Artificial Turf

WASHINGTON COUNTY - Extensive wear and tear on a football field used by youth football teams has Washington County talking about whether it makes sense to install artificial turf at Martin L. "Marty" Snook Memorial Park in Halfway. The cost of the turf runs from about $750,000 to $1 million, County Commissioner Doris J. Nipps said by telephone Monday. County staff and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board has been discussing the artificial turf idea for a few months, Nipps said.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Saying it would be the "palace of athletics in the Eastern Panhandle," Martinsburg city officials were briefed Wednesday on a proposal to spend $1 million to put artificial turf on Martinsburg High School's Cobourn Field. Two supporters who are working to raise money for the project are asking the city for $150,000, and members of the Martinsburg City Council's budget and finance committee agreed Wednesday afternoon to recommend that the council fund the request.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - Members of the Shepherd University football team are about to sink their cleats into some of the best turf in the business. Since Jan. 3, workers have been installing a new artificial turf at the 8-year-old Ram Stadium along W.Va. 480, and the new surface is expected to be ready when the football team begins spring practice in April, Chip Ransom, Shepherd's sports information director, said Tuesday. Shepherd officials decided to put an artificial surface on the field after dealing with water drainage problems at the 5,000-seat stadium, Ransom said.

MIDDLETOWN, Md. -- Three Brunswick High School students have been arrested in connection with a fire that damaged the artificial turf playing field at Middletown High School, the Maryland State Fire Marshal's office announced Wednesday. The three 17-year-olds were arrested early Wednesday following a joint investigation conducted by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Frederick County Fire Marshal's Office and the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Deputy State Fire Marshal Joseph G. Zurolo said.

WASHINGTON COUNTY - In Cumberland, Md., Fort Hill and Allegany high schools share a football field with synthetic turf similar to what North Hagerstown High School is about to get. Since the field was built about 10 years ago, "I've only seen one, maybe two injuries," said Randy Stewart, an assistant football coach at Allegany. He's not sure the turf was at fault in either case. For many years, artificial turf was known as hard and unforgiving for athletes and the possible source of many injuries.

HAGERSTOWN North Hagerstown High School's new home-field advantage might come on artificial turf. Jack Metzner, president and chief executive officer of Conservit Inc., a scrap metal processing firm, told the Washington County Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday that the company would buy naming rights to the stadium's field for $250,000 if board members approve the installation of artificial turf. "The stadium committee is very close to achieving our goal, almost an impossible goal," said Jim Brown, who has served as honorary chairman of the committee.

When I got to my office Wednesday morning, there was an e-mail waiting for me from a supporter of the new North Hagerstown High School Stadium. It said, in effect, "Was Washington County Commissioner Dori Nipps really ready to hold up an $86 million Capital Improvement Program budget because she doesn't favor giving another $300,000 to the North High stadium project?" Maybe, maybe not. Nipps did vote for it, but only after saying again that she opposed more money for the stadium.

Work on Greencastle-Antrim's $2.5 million stadium project is two weeks behind schedule, but school officials said the Blue Devils' first home football game against New Oxford on Sept. 9 should go on without a hitch. With the first home soccer game on Sept. 3, crews are working into the evening to ensure that the G-A soccer team can play on the new artificial turf-covered Kaley Field, district officials said. Greencastle-Antrim Superintendent C. Gregory Hoover said workers found a problem when they attempted to resurface the six-lane track.

WASHINGTON COUNTY - Changing demographics, water allocations and road construction were on the minds of some Washington County Commissioners during recent meetings with county and state officials. For Commissioner Doris J. Nipps, the Maryland Association of Counties' annual conference also provided the opportunity to talk turf. "The jury's still out. I still have to look at it a little bit closer, but I think there may be some use for it," said Nipps, who took part in a discussion about artificial turf while at the conference, which ended Saturday.

