AVOIDING DIRT

            Struggles for money are the norm in today’s economy. However, some places seem to be doing just fine and even have too much money. If you don’t believe it, look at what some local high school athletic programs are doling out cash on.

            Grace Christian Academy installed a new synthetic field (turf) at its football complex. Now get this. The football coach was excited that players and coaches won’t leave the field dirty after practice or a game. Really, that’s what the man said! Evidently, Coach Randy McKamey didn’t play the game in the ‘60’s and before plush fields were a must.

            Officials at the school state that the field will save money over the long haul as maintenance costs will be nearly nonexistent. I don’t believe that for a second. Nothing is maintenance free. The coach also said that “it's nice to be in an environment where you can control the conditions."

            First of all, no one controls conditions. Sure, his players won’t get dirty playing football anymore. However, they’ll still get wet when it rains, and they’ll get cold in the later weeks of the season. This surface will be slick when it’s wet, and it will inflict some road-surface like abrasions on players exposed skin, as do most artificial surfaces.

            We’re supposed to believe that the field was a bargain at $350,000. I’m not so sure how anyone can call something that costs over a third of a million dollars a bargain, at least not for a high school program. My question is where are the funds for the new carpet coming from? I’ve seen the crowds at the school’s games, and it will take gates from the next fifty years or so to pay for it and the equipment that is required for the program. Could Grace Christian have designated those funds to something more altruistic?

            Catholic High isn’t about to be outdone. It, too, will install synthetic turf on its field and be ready for the 2012 season. In addition to the turf, 200,000 pounds of silica sand and 300,000 pounds of crumb rubber fill will be purchased. Athletic Director Jason Surlas says that the band, dance team, soccer team and lacrosse team will also use the field. I’m sure that before this new cover was installed that those organizations found other places to practice. They will use this new field as much as they used the existing football field. Surlas also lauds the savings from not having to buy seed and fertilizer and not mowing the field. It sounds a lot like some people are tired of putting in the work necessary to keep the field up. Again, where might have Catholic High better used this wad of cash? By the way, the school refuses to make public the total cost of this new field surface.

            Maryville High School is the third school to install an artificial field. The school’s reasoning is that drainage problems have forced them to install the turf. However, they also state the problem has existed for 50 years, but just now it’s become pressing. I wonder what made it so much worse so soon, even though the system’s plans called for addressing the drainage issue sometime between 2013-2-15. The project will cost $500,000.

            Maryville High is also installing a large screen television on top of the scoreboard. It will be used to sell advertising, what some call “easy money.” It seems evident that the school system is more intent on revenues for this football program than anything else. All other schools in the system must have every thing they need to offer a superior education to any other system. Otherwise, school officials would surely use a half a million dollars for more important things like student education.

            In all three of these cases, the schools have too much money and too little vision. They’ve taken a simple game of high school football and elevated it to the level of colleges. These new surfaces serve as blatant recruiting tools as the schools attempt to draw the most talented players in the area to their programs. At the same time, they throw large sums of money that could be used for other pressing areas on less important things. Grace Christian Academy and Catholic High School are directly tied to Christian organizations and institutions. Shouldn’t money for football fields be directed toward feeding and clothing the poor, taking care of the widows and orphans, and giving a helping hand to the otherwise needy?

            Oh, I forgot. This isn’t about education or religion or compassion. It’s about keeping players and coaches clean after practices and games.