Community leaders, faculty and students gather to cut the ribbon formally dedicating the new artificial turf competition field at South County High School. Photo courtesy of Val Taguding
South County High School is the latest among county schools to have completed switching competition and practice fields from real grass to artificial turf.
The synthetic surface is said to be cheaper to maintain than traditional grass, and exhibit greater durability in allowing more sports groups to use it, regardless of wet or dry conditions.
South County dedicated their two new fields ahead of the Stallions’ football face off with the Hayfield Secondary School Hawks on Sept. 18.
Student activities director Leah Conte said the total cost for the school was $447,000. Fundraising as part of an organized “TurfSoco” campaign included the “Go the Extra Yard” program, a car raffle, concert and sporting event raffles, sports team donations and a silent auction dinner.
In an email, Conte praised the donors and sponsors that helped make the four-year “journey” that culminated in two new fields a reality.
“We owe a big thank you to the Board of Supervisors, the School Board, the Fairfax County Park Authority, Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services, Vulcan Materials, Hellas Construction, South County Athletic Association, the South County Athletic Boosters and all of our community donors,” Conte said.
“We are so proud of our facilities at South County and look forward to sharing it with our community,” she added. “The ribbon-cutting ceremony was a true reflection of a lot of hard work by our community and it made us all proud to be Stallions.”