Just in time for football season, middle and high school
ballfields are once again open for community use.
In September 2002, the Douglas County Board of Education
prohibited community use of district high school and middle school
fields because of their deteriorating conditions. The drought
combined with the constant use left receding grass and compact
soil.
The potential for injury on the hard, choppy fields led the
board to close them off to community for the first time in the
district’s history.
“The fields never got a rest,” said Patrick Hickey, the
district’s executive director of support services. “They were used
all day long by P.E. classes and recess, then when school let out
they were used by organized sports activities.”
After a year of tending to the fields and limiting the traffic,
the fields have bounced back. Some fields still have worn soil in
the high-traffic areas, but overall they are green again.
Elementary school field use was allowed during the year on a
per-school basis at the discretion of the principal. Because of
that, the fields have taken a toll leaving many with little grass
and large dirt spots.
District officials wanted to keep the fields open to provide
some outlet for community sports players.
The chance of serious injury on the fields designed for younger
players is not as great, he said.
“The level of play and competition is so much different,” Hickey
said. “When you have 16- and 17-year-olds, they are playing very
competitive, and we really needed to make sure the fields were the
best we could get them.”