No Mud!

Raining again. It seems to be the weather pattern that has dominated this fall.

Part of the referendum passed three years ago was to replace aging bleachers, lighting and rework and improve our sod field. The All Sports Boosters Club led a drive to raise enough funding to replace the sod with artifi cial turf. There were some large and small donations but the sum total of several hundred donors was enough to install artificial turf field that could accommodate both soccer and football. Soccer can now be played in Medford day or night. Soccer Coach Nate Bilodeau believes that the smooth, consistent turf field helps him to teach the nuances of soccer.

Ted Wilson, football coach, likes that the field makes practice, games and physical education of all levels available. The only deterrent of field use is everyone wants to use it, so scheduling can be difficult. He has communicated with other schools who have canceled their practices and games, particularly JV and freshmen, to help preserve their soggy, vulnerable sod fields. This is no longer an issue for Medford.

Activities director, Andy Guden, expressed that barely 14 months into the artificial turf installation the field is scheduled six days a week, multiple users and hours daily. Physical Education classes with various activities, Varsity and JV football, Varsity and JV soccer, and youth football and soccer are all practicing and playing games on the field. Last fall the field was used for a non-Medford football play-off game. Mr. Guden has had two inquiries from area schools about the possibility of using the Medford sports field for a regular season game due to other school’s poor field condition.

Rob Wernberg, band director, loves the new turf field. He likes the ability to practice marching and playing during school and marching and performing on a clearly marked field, all with no mud.

A lesser known advantage of the “no mud” turf field is for the uniform washers and cleaners.

I would like the thank the All Sports Booster Club and their donors for the vision and financial ability to install artificial turf in our sports stadium. It has quickly become a community asset. Thanks Medford for no mud.

— Mark Temme, board member, Medford Area Public School District

School corner

Mark Temme