Work on Greencastle-Antrim's $2.5 million stadium project is two weeks behind schedule, but school officials said the Blue Devils' first home football game against New Oxford on Sept. 9 should go on without a hitch. With the first home soccer game on Sept. 3, crews are working into the evening to ensure that the G-A soccer team can play on the new artificial turf-covered Kaley Field, district officials said. Greencastle-Antrim Superintendent C. Gregory Hoover said workers found a problem when they attempted to resurface the six-lane track.

Two oversized checks presented Sunday symbolically started the fundraising portion of a $2.5 million capital campaign to upgrade two athletic fields, stadium lighting and the track at the Greencastle-Antrim School District campus. The G-A MAAX (Greencastle-Antrim Maximizing Arts and Athletics X-cellence) campaign will repay a loan for the work being completed this summer. The campaign's steering committee hosted an event Sunday evening to provide updates on the project, announce Garon Gembe and Jeff Shank as honorary chairmen, and accept pledge cards and two checks.

MIDDLETOWN, Md. -- Three Brunswick High School students have been arrested in connection with a fire that damaged the artificial turf playing field at Middletown High School, the Maryland State Fire Marshal's office announced Wednesday. The three 17-year-olds were arrested early Wednesday following a joint investigation conducted by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Frederick County Fire Marshal's Office and the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Deputy State Fire Marshal Joseph G. Zurolo said.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - Workers have repaired a section of new turf at Shepherd University's Ram Stadium after it was cut from the field by vandals, a school spokeswoman said Thursday. Workers were applying the number "50" to the field Thursday where the section was removed, said Valerie Owens. Owens said a police investigation into the vandalism was continuing. It is possible that the entire turf project could be completed by next week, Owens said. Shepherd officials decided to put an artificial surface on the field after dealing with water drainage problems at the 5,000-seat stadium.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - Members of the Shepherd University football team are about to sink their cleats into some of the best turf in the business. Since Jan. 3, workers have been installing a new artificial turf at the 8-year-old Ram Stadium along W.Va. 480, and the new surface is expected to be ready when the football team begins spring practice in April, Chip Ransom, Shepherd's sports information director, said Tuesday. Shepherd officials decided to put an artificial surface on the field after dealing with water drainage problems at the 5,000-seat stadium, Ransom said.

The off-season for football has officially begun, which means football fans must wait six months before the preseason begins again. This season was one of many memories, but it also gives each team something to look at for next season to better prepare. The Pro Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii, took place this past Sunday as the all-stars from the AFC and the NFC battled it out. The first half was high scoring as the AFC capitalized early to pull ahead 24-7 at one point, but the AFC eventually lost that huge lead as the NFC brought the score to 27-21 at the half.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Where the Trojan baseball team will play, how many sports can fit on Trojan Stadium's field and who should be allowed to play all were discussed at Wednesday's Chambersburg School Board meeting. Greene Township Supervisor Todd Burns made a pitch for the Chambersburg Area Senior High School baseball team playing at the municipal park being built near Scotland, Pa. The township is looking for a 10- to 15-year renewable lease for about $15,000 per year and indexed for inflation.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Saying it would be the "palace of athletics in the Eastern Panhandle," Martinsburg city officials were briefed Wednesday on a proposal to spend $1 million to put artificial turf on Martinsburg High School's Cobourn Field. Two supporters who are working to raise money for the project are asking the city for $150,000, and members of the Martinsburg City Council's budget and finance committee agreed Wednesday afternoon to recommend that the council fund the request.

HAGERSTOWN - How much difference can 6 inches of earth make? Plenty, if it's on a football field where teens in cleats are trying to keep their footing. Early last week, a sinkhole was discovered near the 5-yard line on the left side of the field at the new Mike Callas Stadium at North Hagerstown High School. The depression was about 6 inches deep, according to Rob Rollins, acting director of facilities planning and development for Washington County Public Schools. He said the contractor, Specialty Surfaces of Wayne, Pa., arrived Friday to fill the sinkhole.