The City of Westfield and Legacy Sports Group premiered the documentary “We Field Champions: A Decade of Grand Park” Nov. 28 at Grand Park Events Center. The 30-minute documentary directed by Cameron Sprinkle and produced by Caitlynn Walters explores the evolution of the 400-acre Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield over the past ten years.
“I get asked to tell 30-minute stories in three minutes all the time,” Sprinkle said.
Sprinkle was glad to be able to tell the story more thoroughly by weaving together interviews and archival footage to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the visionaries and community members who played pivotal roles in making Westfield’s Grand Park Sports Campus into the destination it is today.
“Grand Park is known for sports, but the Grand Park story is really about people — people who dreamed, doubted, preserved and now have powerful human experiences in a wonderful place,” Sprinkle stated.
Mayor Andy Cook said that Matt Deck, now president of the Westfield Sports Commission, came to him when he was first running for mayor and asked what he was going to do about the need to enhance youth sports in Westfield. Cook credits Deck with planting the idea in his head.
Footage in the documentary includes Cook saying that the development could bring in as many as 250,000 visitors a year. In 2022, 3.5 million people visited Grand Park.
“Westfield is the sixth-fastest growing city in the U.S.,” Cook said. “People want to be here because of the quality of life. Grand Park is a big part of that.”
Cook said Grand Park makes millions of dollars annually.
“It’s not in the admittance fees. It’s not in the sales of hot dogs and popcorn,” Cook said. “It’s the tax base that has been generated by the hospitality that has built up around here.”
Sprinkle views the numbers in a different way.
“While the numbers are impressive, every number has a name, and every name has a story,” Sprinkle said. “When parents, coaches and players prioritize the player over the achievement, it becomes about lifting each other up. A true champion champions others. That’s what I found in making this piece.”
Craig and Sandy Wood owned 150 acres of the land that Grand Park now encompasses.
“We had to convince Craig that instead of raising corn, he would be raising kids,” Cook said.
The Woods recognized the legacy they could create for their family by selling the land to be developed into the sports campus.
“I knew what was going to be gone, and that was hard,” Craig said in the documentary. “But I knew what was coming, and that was good.”
Now, the Woods joke that the Indianapolis Colts – who conduct training camp at Grand Park – play in their backyard.
“We Field Champions” also delves into the skepticism and opposition to Grand Park. Chris Proffitt, Westfield’s director of communication, said he initially thought Grand Park would be the end of Cook’s career.
Managing Director of EdgeRock Development Birch Dalton also acknowledged being wrong about Grand Park. Now, Dalton is building the Grand National Racquet Center across 191st Street from Grand Park Events Center.
“I’ve apologized to the mayor numerous times,” Dalton said in the film.
Grand Park – “We Field Champions” – Trailer from Cameron Sprinkle on Vimeo.
Details about how the public can view the documentary are expected to be announced soon.
“We are strategically selecting the optimal distribution method for the documentary, ensuring it reaches the widest audience possible while preserving the filmmakers’ original intent,” Proffitt said.
