The Albert Lea Grizzlies football team will play their home games at Southwest Middle School field this summer instead of the fast-flooding Brookside field.

The field change comes as a result of a partnership between the Grizzlies, Innovance and the Albert Lea school district to install new goal posts at Southwest to accommodate football and soccer.

According to team president Craig Schmidt, Innovance will labor and materials, the Grizzlies are donating labor and installation management and the school district is granting the Grizzlies access to the field. Schmidt said the Southwest field is faster draining and has better turf quality.

The Grizzlies open their regular season at 4 p.m. Saturday against the Lake Benton Wildcats in Lake Benton. The team’s home opener is at 6 p.m. on May 14 against the North Iowa Bucks at Southwest field.

The North Iowa Bucks as an expansion team this season in the Southern Plains Football League. Schmidt hopes having a team close by will create a rivalry. The other expansion team this season is the Minnesota Silverbacks from Burnsville.