During the summer break, Prep’s athletic program has been able to update the campus’ football field by replacing the turf. In addition to the football team, the field will be used  extensively by many different groups, such as the Pacers, cheerleaders, soccer, baseball, track, and cross country. The new turf will last for many years and is a great addition to Prep’s campus. 

The previous turf was put on the field in 2010. It was a big change from the previous grass field. Rain in 2009 had made the field muddy, and the turf, while not having this issue, also does not require as much maintenance as the grass field. 

The turf needs to be replaced about every eight years, and Prep was able to use the turf for two years past the warranty. It was time to give the athletes a better surface to use. 

Head of School Mr. Lawrence Coco said that “this improvement will help all of our athletic programs and is used by the majority of students on campus.”

Drew Laird, a senior football player, is “excited to get to play on a new field this season” and said that “it’ll be nice having brand new turf to run and cut on.” The seniors will have a great surface to play on to finish their final season, along with the underclassmen who can play on it for the upcoming years.

Preston Speed, a senior soccer player, said, “I along with the rest of the team am very excited for the new turf field. We are looking forward to having a more playable and comfortable surface to rely on this upcoming season.” This field will prove very advantageous for the boys’ soccer team since they rarely get to use the grass field due to the weather and other factors. Also, for all athletes, the new turf will not be as abrasive as the old turf, which can reduce turf burns.

There is the possibility of using the new turf this year for outdoor pep rallies. Also, Prep is looking into the possibility of turfing the baseball field, which could help the coaches tremendously since it won’t require the maintenance that the current grass field does.  The football field turf will be great for Prep’s athletic programs as they will strive for excellence in the upcoming seasons and years.