By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
A groundbreaking ceremony for construction of an athletic complex at Newport Central Catholic High School is scheduled for Aug. 9, but the exact cost of the project might not be revealed until that day.
“Right now, we’re awaiting on bids from general contractors,” said NewCath principal Kenny Collopy. “We budgeted it for our fundraising at $7.8 million so we’re thinking it’s going to be right there in that ball park.”

The athletic complex will include a synthetic turf playing field for football and soccer with lighting.
A six-lane track will encircle the field with an area for field events. A building at the main entrance of the complex will include locker rooms, public restrooms and a press box.
After a general contractor is hired, Collopy said construction will take anywhere from 12 to 18 months. The plans also include building a field house with an indoor practice area for sports teams and cheerleaders.
“We’re creating a level area where that can go,” Collopy said. “If it doesn’t happen during this project, it’s a future project we can add on as well.”
The diocesan high school built on a hill at the south end of Newport in 1955 has never had an home field on campus for football, soccer or track. The athletic complex will be built on a plateau adjacent to the school parking lot that’s used as a practice field. Collopy said the plateau will be lowered 6-8 feet and two retaining walls will be added to stabilize the property.

Money for the athletic complex was obtained through the Looking Up Campaign, which raised $14 million in pledges that was also used to eliminate the school’s debt, upgrade infrastructure and build a science learning center.
“We’re all about the entire student – mind, body and spirit,” Collopy said. “Athletics is a big part of our tradition here. We’re very intent on character development and athletics gives us a platform for that, in addition to the classroom and the discipline that we set within the school.”
NewCath was an all-boys school until it merged with Our Lady of Providence in 1983. Collopy said the enrollment for the upcoming school year is 230 boys and girls in grades 9-12.
The Thoroughbreds football team had to schedule five “home games” at Covington Catholic and Dixie Heights for the upcoming season. The boys and girls soccer teams practice and play home matches at Morscher Sports Park, which is located more than six miles from the high school.
All of that will change once the athletic complex is completed.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that we’ll be playing games there in the fall of 2025, whether that’s in the beginning of the season or near the end of soccer or football,” Collopy said. “But at the very latest it will be the spring of 2026 so we’ll have track and field events there.”
The groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 9 is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. with a blessing by Most Rev. John C. Iffert, Bishop of Covington at 10 a.m. Major donors to the Looking Up Campaign have also been invited, but Collopy said most of the pledges came from alumni.
“It’s been long awaited,” Collopy said of the athletic complex. “I’m sure it’ll make a lot of people happy.”
NewCath is one of three high schools in Campbell County that are making improvements to athletic facilities. Three months ago, Dayton had a ground breaking ceremony for a new synthetic turf field and field house on its campus.
Board members for Bellevue Independent Schools are making plans to renovate Leo Gilligan Field and Ben Flora Gymnasium.
Love this. New Cath is an excellent school.
NewCath is in good hands with Kenny Collopy at the helm! Way to go!
I’m from Cynthiana just south of Falmouth.i played against Coach Schneider and his Breds in the late 80s our biggest district rival,Breds vs Breds(Harrison Co.only 1 win in 4 tries in 88).I’m Happy for NCC being a Catholic kid in a public school I couldn’t imagine not having a home,people that never played sports wouldn’t understand.we are the School on the Hill too and not being able to play at the old Hilltop(Lawson field)is unimaginable.NewCath deserves it,as well as guys like Frank Jacobs,the Nelter bros and other names from the great NCC BREDS teams from the 80s like Sandfoss,Myers,Lemkuhl,Weaver and even John Rapp from 1966 who played on the KY.allstar team at stoll field and of course the late Bob Schneider led those great athletes,I always remember his big cigars.congrats to NCC.MAYBE A THOROUGHBRED VS THOROBREDS OPENING GAME FOR THE ONLY 2 HS BREDS IN KY!
I forgot to mention my dad played w John Rapp on that all star team in 66,67