Do you think synthetic turf should be used for town athletic fields?

No

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by Ryan Gray

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While the size of the town and the number of young people involved is likely to have an impact on this decision, a town with less than 500 kids does not need turf for the town athletic fields.

That is the mindset of local elected officials, and there is no argument here. It is an unnecessary expense, especially when there are several other areas where that money is needed.

Synthetic turf should not be the first choice anyway. The grass at the local baseball fields and at the school's football stadium work quite well. There are no complaints, and there have never been any requests for turf.

Athletes and other active youngsters from long ago and even in recent decades played on grass. They had a good time, survived, and so did the grass. It was not a problem back then and should not be a problem now.

If they pay attention, sports fans will consistently hear athletes talk about how they want to play on natural grass or are glad they do. It won't take long to hear a professional athlete who plays on synthetic turf in his home stadium talk about how nice it would be to play on grass all the time.

For young people growing up, getting grass stain on their clothes while playing baseball or football is part of the game. It just wouldn't sound right to hear a 10-year-old talk about how he got carpet burn at the ball field.

The players in movies like Bad News Bears and Sandlot needed to be on grass fields for the story to seem real, too. For them to be running and sliding around on some kind of turf would have ruined their appeal.

Synthetic turf is reserved for big-money places like universities and professional stadiums. Those folks have the funding available to put it in place and then rip it up if they don't like it. Small towns can't do it that way.

Officials from larger towns with more fields and more athletes and more activities may choose the turf because of the increased wear and tear. If that helps their budget, more power to them. But their young people are being robbed of the great experiences that come from playing on grass, and sometimes even mud.

Having to develop alternate plans of attack in the rain or on a soggy field can have immeasurable benefits for a young athlete. It helps them grow in ways that no coach can provide. They could not get that on a field made of turf.

The bottom line is that town athletic fields are places for young people to grow - not only as athletes, but also as individuals. Turf does not grow; it is made artificially. But grass does grow, so that makes it the perfect match for this situation.

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