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I hope everyone has a turf practice field

mc140

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May 29, 2001
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Because when this two feet of snow finally melts, it is going to be a swamp for a few weeks.
 
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Baseball playing April 12 first games probably would have happened anyways with this melting!
 
How many schools have a field turf baseball diamond?
 
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especially when you look at the 2 week forecast and there isn't a high temp above freezing. The snow isn't going anywhere soon.
 
Yet someone said March is November. Uh,no.

Which is the frustrating thing. A November/December season would have had better weather. It is just awful typically from mid January until mid March, some times mid April. Sure it appears we get t o play but trying to get any meaningful practice time when its 20 and snowing or 35 and wet will be a challenge. That is not even taking into consideration the fight most programs will have with getting lower level kids out and continue to show up to practice outside in this.

Also don't give me the baseball comparison. When it is awful out they sit inside a batting cage and pitch in a gym or hallway. The first couple weeks of football you will have some combination of Boys Bball, Girls Bball, Girls Vball, Boys Soccer, Badminton and Cheer all fighting for gym space depending on school size and what sports those places offer.
 
Right, I can't believe "fans" are still complaining.

Where is anyone complaining? Stating that the field are going to be swamps is reality and having to practice in it will be miserable but still infinitely better than the alternative of not playing at all.
 
Where is anyone complaining? Stating that the field are going to be swamps is reality and having to practice in it will be miserable but still infinitely better than the alternative of not playing at all.
It's a reality that has been brought up for quite some time.
 
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Yet someone said March is November. Uh,no.
That would have been me. I stand by it. Warm up is coming. Check accuweather. So they get muddy, it’s football. If it was November and it rained for 2 days followed by 30 degree weather would they say screw it we forfeit? No they would play. Check out the pictures from some of the grass fields in the first round last year after 3 inches on Halloween. Anyways, if worse comes to worse, if the field is unplayable for whatever reason, they may have to give up the home field that week and play away. There are no fans beside parents or student sections anyway, home field advantage is out the window for the six games that in hindsight don’t count towards anything. And remember when you were a teenager, mud games are awesome!
 
And St. Xavier and St. Francis played Saturday, as well as St. Ambrose and other NAIA teams In literally -10 below windchill and snow...would you rather that or mud? Man up, it’s football.
 
That would have been me. I stand by it. Warm up is coming. Check accuweather. So they get muddy, it’s football. If it was November and it rained for 2 days followed by 30 degree weather would they say screw it we forfeit? No they would play. Check out the pictures from some of the grass fields in the first round last year after 3 inches on Halloween. Anyways, if worse comes to worse, if the field is unplayable for whatever reason, they may have to give up the home field that week and play away. There are no fans beside parents or student sections anyway, home field advantage is out the window for the six games that in hindsight don’t count towards anything. And remember when you were a teenager, mud games are awesome!
Temperature wise sure. But there's a big difference between 3 months of 50-80 degrees heading into 40 versus 3 months of 0-30 heading into 40. Takes months to freeze and months to thaw. Turf fields will be fine but in the FVC where all but one school is grass, they are going to have a mess on their hands. But I'm not complaining as one suggested, just stating fact. It'll be interesting for sure.
 
Temperature wise sure. But there's a big difference between 3 months of 50-80 degrees heading into 40 versus 3 months of 0-30 heading into 40. Takes months to freeze and months to thaw. Turf fields will be fine but in the FVC where all but one school is grass, they are going to have a mess on their hands. But I'm not complaining as one suggested, just stating fact. It'll be interesting for sure.
I get it, and your right it’s coming off a freeze but these grass field stadiums have had months to make plans and look into alternatives, they’ll make it work. I’ve been a glass half full guy this whole year I’m sticking with it! It’s going to be a challenge but they’ll deal with it, they know the alternative.
 
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And St. Xavier and St. Francis played Saturday, as well as St. Ambrose and other NAIA teams In literally -10 below windchill and snow...would you rather that or mud? Man up, it’s football.

I don't think many teams will be allowed to play if it is that bad out by their admins. Which brings up anpther point. When we get to a certain heat index we can not play per school/ihsa guidelines. Will there be a uniform cold index in place?
 
I don't think many teams will be allowed to play if it is that bad out by their admins. Which brings up anpther point. When we get to a certain heat index we can not play per school/ihsa guidelines. Will there be a uniform cold index in place?
From every long term forecast I’ve looked into I don’t think it will even be an issue. I know these weather sites can be wrong but after these next several days I’m seeing traditional weather returning. Even 50 by the end of the month, and March being in the mid 40’s most of the month and low 50’s at the end through mid April.
 
