Fauquier High School (FHS) recently finished the development of a new turf field. After countless years of sports teams complaining relentlessly about the grass, which becomes unplayable once it rains, leaving giant mud puddles on the field that last for days. Sports such as soccer, field hockey and football were impacted by such circumstances the most and wanted a change.
The new addition of the turf field brings many positive benefits to the sports teams and the general appearance. One advantage of the turf field is that it is weather-resistant. The field withstands all conditions, including rain, snow and mud. This means fewer games and practices will be cancelled.
Having turf also makes the field much more durable, allowing for more games and practices without showing damage, maximizing the field’s utility. It requires reduced maintenance compared to grass, has long-term cost effectiveness, and improves players’ safety and performance due to easier ball control.
Sophomore Mackenzie Settle is a member of the field hockey team, and as an athlete, she has nothing but good to say about the new turf field.
“I like it because our games don’t get cancelled because of rain or other weather…Rain or shine, we play.” Settle added, “It’s also just a lot faster for field hockey.”
Settle thinks the difference between a turf field and a grass field is that “games don’t get cancelled because it never gets muddy, and most teams have turf, so it’s an advantage when we have turf and not grass.” Turf eliminates the need for watering, mowing, and other maintenance tasks typically required for a grass field.
Members of the sports teams who play on the turf field here at FHS love the new decision to switch to the turf field because it allows them to practice more and have fewer games getting cancelled. Almost all of the other schools that FHS goes against have a turf field, and we have been at a disadvantage. With the new turf field, sports teams can now practice more frequently and have a fair advantage over other schools.
