Friday night lights will look a little different this year at Soddy Daisy, thanks to a donation from U.S. Express and support from Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp. Soddy Daisy is one of the first Hamilton County schools to receive turf for their football field.
Football player Fisher Higgins says, “I just think it’ll really be good for all sports.” All athletes are finding it easier to play, “It allows a lot more games to be played on the field because grass tends to get torn up quite a bit when you have a lot of cleats running through it.” On grass fields, many times players can kick up grass when running. One of the many benefits of the new turf is the easy upkeep. Coach Rathman says, “We won’t have to worry about having to patch up little holes,” He also says new turf will help them be able to play even if the weather changes. Weather plays a big factor, rain can cause the grass to be very slippery while turf is water-resistant. Fisher Higgins states, “It’s a parched field and the water drains off to the sides . . . After rain you wouldn’t have delays, you can play through it.”
It’s a mixed bag of feelings for some of the players as they get ready for Friday night. Football player Brodie Haynes says, “It’s a good thing, the turf helps, but there are some downfalls, It gets a lot hotter on the field.” The heat in Soddy Daisy can be excruciating at times, ”We’ve already had a few [injuries] from the dizziness and all that from the heat…” Even with a few downfalls of heat, the new field is much better than the normal grass field. Coach Collier assures that the technology is much better than before. He states, “It’s all about the infield that’s in it. Now twenty years ago, the infield was a lot different, a lot stiffer than it is now, so technology has came a long way with it.” These new advancements should keep athletes away from injury if they use the right precautions.
Soddy Daisy High School is very thankful for their generous gift from U.S. Express and Mayor Wamp. Come support the Men of Troy when they play Friday nights on the new field!