I don't think many teams will be allowed to play if it is that bad out by their admins. Which brings up anpther point. When we get to a certain heat index we can not play per school/ihsa guidelines. Will there be a uniform cold index in place?

Don't give them any ideas.
 
I about fell down laughing this afternoon, as someone posted pictures on Facebook of Peotone snowblowing their football field. With a farm-style tractor pulling the snowblower...yes, their grass football field. Its so bad, its not like they can screw it up any worse...

My amusement was later furthered by seeing a picture of Sterling snowblowing as well. But Sterling has turf....

Anyone else have interesting new field maintenance programs taking place?
 
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A professional snow removal company was contacted to remove the snow from the the practice and football field at Chicago Christian Friday night. Both fields are grass. The snow was anywhere from 24"-28" deep. I stopped there Saturday morning around 11:00 am and it was quite remarkable. The field had no damage and was in great shape all things considered. The company did a great job.
 
Wouldn’t a single stage snow thrower beat field turf enough to loosen/pickup the rubber pellets? Dual stage snow throwers have runners on them so they can be adjusted just above the turf. No matter how you do on natural grass it has to hurt the surface.
 
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Forlouann, Is this the same field Chicago Christian has played on for 15 yrs? I rememeber that field, it was complete trash. Nothing bad to say about the program at all, but the playing field was in extremely poor condition.

Hopefully fields around the state won’t be too damaged and can let the kids play safely.
 
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No offence taken. Yes, the field has taken a beating through the years. A while back, can't remember when, the field had a total reconditioning from the base on up. New drainage, dirt and sod. Gets resodded on a regular basis. A generous donor had agreed to instal a turf field, but the decision was made not to at that point. Still scratching my head over that one.
 
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Your not supposed to plow right to the turf when using the heavy duty machines. Your supposed to leave a few inches on it and let the sun take care of the rest. 3 days near 40 and sun this week is going to help immensely
 
Your not supposed to plow right to the turf when using the heavy duty machines. Your supposed to leave a few inches on it and let the sun take care of the rest. 3 days near 40 and sun this week is going to help immensely

I love it. This site has it all! HS Football, Landscape/Snow removal experts! Who would of known such skilled professionals exist on Edgy! LMAO 😂
 
Your not supposed to plow right to the turf when using the heavy duty machines. Your supposed to leave a few inches on it and let the sun take care of the rest. 3 days near 40 and sun this week is going to help immensely
Correct. I heard of a park district that had new turf and tried to plow it in January. They ended up scalping a portion of the turf because the bottom layer was ice and attached to the turf fibers.
 
I love it. This site has it all! HS Football, Landscape/Snow removal experts! Who would of known such skilled professionals exist on Edgy! LMAO 😂
South Side living! Got to trust your Streets and Sans friends!
 
Drove by St. Ignatius this morning and it looks like an Antarctica tundra.
Not one set of foot prints in the snow.
Are there any schools in the City of Chicago that have field houses on their property?
What suburban schools have field houses?
Big advantage to be a school like Lincoln-Way East.
 
Drove by St. Ignatius this morning and it looks like an Antarctica tundra.
Not one set of foot prints in the snow.
Are there any schools in the City of Chicago that have field houses on their property?
What suburban schools have field houses?
Big advantage to be a school like Lincoln-Way East.
I think The Brook and H-F have one.
 
Drove by St. Ignatius this morning and it looks like an Antarctica tundra.
Not one set of foot prints in the snow.
Are there any schools in the City of Chicago that have field houses on their property?
What suburban schools have field houses?
Big advantage to be a school like Lincoln-Way East.

De La Salle has a field house.

All Lways, Lemont, Argo, EP, Tinley, Bremen, OF, Hillcrest, HF, Crete, Thornton, Thornwood, All Plainfields, Joliet West, Joliet Central, Lockport, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Both Hinsdales, Both Downers, Morton, WWS, Wheaton North... To name a few.
 
The big issue I see is these fields will be complete slush fields when it’s to practice. W all this snow, these fields ain’t drying up anytime soon.

I think the freezing temps are gone so the fields Won’t be concrete (which is great) but they will be soaked and will turn into mud fields soon.

anyhow, drove by Batavia the other night and the lights were on and kids were running around. So good to see!
 
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