Athletics are an important part of high school life, so if we are really looking out for the student-athletes, adding a second turf field would benefit them immensely.

Currently, there are five school districts that participate in the York-Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association (YAIAA) that have at least two turf fields. These school districts include: Bermudian Springs, Dover, South Western, Susquehannock, and York Suburban.

Having the proper sporting facilities allows athletes to have more resources that better their skills and well-being.

A second turf field would also allow athletes to practice on the same surface they will be competing on, which will allow athletes to be better accustomed to the playing surface, and this will ultimately lead to better performance.

In addition, familiarity with turf will also decrease the risk of injury.

Another problem with having only one field is who gets to practice and play on it. Obviously, teams must share the field, limiting their practice time and causing additional confusion for athletes.

“It’s frustrating to have to split up the turf with other teams. When we get stuck practicing on the grass the day before a game on the turf, it’s hard to switch playing fields,” said soccer player Annalise Renner.

A second turf field would also cut down on the wear and tear of one of the grass fields we have now.

Grass fields may have holes and divots, and could become unplayable in the event of a rainstorm. When a field is unplayable due to rain, games are often rescheduled, canceled, or forfeited.

“On the other hand, a turf field is more durable and will not possess the imperfections that are possible with a grass field. A turf field is much less likely to become unplayable for athletes in the event of inclement weather,” Knecht said.

A second turf field would cut down on maintenance costs as well. With grass fields, a paid full-time employee has to continuously mow, line, treat, and water the field.

If they were to switch from a grass field to a turf field, there would no longer be these unnecessary maintenance costs.

A current struggle with scheduling sports teams is that there is only one turf. Seeing as everyone wants to use the turf, this creates complications between teams.

No team should have to practice on grass because there is not enough time to fit them in.

However, if the district could add another turf field there would be fewer scheduling issues for the Athletic Director and coaches.

Knecht said, “It would cost between $1 and 2 million dollars to construct another field. However, the positives of adding a turf field outweigh the negatives.”

Since it would cost the district a substantial amount of money, fundraising and donations are great ways to help with the costs.

It is imperative that the District reviews the idea of adding a second turf field, as it is in the best interest of the student-athletes and the district as a whole.