City of Dallas unveils new football field in honor of Oak Cliff's Redbird Raiders youth football founder and longtime coach
Dallas - Dallas Park and Recreation will unveil a newly renovated youth football field at Thurgood Marshall Park named in honor of Earl "Coach" Thompson, founder and longtime coach of the Redbird Raiders youth football organization. A ceremony is set for 7 p.m. September 11, 2026, at the park, 5150 Mark Trail Way, Dallas 75232.
Thompson founded the Redbird Raiders and coached and mentored young athletes through the organization for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame and the Prairie View Interscholastic League Association Hall of Fame. His hometown of Conroe also recognized him with an official "Earl Thompson Day." He died earlier this year.
The field was rebuilt from a former practice area as part of a $2.4 million renovation that created a regulation-size football field within a fully enclosed facility featuring new sod and irrigation, LED lighting, aluminum bleachers, an announcer's booth, two scoreboards, accessible walkways, restrooms and perimeter fencing.
Dallas Park and Recreation Department Director John D. Jenkins said the city's financial investment in the park will give young people and families more opportunities to participate in sports.
"I know firsthand what it means for a young person to have someone like Coach Thompson in their lives. It wasn't just about football. Because he was there to guide and teach them, having someone like that in your life makes a real impact," Jenkins said. "I'm proud to honor him with this field that was a former practice field and now it is an important investment in young people's lives and in this community."
Event remarks will feature Thompson family members; Yvonne Davis, State Representative District 111; Zarin Gracey, Dallas City Council District 3; Arun Agarwal, Dallas Park and Recreation Board president, Sean Johnson, Dallas Park and Recreation deputy director; Christopher Moorer, Dallas Park and Recreation Board District 3; Charles Thibodeaux, Redbird Raiders co-founder; and Galen Gilstrap, vice president, Redbird Raiders Youth Outreach.
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