Stadiums

[wildstangs]

Who has the best? Our bowl is gonna have turf by the time the season starts. I would put it up against any 3A teams. I do like Monahans, and Wylie's is pretty nice also.

[RBARKER]

Barbers Hill rebuilt their staduims home stands last year and installed Stadium seating with backs for the season ticket holders. Sure beats sitting on the bleachers. Its one of the best 3A stadiums I have seen in this area.

[toby070]

Wimberley installed Fieldturf two years ago, and that stuff is unreal. I'd put their field against anyone's in 3A. The stadium itself isn't anything special, but it has a nice hill country backdrop, great location.

[Ranger Mom]

I have to agree with Wildstang, Sweetwater has a very nice stadium. Greenwood has the seats with backs for season ticket holders. Our problem right now is lack of water. I think we have about 6 different kinds of grass on the field. They put a "top dressing" on this year, which just built the dome back up like it supposed to be. The field never looks good because we aren't able to water like we should. I know they are 4A, (we play them in pre-season) but Andrews field was nice from what I remember playing there a few years back!!

[buffalo booster]

Monahans gets my vote. Field is always in good shape. Scoreboard lists past team accomplishments. Good bleachers. And, you can't beat the view from the home-side of the stadium. On a clear evening, you can see the Davis Mountains in the distance. Very cool...

[spiderman]

Sweetwater gets my vote! It will be even better with turf! Is that being put in right now?

[cl8114]

Gatesville is remodeling there stadium right now. It is not the greatest but they just built a practice field with the new Astroplay stuff on it. It looks really good. I

[wildstangs]

Originally posted by spiderman:
Sweetwater gets my vote! It will be even better with turf! Is that being put in right now?

Spiderman, last I heard the field is being surveyed right now. It will have to start pretty soon though. The company installing it said it will take almost 55 days to install. Now if we could just get new bathrooms and concession stands!

[Swarm 51]

Gatesville tore down their eye sore of a press box and a new two story with an elevator to access the handicap is being constructed. Will be ready when the Hornets open zero week at home with Alvarado. Am sure the coaches scouting the Hornets and their opposing teams who have previously been at the stadium will be pleasantly surprised. Also, all of the wooden bleachers have been replaced with aluminum and complete new field lights installed. No artificial turf nor backs on the seats in the reserved section, but the community and fans are proud of their stadium and that is what counts.

[yoefan2002]

yoe field is a nice place to play

[Jacket2000]

The best 3a stadium in Texas is Groesbeck, hands down. It puts alot of 4a stadiums to shame.
J2K

[Swarm 51]

Must agree with Jacket2000 about the Groesbeck facilities. Beautiful 3A stadium.
Waco Connally could do with some renovations on the visitor's side. There are no aisle steps to access seating. One simply steps up from one row of seating to the other. Makes it physically difficult for many of the visiting fans, especially senior citizens.

[bigman33]

Giddings has great stands and great parking. Crapy grass and a crapy concession stand for the fat guys like me.

[Clyde12]

Groesbeck would be wise to switch to Astroplay and increase capacity to say, anything over 1000 or whatever it is. I have broadcast a game there, press box, facities, everything is awesome. I just couldn't get over how small it was. If capacity were 6000 to 7500 I would say it were as nice as any stadium in the state. As it is though, I would say they have the "Best Darn 1A Stadium Around".

[Goat70]

You must not no that groesbeck only has 3,000 people in tha whole town. And it holds 4,000 to 5,000 people.

[bearcat1]

mustang bowl is my favorite.

bc

Originally posted by Goat70:
You must not no that groesbeck only has 3,000 people in tha whole town. And it holds 4,000 to 5,000 people.

[LeopardPride]

Birdville school in Dallas has a very nice stadium. In 1999 we had a playoff game there.
I belive thay are a 4a school.

[Matthew328]

Birdville is a great stadium....a 5A school and 2 4A's play there..Groesbeck has a great stadium also....

[sinton66]

Toby070, Is fieldturf what they call the stuff that looks like real grass but is actually artificial? Don't know for sure what they call it, but Viper Stadium in Victoria has it, and it's pretty cool stuff from what I hear.

[toby070]

Sinton66, it's exactly the same stuff that is on Victoria's field, and it is amazing. It feels like really plush real grass. They play with their regular cleats on it.

I'd like to lobby for Wimberley as a nuetral site for Burnet vs Bandera :-)

[sinton66]

I agree Toby, I talked with a couple of the Sinton players after one of their playoff games at Viper stadium, and they were impressed and wishing we could do that at Sinton. It is pretty amazing stuff. Any idea on the cost factor? Also, are there any studies you know of on reduced injuries and such? I'm thinking it would probably pay for itself after a while possibly due to less maintenance.

