HB’s turf field – construction and details
Souhegan High School, just a few miles away from HBHS, has had their turf field for years. Mark Labak ‘19 states he’s “been jealous of Souhegan’s stadium for a long time, it’s always a pleasure to play on their field or any turf field for that matter.”
May 8, 2018
The Hollis Brookline Cavaliers will soon be granted the privilege of enjoying a brand new turf field, but what does this mean for our school campus? Where will it go? When will construction begin? What teams will use it? These are the questions we’re all wondering.
After a long and arduous process of passing the motion multiple times, the school board and superintendent have decided that the field will be built behind the parking lot near the softball fields. Some deforestation will be required, but they will of course be staying on the school’s land and out of the way of Beaver Brook to the west.
The head coach of boys lacrosse at HBHS, Coach Rich MacDonough, has been a strong supporter of the turf field being built and has been very involved in the voting process: “a turf field makes the most sense at any location.” MacDonough argues that the turf would eventually cost the school “$500,000 less than a grass field” due to the very low levels of maintenance and staff needed to maintain it. When it comes to its location, Coach MacDonough states “ ideally, my preference would be a turf field where the current lacrosse/field hockey field is now. It is playable all year and it is a wonderful gateway type of field – a great curb appeal for HBHS,” but later said “but reality dictates what we have to do” and that “the new location will be great.”
When it comes to what teams will get to use it, it’s up for grabs for any team that uses a rectangular field, but athletic director Rhon Rupp says the order of priority goes as follows: “HBHS teams, HBMS teams, other schools in the district (Hollis and Brookline), Hollis and Brookline recreational programs, and lastly other town teams.”
Joe Messina ‘19 states he has experience with turf fields being built as his “cousin’s school got one built and it only took about two and a half months for the whole thing,” he continued: “so it shouldn’t be too long until we can start using it.”
The starting date for the construction of this field is yet to be determined but Director Rupp says the goal is for it to be ready Spring of 2019.
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