Sports

New LHS Football Field Should Solve Root Problem

Workers from a turf farm have been laying new sod over the LHS football field this week to replace the substandard surface installed there last summer.

When problems arise, it’s always best to get to the root of what’s wrong. In the case of the Lexington High football field, the root system just so happens to be the root of the problem.

According to Lexington Recreation Director Karen Simmons, a sod farm has been working this week to replace a the playing field surface that the town rejected last year over the presence of Poa annua, a blue grass that’s less than ideal for athletic fields.

“The problem with it is it has a shallow root system,” said Simmons. “When people are running and they’re going to push off, the athletes have a greater risk of injury on a field with a shallow root system.”

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That’s because shallow roots will mean the turf surface is more likely to come up as cleated athletes run and cut on the playing field. Twisted ankles and knees and a pocked field are among the potential issues that could be more likely to arise on a field with shallow roots.

Town officials believe the Poa annua came in with the original sod installed last summer, according to Simmons, who said the bluegrass began to pop a few weeks after installation, when the grass began to seed itself.

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After detecting the lighter-colored Poa, officials brought in a specialist to take a look. Ultimately, the town did not accept the sod as it did not meet contract specifications, according to Simmons. As such, the contractors will be on the hook for the replacement, Simmons said.

The turf farm, Kingston Sod, hopes to finish laying the field today, July 5. The surface will be out of commission through the summer.

“It is our goal to have it playable by the time Lexington football has its first varsity home game in September,” said Simmons.

The new field surface is the second phase of the town’s three-phase fields improvement project.

Baseball, multi-purpose and varsity softball fields were up first, back in 2011, with the football field coming second in Summer 2012. That the football field had to be resurfaced has pushed back the whole project by a few months.

“We’re looking forward to finishing phase two of the project so we can start with phase three,” said Simmons. 


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