
Those include a jump pit, throwing area, tennis courts and practice fields for baseball and softball.
Randy Rice, Central Catholic’s principal emeritus, said there is the potential to create grass practice fields, as well.
“We’re going to try to get as much multiple use out of these things as we can,” Rice said.
The athletic complex would serve as the home competition field for the boys and girls soccer teams, as well as the boys and girls lacrosse teams.
The track team would hold competitions at the complex, too.
Practices would be held there when it’s not being used for competitions.
“With the exception of football, the goal is [that the complex is] really eventually the home of most, if not all, of our sports,” Motley said.
Central Catholic’s football team will continue practicing at its current location on American Parkway and competing at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown.
In recent years, Rice said the school’s soccer and tennis teams have played at Cedar Crest College’s facilities and the lacrosse teams at Salisbury High School’s fields.
“The field rentals are very expensive,” he said. “There’s a nice trade off if we have our own, [then] we’re not paying somebody to use their fields.”
Opportunities for partner schools
Rice said the athletic complex also could provide a space at which Central Catholic’s partner schools could hold field days.
“I just think it would be a great marriage to have them involved with us,” he said.
ACCHS partners with local Catholic schools that serve students in kindergarten through eighth grade, with the goal of those students matriculating to the high school.
The partner schools include: Good Shepherd School in Northampton, St. Ann School in Emmaus, St. Elizabeth’s Regional School in Whitehall, St. John Neumann Regional School in Palmerton, St. John Vianney Regional School in Allentown, St. Joseph the Worker School in Orefield, St. Michael the Archangel School in Bethlehem and St. Thomas More School in Allentown.
“We do a lot of work right now with our students going out to their schools, which obviously wouldn’t go away,” Motley said.
“But just giving us the ability to host a different kind of event and to grow that partnership is really what we’re looking for — because they’re part of us.
“We don’t exist without them and to an extent vice versa.”
Campaign extends beyond athletics
Additionally, Motley said it’s important for those supporting the capital campaign to know it’s not only about athletics.
Fundraising also will support auditorium and building renovations, such as the installation of a fan cooling system for Rockne Hall, the school’s gymnasium.
As part of the campaign, ACCHS recently had the asphalt remixed for the school’s parking lot, which students and staff call, “The Pits.”
The nickname is a reference to the old railroad pits that previously were adjacent to the parking lot.
The parking lot recently was repaved ahead of the school year and some signs have been hung up along its fencing.
Additionally, the capital campaign will raise funds to go toward an endowment for faculty pay and training.
Motley said Catholic school teachers’ salaries don’t keep up with those of public school educators.
The endowment will help Central Catholic hire and retain teachers “who are grounded in Catholicity,” she said.
Making a Catholic education accessible
Funds also will be put toward an endowment for student scholarships to make “a Catholic education accessible,” Motley said.
The 2025-26 annual tuition and fees for one student is $12,800.
"It’s a way for us to expand our ability to support families who need more.”Adrienne Motley, Central Catholic's director of alumni relations
“We know that tuition is not cheap,” Motley said. “It’s very difficult for many families who want this type of education.
“They can’t access it because the need is great. So it’s a way for us to expand our ability to support families who need more.”
Motley said the benefit of a Catholic education is in having faith be a normal and important part of each day.
“Yes, it's a faith-based education, but there’s also the morality and high expectations of our students, and so you really see that,” she said.
Another Lehigh Valley Catholic high school also celebrates its centennial next year.
Bethlehem Catholic will similarly mark its 100-year anniversary through a capital campaign.
At Becahi, fundraising will support the development of turf athletic fields, building renovations, student scholarships and more.
