- Font Size:
- Default font size
- Larger font size
BY DAVID ROBB
david.robb@nwitimes.com
219.548.4362 | Monday, June 30, 2008 | (No comments posted.)
Remember the spate of strong storms that rumbled through the Region last summer, downing trees, flooding neighborhoods and ultimately making both Lake and Porter counties eligible for federal disaster assistance?
Portage football coach Mark Peterson does. He remembers hosting Highland on Aug. 24, a night when only three local gridiron games were played. He remembers jogging onto the field and bending down to touch the ground.
"The field itself was actually dry to the touch," Peterson said.
The Indians blanked the Trojans 28-0 that night. The next day, when most area football teams were playing their postponed games, Portage hosted a Valparaiso University men's soccer exhibition in the morning (VU's field was unplayable) and its own junior varsity and varsity soccer games in the afternoon (Andrean's field was still too soggy).
This is what the Portage Twp. School Corporation envisioned when in 2004, it suggested fitting the football field with synthetic turf. FieldTurf was eventually awarded the contract, and in the summer of 2005, Portage became the first high school in the area to install a synthetic surface.
Three years later, there are no regrets. Just plenty of pleased coaches, administrators and players.
"I'm so glad the community voted for it and the school passed it," said Jeff Smith, Portage's assistant athletic director, who will take over for interim athletic director Terry Milner starting Tuesday.
"... It's nice to know we don't have to worry about whether the field is too muddy or mushy, or how to take care of it."
For Portage, the steep up-front cost of installing the surface is being balanced out by money saved on maintenance.
"It costs anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000 to water (natural grass), paint it, cut it, feed it and do all the upkeep," Smith said. "Right now, no one has to do anything to (the turf) other than rake it and put sand in it once in a while."
But the greatest advantage of the turf, Smith and Peterson say, is its durability. Because it is all but impervious to poor weather and pounding cleats, the field can be used all day, every day.
And at Portage, it often is.
During the fall, "it's not uncommon to see the girls soccer team on it (after school) from 3 to 3:45, football from 3:45 to 4:30, boys soccer from 5:30 to 9:30," Smith said. "There's always somebody on the field. It doesn't matter what the weather is, and that's obviously the best part of it."
When you account for the physical education classes that are on it during the fall and spring, the field is sometimes used from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. And that doesn't include the local Pop Warner teams that are on it every Sunday during football season.
"Everybody uses that field," Smith said.
Including linebacker/fullback Austin Orlich.
"I like it," the senior-to-be said. "I feel faster."
Peterson likes it too, for a number of reasons -- not the least of which is the surface's softness.
"Inevitably, you have one or two guys come up with shin splints or a nagging knee injury (during two-a-days)," Peterson said. "We did not experience any of that last year, and I truly believe that's because of the softness of the turf."
"I definitely agree," Orlich added. "It's much softer."
ARTIFICIAL SURFACES COME TO THE REGION
Back to story No comments posted.
- It wasn't clear, concise or focused on the topic in the story.
- It was a personal attack, vulgar, explicit or degrading, used actual or implied profanity or contained potentially libelous statements.
- It accused someone of being guilty of a crime.
- It promoted violence or illegal acts.
- It contained telephone numbers or street addresses, or e-mail addresses and links to Web sites other than nwi.com or government agencies.
In no way do these comments represent the views of The Times or Lee Enterprises.
Passionate views, pointed criticism and critical thinking are welcome. Name-calling, crude and profane language and personal abuse are not welcome.
Reader comments will not be edited - they will be approved or declined. They may be used in the print edition of the newspaper.
If you feel a posted comment has violated these guidelines, please email our New Media team the commenter's name, the comment and a link to the article.
For more information please read our Terms of Service.