Solon High School has had many won games and many memories in their football stadium known as Stewart Field. Today, the football team will play in their last home game against Hudson. Last year, the Solon stadium wasn’t meeting the expectations for their students and the school itself, so the school renovated the field over the summer. The school also renovated there stands adding more blue to the bleachers.
James McQuaide, athletic director, said the life span of turf is between 10-12 years.
“Our [turf] was eleven years old, so ours was really worn out,” McQuaide said.
When renovating, the athletic department decided to use a different type of padding for the turf to make the new field softer and add cushioning support.
“We upgraded the pad, but it’s a padding to help with the cushioning of the falls,” McQuiade said. “This time they used sand– so first they used rubber, then they used sand, and now they used sand and rubber together. So we put a lot more cushioning on the field.”
McQuiade said that the mix of sand and rubber also makes the field efficient for the players.
Varsity Junior football player Mike Fry said he feels his skills have improved on the new field.
“When I run, my feet back transitions are softer and faster,” he said.
The new turf seems to be better for the team for running and tackling. The football players hit the ground hard constantly, and that can be one of the reasons they get injured.
“The turf is not as compacted as the old turf was–, there’s more cushion” Fry said.
Before the turf was done, it was incredibly worn out which can make it difficult for the players to keep their stamina without their limbs getting irritated. The football players are constantly being pulled, pushed, tackled, shoved onto the ground. The school needed to help the players not feel as much pain when they. According to players on the football team, the new turf seems to have made a difference.
During Friday night football games, the band also comes out and marches on the field. The turf has an impact on the students marching whether it’s in their knees or legs. Sophomore Kate Contipelli said when the band marched on the old field, their knees and legs often hurt.
“Because of the new turf, it seems to have changed so much, and I haven’t heard one person say anything about it,” she said.
The students have seemed to like the new field and stadium, making it more efficient to march on the field. The new cushion in the field makes it easier and less pressure on players and band members’ limbs.
Overall, most football players and band members agree that the new stadium seems to have made a good impact on Solon High School.
