The reputation of Revere graduates among universities, colleges and employers is well documented. Revere students have graduated from virtually every Ivy League University; they include doctors, researchers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, teachers, authors, artists and even Super Bowl Champions. However, ask those who compete for athletic scholarships about the facilities at Revere High School and you will quickly learn that our students are at a competitive disadvantage.

Revere Stadium is more than football.

The Revere Stadium is frequently referred to as “the football field.” But football is only one sport that utilizes the natural grass field. In fact, the “football field” is home to several boys and girls sports. In addition to JV and Varsity football, other sports that utilize the field are boys’ and girls’ soccer, track and field and the marching band. Some, such as the marching band are kept off the field until show time, forced to practice their precision routines somewhere other than where they perform. There are many other uses of the “football field” that are frequently not an option due to wear and tear of the field. These include practice for baseball, softball, golf and cheer; phys ed classes, youth sports, school assemblies and community activities.

Research shows that a natural grass field in a high school environment is used about 5% of the time. The grass does not respond well to play in wet conditions or overuse which compacts the soil and damages the field’s surface. In an effort to maintain the natural grass, use is severely restricted and our students and athletes are forced to play and/or practice in less-thanoptimal conditions.

From Astro Turf in 1966 to fourth generation infill synthetic turf today, technology has come a long way.

In 1966, the first synthetic turf was installed in the Houston Astrodome. The same year Star Trek premiered. Considering the IBM PC wasn’t introduced until 1981, we can agree that technology has drastically altered the way we live our lives. This is especially true in sports and leisure activities where synthetic turf is drastically expanding the playability of fields throughout the country.

At least 69 public and private schools throughout Ohio currently have synthetic turf fields, including nearly 10% of all football playing schools according to the OHSAA. Infill synthetic turf replicates the look and
playability of natural grass, allowing for more playing time and without the need for resource-intensive maintenance. In the Suburban League synthetic turf fields have been installed at Copley, Green, and Cloverleaf. Other area synthetic turf fields include St V-St Mary, Hoban, Twinsburg, Lake, GlenOak Medina, Brunswick, Brecksville, and many more.

A common concern about synthetic turf is injury. Many recall the issues with first generation “astro turf” and injury was one of the biggest problems. But today, fourth generation synthetic turf has overcome that objection. An NCAA study comparing injury rates during the 2003-2004 academic year showed that the injury rate during practice was 4.4% on natural turf and 3.5% on synthetic turf. This is attributed to the uniformity and consistency of synthetic turf, and the resilient materials of synthetic turf that provide a level of impact attenuation that can’t be matched on natural grass fields.

Turf is cost neutral and playable 365/24/7.

In addition to fewer injuries, over the long haul turf is less expensive to maintain than natural grass. Synthetic turf maintenance costs are two to three times less than natural grass, eliminating the need for irrigation, herbicides, pesticides, fertilizer and mowing.

There is no downtime due to climate, and synthetic turf accepts 3000 hours of yearly use vs. 680-816 hours for natural grass. The 2008 baseball season was hit hard by constant rain and snow in the Spring.

In April, GlenOak Baseball Coach Greg McClellan said, “If it weren’t for the new field, we’d still be in the gym looking at the same four walls everybody’s been looking at for the last month and a half.” Instead the baseball team took fielding practice and did base running skills on the synthetic turf.

Today’s synthetic turf is supported by the NFL, UEFA, and FIFA. And while some will question crumb rubber from recycled tires that is used as the resilient material, the highly conservative EPA recommends using this
material for “playgrounds, running tracks and sports fields.”