VALDOSTA —
Lowndes’ Martin Stadium is currently unusable, and wil remain that way for the next three weeks, as maintenance crews work to replace what was described as a “bad batch” of field turf.
Installed four years ago, according to Lowndes athletic director Randy McPherson, the current field turf inside Martin Stadium was ruled defective and began to wear down quicker than school officials expected. The field started to become unplayable.
“You could tell it was coming up,” McPherson said. “It doesn’t really look like there is anything wrong with it right now, but the top fibers just weren’t holding up.”
As a result, the school contacted the maker of the field turf, a company known as Field Turf — the largest turf distributor in the country. Upon speaking with the company, Lowndes administration was informed the Vikings’ field was covered under warranty and that the school would be receiving a new field for no additional cost.
“We learned in conversations with the company that they had some faulty fiber,” Lowndes Superintendent Wes Taylor said. “They made a decision it was at a point that is was worthy of replacement through insurance.”
With the stadium turf being unplayable for the coming weeks, the Lowndes soccer teams have been displaced in the midst of their seasons. School officials say the teams will only miss three to four games at home and will be able to play the remainder of their games, likely after spring break, back inside Martin Stadium.
In the meantime, Lowndes’ soccer teams are forced to play on the road and at VSU’s soccer complex, which was made available by Blazer head coach Mel Heinz.
“They were ready to come and honor their warranty, so we didn’t have a choice,” McPherson said, when asked of the soccer teams. “The soccer teams get to play at VSU. We are lucky they let us play there.”
Lowndes’ field wasn’t the only one affected by the bad batch. Camden County’s Chris Gilman Stadium will also be receiving new turf prior to the 2013 season, says McPherson.
“They have fields all around the country,” McPherson said. “They have several that they installed during that time frame that did this. Field Turf is a really big company. They got the (Georgia) Dome, a lot of NFL stadiums.”
Once the new turf is installed inside Martin Stadium, fans will see minor changes in the paint design. While the end zones will remain the same and the mid-field logo will still feature the Viking logo, some additional crimson paint will be added on the coaches box on the home sideline.
Lowndes football opens spring practice May 1 and will hold its spring game May 16.
Local Sports
Lowndes’ Martin Stadium receiving new field turf
- Local Sports
-
-
VSU eliminated
Valdosta State softball’s bid for a national title repeat came up short this season.
The Blazers were eliminated from the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament Saturday with a 7-5 loss in nine innings to Armstrong Atlantic University, a school based off the Georgia coast in Savannah. -
Win or go home
The Valdosta State softball team faces Armstrong Atlantic University in an elimination game for the 2013 Division II Softball Championship Tournament today at noon.
-
HOOPER: An early look at the 2013 football season
I haven’t written a column in quite some time, largely because there has been so much going on and we haven’t always had the space, nor have I felt up to it after writing so many other stories.
But today, I am writing this column and taking up the inches in the daily sports section and giving a little love to the upcoming football season. -
Blazers fall to Molloy in eight innings
With only one out remaining and trailing by three, the Molloy Lions strung together four hits to plate three runs in the seventh followed by another run in the eighth inning to defeat Valdosta State’s softball team 5-4 in the first round of the 2013 Division II Softball National Championship Tournament on Thursday in Salem, Va.
-
Albritton, Johnson earn All-America honors
Valdosta State softball players Courtney Albritton and Morgan Johnson gathered multiple All-America honors late Wednesday night.
-
Golfers take course for Wounded Warriors
Local patrons participated in the Wounded Warrior Project Golf Tournament at Stone Creek Golf Club in Valdosta on Thursday.
-
Valwood football hosting 4-man scramble golf tourney
Head coach Ashley Henderson and the Valwood football team will be hosting a 4-man scramble golf tournament at Valdosta Country Club Friday, June 14.
-
VHS football cheerleaders to host Junior Cheer Camp
The Valdosta High School football cheerleaders will be hosting a Junior Cheer Camp June 5 through June 7 at the W.G. Nunn Elementary School gymnasium.
-
Gillespie, McPherson pleased with spring practices
Valdosta’s Rance Gillespie and Lowndes’ Randy McPherson both think their football teams got better during the recent 10 days of spring practice.
Then again, both coaches know their teams have a ways to go before the start of the football season. -
Signing day at VHS
It was signing day galore at Valdosta High School Wednesday.
Six student-athletes signed national letter of intents to compete at the next level, while two VHS athletes both signed academic scholarships to Division I universities. - More Local Sports Headlines
-
