Field art is his turf

BRADEN RIVER — Carlo Rodriguez’s perfect piece of artwork had been destroyed.

Standing in the middle of Braden River High’s football field Nov. 4, Rodriguez looked down upon the once-pristine image of a pirate skull that no longer was visible. Divots and clumps of dirt had taken its place following a pair of girls soccer games that had been held over the surface. 

It was back to square one, as usual. 

With only his memory serving as a guide, Rodriguez picked up the hose of a FieldLazer and began making white strokes with its spray. As he maneuvered back and forth across a 20-yard span, a pirate's skull slowly became visible. 

With a white outline firmly in place, Rodriguez grabbed a bucket of maroon paint and began filling in the skull, spending extra time on the bandana and the knife sliding through his teeth. 

A four-hour job ended up being close to seven, with the addition of the field’s lines and yard markers, but Rodriguez is a perfectionist.

It's not just a field to him. 

“I pretty much put my heart into it, and every year it gets better and better,” Rodriguez said. “I do it for the kids. They are out here every week working twice as hard, if not harder.” 

Rodriguez began lining Braden River’s field four years ago while working as a custodian at the school. 

It was head coach Curt Bradley’s first year on the job and former Athletic Director Bob Bowling, who has since retired, wanted someone other than Bradley to handle painting the field, allowing his coach to spend more time on football. 

Bowling pulled Rodriguez into his office and told him the job was his. Rodriquez, who had never painted a line in his life, was skeptical. 

But Bowling assured Rodriguez he would do a great job, noting what he had already done for the school from a custodial standpoint. Rodriquez accepted the challenge and prepared for his first game. 

“I knew they trusted me and they knew I was a hard worker,” Rodriguez said. “They knew I could get it done. They put their faith in me.” 

That first game proved stressful for Rodriguez, who didn’t know if the lines would be crooked as he struggled to keep the machine steady. Every game that season, with the exception of one where he was critical of his artwork on the Pirate skull, turned out just fine.  

Three-quarters into his first season, he was comfortable in his new role. 

He began implementing new ideas and themes each of the next three seasons. 

Rodriguez arrives at the school between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. either the Wednesday or Thursday before a home game, depending on whether or not the Pirates have a junior varsity game that particular week. 

Rodriguez typically paints the lines first followed by the hashes, numbers and finally the Pirates' logo. The entire field process usually takes about four hours to complete. 

“It’s my name on there,” Rodriguez said. 

Bradley along with a handful of football players, help string the lines and paint the hashes and numbers. The logo and any additional touches, such as creating pink ribbons on the field and using pink spray paint in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, are left up to Rodriguez. 

“I just let him go,” Bradley said. “He’s the visionary.” 

“It’s hard work, but at the end of the day, the field looks good,” free safety Davontay Seabrooks said. “The fans really like it, and I think we have the best logo and the best field. It really stands out.” 

Rodriguez initially had been using a template for the logo. That was until he lost it. He made a new one, but didn’t like the size. So now everything is done solely from memory. 

He left Braden River following the 2013 school year to become the head custodian at Blackburn Elementary, but for Rodriguez, Braden River always will be home. He still is a fixture on the Pirates sideline. 

“I feel like this is a family for me,” Rodriguez said. “The administration and the kids know me here. They appreciate what I do.

“I love it,” Rodriguez said. “It’s the best feeling in the world to show what you can do."