[toby070]

You bet :-) I wrote an article on it when they installed it. It cost Wimberley $602,000, but when they replace it, the replacement is locked in at 1/4 of that price, which is pretty good. It takes a lot of work to prep the field for the turf, and I guess the replacement is cheaper because they don't have to do that work again. It may differ from place to place, but their admin told me they figured it took 4,000,000 gallons of water a year to maintain the real grass.

I can't tell you much prior to the new turf regarding injuries, but I know in two years I've watched games, the only bad injury I've seen was a freak broken arm (UGLY...happened right in front of me). You see the occasional turned ankle, which is probably unavoidable, but no knee injuries yet.

Like I said, the stadium itself is okay, I'd rate it as above average, but that turf is unreal. Believe it or not, last year someone even scheduled a preseason scrimmage there as a nuetral site game...I think it was Odessa vs. Flour Bluff.

[TarponFanInNorthTexas]

I used to love Port Isabel's old stadium. Although it didn't have the best facilities, the best turf and such, but it was in the heart of town, right off the highway.

Also, it had one of the most spectacular views from the top of the home stands. During the day, you could see shrimp boats coming in, you can see cars going over the causeway to go to South Padre Island, and the view of the island wasn't bad during the day either.

On gameday, though.....it was even better. The seabreeze hitting your face, the lights of Port Isabel shining brightly while the Tarpons played......and South Padre Island, one of the most gorgeous views even at night.....not to mention the fireworks display they would have on South Padre Island every Friday night. They could even be seen from the visitor side stands.

Anyway, that's all gone now.......the previous superintendent (who is now a hated man in town) that was there at the time tore it all down, and built a new stadium behind the high school.....where it literally collects blowing dust every day. I hate it.....I wish we had our old stadium back.....the one where the Port Isabel Tarpon tradition got started.

[vet93]

Toby...do you know how long the initial installation is supposed to last? Do you know if Wimberely did any studies to see the difference in cost over the life of the grass versus the maintenance and upkeep of natural turf? The $602,000 price tag sounds a little hefty, but the savings on water and maintenance costs could substantially reduce that number. I am from West Texas where water is a precious commodity and it seems like that this type of turf may be feasable in conserving water and controling costs.


Originally posted by toby070:
You bet :-) I wrote an article on it when they installed it. It cost Wimberley $602,000, but when they replace it, the replacement is locked in at 1/4 of that price, which is pretty good. It takes a lot of work to prep the field for the turf, and I guess the replacement is cheaper because they don't have to do that work again. It may differ from place to place, but their admin told me they figured it took 4,000,000 gallons of water a year to maintain the real grass.

I can't tell you much prior to the new turf regarding injuries, but I know in two years I've watched games, the only bad injury I've seen was a freak broken arm (UGLY...happened right in front of me). You see the occasional turned ankle, which is probably unavoidable, but no knee injuries yet.

Like I said, the stadium itself is okay, I'd rate it as above average, but that turf is unreal. Believe it or not, last year someone even scheduled a preseason scrimmage there as a nuetral site game...I think it was Odessa vs. Flour Bluff.

[toby070]

The life of the original turf is supposed to be 15-20 years. It's nice, but that seems a little optimistic to me.

I never saw any studies that Wimberley did, but they felt pretty comfortable with the decision, said the upkeep on the original field was pretty demanding, one-two people were spending most of their time on it.

We can go under pretty strict rationing here at times, and that probably played a part in the decision...SWTSU is installing the same turf at Bobcat Stadium, and Hays HS is installing a similar turf either this year or next year.

[lovedaddy06]

Originally posted by yoefan2002:
yoe field is a nice place to play

You got to be kidding me!....No parking (I had to park in someones yard two years ago.... and the stands are about ready to fall in on people...... The only thing good is the team which brings a great atmosphere to the area.....

[Pudlugger]

La Grange has added 600 new seats on the home field side due to the great support from the community and growth in the program. They also put in a beautiful new track. The turf is real grass and they keep it real green and thick, better for the smash mouth style of play they enjoy so much there.

[toby070]

Yeah, Pudlugger, correct me if I'm wrong, but that smashmouth style seemed to work pretty well on the Alamodome turf!!!!!!!!

[sinton66]

Smash mouth works well anywhere, you just get to it faster on turf! It is fun sometimes to play in the mud though.
Thanks for the info on the turf Toby.

[Pudlugger]

Originally posted by toby070:
Yeah, Pudlugger, correct me if I'm wrong, but that smashmouth style seemed to work pretty well on the Alamodome turf!!!!!!!!

Well, yeah, I guess your right. They were 3-1 at the Alamodome last year(they lost the openner 9-0 to Bay City).

[This message has been edited by Pudlugger (edited July 18, 2002).]