Synthetic turf levels the playing field
The Mira Costa varsity baseball team practices on the same type of synthetic turf used by major league franchises. Photo by Andrea Ruse
by Andrea Ruse
The Mira Costa High School baseball team will playing on the same turf as the Minnesota Twins and the Tampa Bay Rays this season.
The re-landscaping of the teams infield in synthetic turf was completed last week. It was one of the first changes suggested by head coach Cassidy Olson, who was hired in September.
The artificial grass is the same kind that covers fields used by over half the teams in the NFL, roughly 60 college teams, and the Mira Costa football team. Recent CIF title-holders Mater Dei and Simi Valley high school baseball teams also play on it.
Olson said that the turf offers no performance advantages — it is not faster to run on than real grass.
“It will allow us to play more days,” Olson said. “At the high school level, you spend a lot of time worrying about maintenance and weather issues. Now we can practice all the time.”
The perpetually green turf is expected to reduce maintenance time and costs and forever eliminate unsightly brown patches often seen on athletic fields. A four inch rock base below the bristly, carpet-like surface provides a drainage system that allows the team to play and practice more often.
“It rained Tuesday, and we practiced that afternoon,” Olson said. “We couldn’t have practiced on the infield if that were regular grass.”
The turf also provides a safer terrain, according to Olson, because the transition between grass and dirt is minimized and it provides a consistent bounce.
He hopes that the reduced wear and tear will allow greater use of the field by other groups, including youth baseball leagues.
“The goal is to have more of the community play on it, too,” he said. Installation of the turf began last month after the school board approved it at a Dec. 9 meeting and was completed Jan. 13.
The turf cost roughly $100,000 and was funded by baseball booster club dollars and donations from the community.
The baseball team alone raised $15,000 over the holiday season through a Christmas tree sale.
“We’re stoked about it,” senior pitcher Robert Parucha said. “It plays perfectly and never gets messed up.”
“It looks like the real thing,” said senior pitcher Drew Van Orden, who will be playing baseball at Duke University this fall.
“And feels like it too,” Parucha added.
A grand opening ceremony will be held Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. at the field. The event will include alumni baseball game and the team will retire former Mira Costa baseball player Henry Pearson’s jersey number 12.
Pearson and Los Angeles Angels pitcher, Nick Adenhart were both killed in an automobile accident last April after being hit by a drunk driver. Former Mira Costa baseball player Jon Wilhite was also in the car and suffered serious injuries.
“The idea is down the road we want to name the locker room after Henry Pearson,” Olson said. “It’s the perfect thing to do in his honor.”
The team is continuing to raise funds for new video equipment. The Mustang’s first baseball game this season is March 5. Their first home game on their new turf will be March 6.
“We’re really excited to play on the turf,” Van Orden said. “It’s pretty special.” ER