I get it, I understand it. Maybe the Greenville Schools need to consolidate fields and split the cost to use them. Turf a field or two to split cost and maintenance. My sons safety should not be compromised because of splitting field use between football, lacrosse, soccer, etc.; Yes, my kid got sand kicked into his face while playing this past weekend. To say I have issue with this is an understatement. I'm not talking about a little bit of sand - it was a lot, a handful scooped up by players cleat. Please know this wasn't done maliciously, but as a by product of playing hard during the course of the game. He was standing up when this happened. It's not like he was on the ground when it happened. It is amazing how immaculate the baseball field looked the day of our soccer game. I know the baseball field it is not used by football, lacrosse, and soccer. I get it.
I applaud the coaches for doing what they can with what they have, but more needs to be done. You can't squeeze blood out of a turnip, but if your field is that bad and you can't secure a better field, then maybe you should not host the playoff game. Defer to the visiting team and use their fields. Again, another dumb idea, that would take away your home field advantage and use of local fan base. If you are not going to provide good fields and cant arrange for it, then that should be your penalty. My penalty should not be having to play on your subpar and dangerous field as a visiting team. Their should be a minimum expectation for field use, this field is only acceptable to JL Mann athletics. I would really like to hear from someone who thinks the fields are adequate - please justify. Would love to see it.
In the future, secure better playing fields - Good lord, at least the playoffs. You have a partner school right next door with fields 5x times better. Beg and plead on hands and knees if you need to. Make a deal. Crazy Crazy Crazy field.
I also disagree about teams being penalized equally in terms of game situations. If you get to practice on a field that is habitually a bad conditioned field, don't you think, as players, you come to realize where the best places to kick a ball to or keep it away from are located? If you answer that truthfully, you can only come to the conclusion of an emphatic YES. Guest teams don't have that luxury. They are smacked in the face by a field in such bad shape, that there is no amount of time in the hour preceding the game (warm up period) to figure out what is good and what is bad for ball placement.
Pretty bad to see a ball kicked and then stopped by orange think sand so deep, you could literally sink your whole foot into it, "just like a day spent at the beach".
I am not, let me repeat, I am not slamming the coach of the team. I want to bring awareness to a very bad situation. If someone from the SCHSL would have seen that field, they would agree with everything I am saying. Do you feel like this field would be an acceptable site host for the State Championship games to be played this weekend?
That field is an utter disgrace to even be called a field. The coach cant control people who control the money. I applaud their efforts for making the best of a bad situation and sacrificing their time. That is not my intent, but if the school administration and athletic department are not going to provide adequate facilities for certain sports, then don't offer the sport. Seems like a crazy idea and an unacceptable solution, but either step up and do what's right or don't do it at all. There is no absolutely no way any "Reputable Athletic Director" would find this field acceptable to play on, I bet SCHSL wouldn't either if they could see it first hand. I beg anyone to go take a look at that field and see for yourself.
Yea, I have a vested interest in this because my kid got sand kicked in face! First time ever on a soccer field from a standing position. Can you say corneal abrasion!!!!!!!!!
