For the past two years, Troy High School had been determined to create many new fields for the many sports teams at the school. The school has added a new football, baseball and soccer field.
Mike Jassen, Director of Athletics for the Troy School District, has spoken upon the creations of the new fields. Jassen explains how the new fields “were built to give our students and teams high-quality, safe and accessible spaces to practice, compete and enjoy playing school sports. Our old fields were showing signs of wear and weren’t meeting the growing needs of our athletic programs. This upgrade helps us keep up with both participation and performance.”
With the addition of the new field, “the surfaces are more durable and can handle a lot more activity without getting damaged.” Jassen added. He also explained how the new fields drain faster, which means less sports games are cancelled due to the weather.
One of Troy High School’s Varsity Coach, Chris Frasier explained how the new football fields have helped the team with practicing because “the team could practice in all weather, we didn’t have to worry about rocks or mud or things like that.”
When asked about how practice hours for not only the football team, but with other sports teams like Troy High School’s soccer are now due to the new fields, Frasier responds, “It’s made as so practices for everyone can get done quicker, because there’s more options to practice”
Jassen also adds “The consistency of the playing surface makes it easier to run consistent and productive practices. The space is designed to allow more teams to practice at the same time without crowding. Plus, we don’t have to worry as much about muddy or unplayable conditions after a storm, so teams get more reliable practice time with fewer cancellations.”
But with the upgraded fields, there are some challenges that have started to occur, Jassen mentions how the adjustment period for teams and coaches must get used to a new layout or surface, specifically in baseball and softball.
Another challenge was the weather during the installation and construction process last summer. “The heavy rains delayed the completion of the fields and prevented us from using the field for the duration of the fall season.”
“The new fields aren’t just for athletes,they’re for the entire school community. Whether it’s PE classes, enrichment programs or fine arts programs, these spaces are meant to be enjoyed by everyone. The Troy High School marching band will benefit from these upgrades. We’re excited about the new opportunities they bring and look forward to seeing how students make the most of them.” Jansen added.
