The turf in Spartan Stadium was infamous for its tendency to cause injuries. Many who played on it complained about its lack of padding and overall roughness. Finally, this past summer, Pleasant Valley replaced the field turf and renovated the track.
The renovations took place over the summer, beginning at the end of May and finishing around the start of August. Pleasant Valley had the track at the junior high renovated as well. These projects combined cost around $1 million.
Football is an infamously harsh sport with players frequently receiving major and minor injuries. Their constant contact with the ground increases the need for a safe surface to play on. If the ground is too hard, as the old turf was, each impact leaves behind a mark.
Football players have been satisfied with increased padding and traction provided by the new turf so far, both with the condition of the turf and its appearance. “There’s definitely been an increase in quality, and the overall look,” declared sophomore center Roman Saddler.
The addition of the turf will also have massive improvements for other sports. While not as vicious as football, soccer is still a contact sport, and players still feel the bumps and bruises that come from inadequate turf. In addition, the lack of padding provided by the old turf was known to place more strain on the ankles of the players as their cleats beat down on the solid ground.
Another major concern for the turf came from its lack of traction, increasing the risk of athletes tripping and injuring themselves. “The old turf was worn down and flat which made it slippery. The new turf makes that risk go way down because it is grippier,” said junior soccer player Jeremiah Gibbs.
As they do with most major projects, some fear the potential downsides to the improvements. The previous turf only lasted 12 years and was expected to last much longer. With the project costing a considerable amount of resources, people hope the turf will accomplish its purpose for longer than its predecessor.
So far, with the intensity of the football season underway, the turf has been under frequent operation. “There haven’t been any problems that have been apparent,” says Saddler
The renovations to the turf were a necessary project for Pleasant Valley to help protect its athletes. Its positive effects are being noticed already by the athletes playing on it. However, with many potential problems, especially with the longevity of the turf in question, it remains undetermined whether or not the investment will be worthwhile.
