WOODBURY — One turf field, four teams: It’s a constant battle.
But in the end, who deserves the turf?
Nonnewaug field hockey, girls soccer, boys soccer, and football all want the turf. Most teams in the Berkshire League don’t have the privilege of turf, but Nonnewaug does.
“We are very blessed to have the turf at Nonnewaug because most schools don’t have that,” said Declan Curtin, Nonnewaug’s assistant principal and former athletic director. “Part of that requires the teams to move around.”
Teams have to rotate the fields so that each team gets fair playing time, but some players, like senior field hockey captain Kelly Farrell, think that some teams have more time than others.
“Sometimes it’s unfair, not just for field hockey, but for the other sports as well,” Farrell said. “I think it’s very dependent on who has a game on grass or on turf, but sometimes some teams get the turf more than others.”
Coaches have come together to decide the schedule and divide the turf time to make it as even as possible.
“The coaches of the girls soccer team, the boys soccer team, and the field hockey team did our best to put together a schedule to share the turf as equally as we can,” said Toby Denman, Nonnewaug boys soccer coach.
Every fall sport team struggles to split the turf in the afternoon, but one team has adapted to the situation. Football usually practices from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on the turf, but the Workhorses occasionally get pushed to the grass when there’s a game for another sport.
The coaches have all come to agreement with the scheduled teams that have a game on the turf the next day, usually practice on the turf the day before.
“Another factor is kind of who has the next home game,” says Denman. “If someone is playing on the turf the following day, then they should probably be on the turf the day before.”
Even though some athletes may have a problem with the turf times, coaches agree that the facility is being divided as well as possible.
“The coaches are all in agreement on the schedule,” Curtin said. “I believe that if anyone else has concerns they should bring it to the coaches.”
