Tazman:
I too was shocked at the poor condition of the JL Mann field. This is one of the top soccer programs in the state when you factor in boys and girls!! I expected a far better pitch!
We lost there 4-0... i do NOT think that score was a direct result of the field but it sure did not help. The proof is that we beat JL Mann at our field in February of this year!
I do not in any way hold the JL Mann coaching staff responsible for the condition of the field. The fact that, sitting on the visitor bench, that you can see 20 yards of the face of the other sideline is a crime to high school soccer. Before we played at JL Mann, i got several scouting reports. They all talked about the poor quality of the field and how if you played a ball up the one sideline, that the pass would roll up the little hill and back down, almost like a skateboarder... those reports also talked about how bad the center of the field is and how grass is sporadic at best. It is tough to take a kickoff or PK b/c of all the damage lacrosse has done to the field.
This is the exact same field and layout that i played at JL Mann when my Riverside team beat them in the 1995 playoffs. The only difference is that the home and visitor sides are now switched and the parking lot is on the new home side. I cannot believe that everyone looks at that field and says "yep, that is what we are going with and we are proud of it".
Perhaps in retirement, i will lobby to become the "Certifier of Game Fields" for the SCHSL. I will drive to every high school and inspect all of their athletic fields to certify them for use. If they are not certified, then i will give input on how they need to be modified in order to be certified for use.
