Grass Fields Kicked Out: Wilson Soccer Teams Raving Over New Turf Field Coming This Summer
BY SAVANNA MACKIE
Turf fields are very popular within the sports industry as most collegiate athletic teams strive to have one for better practice, play, and recruiting. Both the womens and mens’ soccer teams got a wonderful surprise when their seasons came to a close late fall 2024 as they were told a new turf field would be implemented by the summer of 2025.
Kris’ Meadow houses the women and mens’ soccer, women’s lacrosse, and softball teams year round. Spread over 28 acres is the Rhonda Brake Schriener soccer fields and the softball team’s home field.
According to Terrance Harris- the head women’s soccer coach- the grass will be turned into a very simple stadium. He says, “It will be a standard green turf with our W logo in the middle surrounded by a blue border. Nothing else changes with other fields.”
With both teams making it to quarterfinals in the United East Championship tournament, it is only fair that new fields were negotiated for the coming seasons. The women started their season with a school record of seven shutouts and ended with a winning record of 13-4-2. The boys ended their season with a 7-12 overall record which is a major improvement from their 3-11-3 overall losing record in the 2023 fall season.
Coach Harris says, “I think the new field will give our team a sense of pride. Knowing that we work hard and get to defend a nice new home field.”
Both teams will be working towards bettering Wilson college athletic teams in the coming years, it is important morale stays high. Implementing a turf field could mean these teams are able to focus on better overall play without facing outside weather factors and hone in on recruiting strong new classes.
Coach Harris states, “For us it will give us a better surface to play no matter the weather. It will be big enough that we can practice with two teams at the same time. In terms of recruiting it will help to have a nice new field.”
But with all the excitement some of the players are still getting used to the big change and most of the teams have a lot of questions that are still left unanswered.
Reily Ryan, a captain for the women’s soccer team and a sports medicine major, raised concerns saying, “I enjoy how it will make the game move faster; however, studies have shown that turf can lead to a higher risk of injuries. Given the choice, I’d take a well-maintained grass field over turf any day.”
While other players like Samantha Woolley expressed their excitement, “I’m super excited about it and it’s gonna make practicing and playing so much better.”
Although players are split on whether they are going to like this new change, everyone is hopeful that it will bring more recruitment and interest into Wilson College sports.