INDIANAPOLIS — Today Indy Parks voted for the approval to name a park after the youth football coach that was killed in a road rage incident in January.
Tarkington Park, located at 45 W 40th St. will be named after Richard Donnell Hamilton, also known as Coach Nell.
WRTV closely followed the story of Hamilton, who was shot and killed while exiting I-65 at County Line Road on January 11.
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Hamilton founded the Indy Youth Steelers football team in 2005 and Tarkington Teen Work Crew, which is a program out of the MLK Center that empowers youth to become leaders.
Shortly before his death, a $3 million investment to Tarkington Park was announced through the Lily Endowment Fund.
Several people in the community and family of Coach Nell spoke about his influence that spread beyond the game of football as they asked the board to vote to name the field after him.
"A lot of the kids didn't have strong homes, they didn't have father figures, they didnt have anyone that showed they cared for them, but my dad knew every single kid from 2005 to this year. He could tell you their story, their background, he goes to their games and show them that support," Coach Nell's son Dontae Hamilton said.
The multi-purpose field at Tarkington Park that saw thousands of local youths practicing throughout the years will be named The Richard 'Coach Nell' Field at Tarkington Park after unanimous approval from the board.
"I don't know anyone more deserving of this," said Coach Nell's older cousin Erin Hamilton. "This is still fresh for all of us right now, so this is really difficult but thank you."
