Port Richmond High School has renamed its field house for the coach who started its football team. The building is now the Coach Nick Bilotti Field House, and the school will dedicate it with a ceremony on the morning of Saturday, October 31, followed by an alumni football game.

The school posted the news on its website this month, along with a flyer from the organizers. The flyer calls Bilotti the founding father of the Port Richmond football program and describes the honor as a tribute to a living legacy.

From the Minstrels to the Red Raiders

According to the school's flyer, Bilotti founded the Port Richmond High School football program at a time when the team played under a different name: the Minstrels. Today the school's teams are the Red Raiders, and the school's website greets visitors as the home of the Raiders.

The flyer frames the dedication as more than a nod to past wins. It points to the generations of players, coaches and families who have come through the program since Bilotti started it, and says his approach still sits at the center of how the team operates. Organizers paired two photographs of the coach on the announcement: one from the sidelines, surrounded by players in Port Richmond helmets, and a portrait.

What happens on October 31

The dedication ceremony starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 31, and organizers are asking guests to arrive by 9:30 a.m. After the ceremony, the day moves to the field: an alumni game kicks off at 11 a.m., giving former Port Richmond players a chance to suit up on their home turf one more time.

Food and drinks will be provided, according to the flyer. Organizers are also selling limited edition polo shirts marked for the dedication, printed with the coach's name, the words field house dedication and the date 10/31/26.

Seats are being reserved in advance. The flyer lists two alumni contacts, Linda DeMartinis and John Barbieri, for anyone who wants to reserve a seat or order a shirt; their phone numbers appear on the flyer linked from the school's news page.

A school with deep alumni ties

Port Richmond High School sits at 85 St. Josephs Avenue on Staten Island's North Shore. Its principal, Andrew Greenfield, notes on the school's website that he is a graduate of the school himself. The school runs as a community school and offers a set of small programs that students choose by interest, including Pathways in Technology tracks in computer science and medical science, a Culinary Arts Academy, a Collegiate Academy, an Honors Humanities Institute, a Gateway honors math and science institute, an Academy of the Arts, a business program and JROTC. Its athletic teams compete in the PSAL.

Former students have several ways to stay connected. The school's alumni association collects dues and donations for a scholarship fund and is looking for new board members. The school website also hosts a nomination form for its Hall of Fame, so graduates can suggest classmates, teachers or coaches for recognition.

Other dates on the school calendar

The dedication lands during a busy stretch for the school. Its online calendar lists a senior sunrise gathering on the football field, a Halloween dance in the cafeteria, and a student shadowing period that runs from October 13 to November 24. The calendar also marks October 21 through 23 as days when students can apply to CUNY colleges for free.

If you go

The Coach Nick Bilotti Field House dedication is Saturday, October 31, at Port Richmond High School, 85 St. Josephs Avenue, Staten Island. Arrive at 9:30 a.m. for the 10 a.m. ceremony; the alumni game kicks off at 11 a.m. To reserve a seat or order a commemorative polo, use the contacts on the flyer posted to the school's news page. For general questions, the school's main office number is (718) 420-2100.

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