Field finished

The new turf is ready.

More than two months before their seasons begin, the Patriot football and soccer teams have been able to use their renovated field.

Sprinturf has completed the installation of the new turf football field at Jay County High School, allowing the football and boys and girls soccer teams to start working out on their new home field June 5.

After a few rainy weeks in the early spring, good weather during the spring and early parts of the summer allowed Sprinturf to stay on schedule and complete the project with plenty of time to spare before the season begins.

“It looks good, feels good and they did a really good job with it,” said football coach Grant Zgunda. “It’s nice that they got it done as early as they did, so that we could actually get on it before we start official practice.

“I’m totally impressed with the new facility and then throw in the building down there at the end, it’s going to be really nice.”

Mid-States Concrete and General Construction of Redkey is shooting for mid-to-late July to finish the locker room and concessions building, said athletics director Steve Boozier. The biggest delay for completing the building is the installation of the air conditioning unit, but Boozier assured the facility it will be functional even without the unit by the start of the season.

Boozier, who is retiring at the end of the month, said he’s happy with where the project stands and the work that has been done so far.

“I’m glad to see the field get done,” Boozier said. “That was something that we’ve needed. … That field has been out there for 47-48 years without a major overhaul. … It’s a beautiful product.”

The field will also be utilized by the Patriots boys and girls soccer teams. 

Previously, the teams played out in the field north of the football field and baseball diamond.

The move gives the teams the ability to play on turf, increases the amount of spectator seating, provides better access to restrooms in the locker room and concessions building and offers the ability to use the lights for games that run later in the evening.

“Now we won’t be at a disadvantage when we play teams with turf,” said girls soccer coach Kendra Muhlenkamp. “Because we’ll have a better feel of how the ball glides on this type of texture after playing on it this summer.

“A second perspective is just being able to have the (soccer players) in a better atmosphere where maybe more people will come to watch their games.”

The boys soccer team will get the first opportunity to play a game on the field when they host Muncie Central on Aug. 20, with the girls following two days later against Heritage. Football will make its debut Aug. 30 against New Castle after opening the season on the road at Blackford.

“I think the kids will be very excited to be the first true varsity game played on that turf,” said boys soccer coach Rodney Reynolds. “I hope to see a lot of support. Even if you’re not a soccer fan, just the fact that it is the first game on that field will make it exciting.”

All three coaches noted how excited the players were the first few times out on the field.

Zgunda said the team decided to practice on it at the first opportunity despite rainy weather, because “the kids were just dying to get out there.” Muhlenkamp pointed out how some of her players were joking around about how she was able to reference actual markers on the field like the 30-yard line rather than cones or abstract objects in the distance. Reynolds talked about how some of his players are still excited about the turf every time they play on it, specifically mentioning Dylan Marentes who talks about it every practice.

All three coaches expressed their pleasure with the result of the field and their appreciation for the project.

“This is obviously a big deal for our kids,” Zgunda said. “(We’re) very fortunate and very appreciative of the people behind the scenes making it happen.”

The field won’t only benefit those three teams, but the other athletic programs and the school as a whole according to Boozier.

The new turf will provide opportunities for other teams to condition, baseball and softball to get outdoors even if their fields aren’t dry, the band to practice and physical education classes to utilize the space for class.

“I’m happy for the kids and it’s not just the athletes,” Boozier said. “The whole school’s going to benefit from that field. I can’t really think of a team that won’t benefit from that field.

“I’m just happy it’s done, happy to see it get finished and looking forward to kids using it.”