The school recently received a grant from the Community Building Partnership Fund late last year to build the sporting facilities.

Principal Paul Ryan said he saved for five years in order to upgrade the toilet blocks, pathways and open up classrooms.

"Having new sporting grounds complements the school, I want our students to feel pride and belonging within this environment." Mr Ryan said.

The funding is primarily a community-based grant.

Smithfield MP Ninos Khoshaba said the community group had to apply, not the school.

"The program funds anything as long as it has to do with infrastructure," he said.

" I ranked Emmaus Catholic College very high in terms of who I thought needed the grant and the government approved it."

The college has sport days on Thursdays, with the Parramatta Diocese Secondary Schools Sports Council.

Mr Ryan said: "We play schools from Parramatta to Katoomba, so travelling time eats into our sport. But now they can come to us. Parents spend $120,000 a year on sporting buses. This will cut the cost in half."

Year 11 student Dane Naiker is benefiting from the new cricket nets.

He plays for the Penrith Panthers and recently made the opens. "I can practise at school and we can put a team together to play in the Berg Shield and Downie Shield competitions," Dane said.

Year 10 Matthew Formosa may try out for the team after discovering his new interest in cricket.

"We even get to play during recess and lunch," he said.