New Practice Field?

[BGSU33]

I appreciate the look of this around our practice field as it looks very clean and nice, but if we can do this around a plot of grass, why aren't we doing it around our actual stadium to replace the cheap, crappy chain link fence???


https://mobile.twitter.com/Bgsufalconcl ... 2964271104

This would be fantastic. I hope FootballGuy is correct and this is in the long-term plan. Fencing like this would make a big difference.

I agree. That sort of fencing with the brick posts/supports looks much nicer. I actually remember when we used to have ivy/vines growing on the chain-link fence that runs around the stadium. That naturally covered up how bad the fencing looks, at least while the leaves were present.

[thewebboy]

It looks great, but is there a function/reason to put the fence up? Storing equipment? Definitely not for privacy.

Will it be enclosed all the way around? Would look sweet with an orange arch or something at the entrance.

[BGSU33]

It looks great, but is there a function/reason to put the fence up? Storing equipment? Definitely not for privacy.

Will it be enclosed all the way around? Would look sweet with an orange arch or something at the entrance.

I'm guessing it was put up to essentially keep people off of it. I'm not exactly sure who would go out there and use it....maybe someone parking on it to walk, or hitting golf balls or letting their dog run. But if our coaches insist we practice on grass (which they seem to), it's important to maintain that area properly.

[mscarn]

According to the minutes the suggestion for the fence was made by someone named D. Trump.

[Dayons_Den]

I feel for the lowly manager who will be shagging FG balls on the North end of the practice field. Looks like a long way around to a break in the fence. . . .

[footballguy51]

My assumption for the fence is quality control, just like it was mentioned earlier. Hitting golf balls, playing with dogs, or even playing a pick-up game of football with a bunch of friends on a field that is pre-lined, although fun, can actually harm the field and potentially injure the players.

[Critical Thinker]

It looks great, but is there a function/reason to put the fence up? Storing equipment? Definitely not for privacy.

Will it be enclosed all the way around? Would look sweet with an orange arch or something at the entrance.

I'm guessing it was put up to essentially keep people off of it. I'm not exactly sure who would go out there and use it....maybe someone parking on it to walk, or hitting golf balls or letting their dog run. But if our coaches insist we practice on grass (which they seem to), it's important to maintain that area properly.

I've never seen anyone out there, and I used to run back there on the road almost daily. The Doyt isn't even closed off; anyone can play on the turf, unless one of the varsity teams is using it (which is rare with football no longer practicing there). I have no idea what the fence is for.

[Falconwriter]

You can't play on grass here in the north...most decent sized HS's play on artificial turf. Trying to sell kids on playing on grass would be tough.

For the life of me...I don't undertsand the fascination with grass. It's not 1975...artificial turf isn't a rug over concrete. It's a better surface for sports than grass.

Totally agree. As for going back to grass: doesn't BGSU host other games on that field (like some high school games, playoffs, soccer or lacrosse?) If they do ANY games besides the Falcons, then you almost have to have FieldTurf -- or you end up with a pitted, muddy mess at some point.

[MarkL]

As I understand practicing on grass is for two reasons:
1) practicing at the Doyt "cheapens" the game feel. It gives the guys a bit of a mental edge to know that they only step into the Doyt five or six times in a year, so bring it all to win.
2) practicing on grass makes you concentrate more on your pivots, cuts, etc. Like a batter practicing on a heavier bat, practicing on grass should make you even sharper on pivots and cuts on turf.

[footballguy51]

As I understand practicing on grass is for two reasons:
1) practicing at the Doyt "cheapens" the game feel. It gives the guys a bit of a mental edge to know that they only step into the Doyt five or six times in a year, so bring it all to win.
2) practicing on grass makes you concentrate more on your pivots, cuts, etc. Like a batter practicing on a heavier bat, practicing on grass should make you even sharper on pivots and cuts on turf.

I believe they also said the chance of injury is lower on grass.

[FalconTurf]

I was talking to the AD last year while watching practice before the season ticket holder event and he mentioned they had a problem in the winter when some equipment was on campus. The contractor pulled the equipment onto the practice fields because they really couldn't tell there was anything significant out there. It looked like an open field. He also mentioned they might want to make one of the 3 fields turf since future coaches would likely prefer turf over natural grass.

[thewebboy]

I was talking to the AD last year while watching practice before the season ticket holder event and he mentioned they had a problem in the winter when some equipment was on campus. The contractor pulled the equipment onto the practice fields because they really couldn't tell there was anything significant out there. It looked like an open field. He also mentioned they might want to make one of the 3 fields turf since future coaches would likely prefer turf over natural grass.

OK this makes total sense. Thanks for sharing.

[BGSU33]

I'm mentioning this in this thread since the topic of our turf reaching the end of its lifespan was brought up. I just read that FieldTurf (which is the brand of turf BG has) submitted a low bid of $360,000 to replace NIU"s new field this year (NIU also had FieldTurf). FieldTurf actually outbid other competitors, and FieldTurf has the best type and brand of turf that there is. NIU's last field was installed in just 2009 and they had it replaced this past June in 2015. If I'm on BG's administration, I'm making a call to FieldTurf to see if they'll match or get us under that amount for turf in 2016 for BG. I believe when we had our field put in the total cost was around $1.2 million, and that was close to a decade ago. Now, that cost was more than just the playing surface, it involved all the construction and groundwork underneath it too. But if BG can get a new FieldTurf brand surface for next year for about a third or a quarter of the project cost nowadays over some of the inferior type of playing surfaces that compete with FieldTurf, I'm jumping all over that. I also have to believe that if we did the baseball field and the Doyt at the same time we could group the two projects together and save more money in the long run doing them together.

[Falcon137]

At the season ticket event, Kingston said, there will be a permanent structure built where the opening in the fence is. It will be a storage facility and have restrooms.

[bgsufalcon24]

According to the minutes the suggestion for the fence was made by someone named D. Trump.

They didn't build it high enough though. Somebody's about to get fired.