Defending Their Turf: Officials Say Artificial Grass Saves Money, Players

Courtesy of Gloucester County Times
Written by Jessica Beym
August 15, 2007

WASHINGTON TWP. Two years after the school district invested $2 million in artificial turf fields, athletic officials say they are benefiting from lower maintenance costs, fewer student injuries and more use of the fields.

While many other schools have asked about the success of the new field, the start up price may be too costly for some.

This fall marks the start of the third season that the Washington Township High School sports teams have had use of the two artificial turf fields.

Athletic Director Kevin Murphy said his list of adjectives to describe the field is endless.

"It's phenomenal, It's amazing," Murphy said on Tuesday in between football practices.

The list of benefits is even longer, he said, starting with the decreased costs to the school district, since the turf requires hardly any maintenance.

Murphy estimates the savings to be about $50,000 a year for the two fields.

"We saved an enormous amount of money in terms of upkeep," Murphy said. "No more fertilization, no more grass cutting, no more lining the fields. Maintenance has gone to practically zero."

With a natural grass field, the school had to pay maintenance workers to paint lines on the field at least once a week during football season. Once the season ended, the field was barred from use to be reseeded.

Varsity and junior varsity field hockey, and boys and girls lacrosse can all use the field year 'round, he said. And weather is never a factor.

"We literally had three or four inches of rain the day of, and played the game totally unaffected by the weather," Murphy said.

Each field cost $500,000, Murphy said, but the district earmarked about $2 million of a voter-approved referendum in 2004 to pay for the fields and the installation.

Even at an annual savings of $50,000, it would take a few years to recoup the cost of the fields.

This is something that Delsea Regional Board of Education President Bill Lahn has considered.

The school district has not formally asked to consider the artificial turf, but the athletic department has presented some interesting facts to Lahn, he said.

"They have been looking into it," Lahn said. "Personally, it sounds like a good idea, and sounds like over a period of time it would pay for itself. The initial cost is quite a bit of money."

Lahn said some of the benefits would be less maintenance and possibly fewer student injuries.

Washington Township's athletic trainer found this to be true, Murphy said.

"Our trainer did a study. The numbers of injuries have decreased dramatically," Murphy said. "It's a constant surface that rarely varies."

Woodbury School District, which is in the midst of constructing a new stadium, considered artificial turf in September 2006 but opted against the financial investment.

"Something like this would open so many responsibilities, but the bottom line is we have to be fiscally responsible," board President Frank Gwalthney said in a previous interview.

Other area schools that have invested in the turf fields include Eastern High School in Voorhees, Bishop Eustace in Pennsauken and Paul VI in Haddon Heights. Rowan University also has one.

"The numbers are increasing," Murphy said. "Athletic directors have called and asked. It's well worth it. It's a great investment not only for the school community, but the community as whole."