Are you ready to build an athletic field on your campus? While breaking ground on such a project is exciting, it can also be intimidating.  Building a field is a significant investment that requires careful planning, budgeting, and long-term maintenance. Here are our key factors to consider as you prepare to build an athletic field:

1. Defining the Field’s Purpose

• Before construction begins, it’s crucial to determine how the field will be used. Consider the following:

  • Primary Use: Will the field be for practices, games, or both?

  • Multi-Sport Access: Will it be exclusively for one sport, or will other teams and sports have access?

  • Seasonal vs. Year-Round Use: Will it only be used during the season, or will it host events year-round?

  • Community Access: Will the field be reserved for school-sponsored teams, or will travel teams, community leagues, and tournaments also have access?

  • Event Load: Understanding how many events will take place annually helps determine the necessary durability and maintenance level.

• It is vital to understand all the particulars for your project.  Inside of “budgetary cost projections” exist major drivers of costs or savings. Without developing the background information on these particulars in the scope work or schedule, can lead to inaccurate or incomplete pricing and budgeting for what each element of your project entails. 

• Ask yourself: Are we building what we need to maintain the programming that we currently have, or building for what we want the programming to be in the future?

  • The 3 main employee groups impacted by this project must be recognized:

    • Administrators: Do the budget, staffing, resources, etc create a safe and manageable environment for staff and participants?

    • Programmers/Athletic Staff: Does the user demand and field space align?

    • Maintenance Staff: Do we have the staffing, equipment, and budget to maintain what we want to build?

2. Understanding the Costs & Scope

• A field is more than just turf and dirt—it requires a full infrastructure. Key considerations include:

  • Essential Components: goal posts, dugouts, backstop, fencing, foul poles, scoreboards, etc.

  • Customization Options: Will you opt for masonry dugouts or simpler designs? Chain-link or netted backstops? LED or basic scoreboards?

  • Needs vs. Wants: Prioritizing essential elements while balancing the budget is critical.

3. Funding & Procurement

• Before construction begins, clarify how the project will be financed:

  • Who is Funding the Project? Is the school covering the cost, or will booster clubs, grants, and private donations contribute?

  • Procurement Process: Who is responsible for writing the project scope and handling bids?

  • Scope Accuracy: A poorly defined scope can lead to an unsatisfactory final product and costly adjustments later

4. Maintenance & Long-Term Care

• A field isn’t just built—it must be maintained. Questions to address:

  • Who is responsible for upkeep? Will maintenance be handled in-house by staff or outsourced to professionals?

  • Does your organization have the proper equipment and staffing to support the new facilities?

  • What is the maintenance plan? Proper care ensures longevity and peak playing conditions.

  • General Maintenance for All Fields: seeding and fertilization, herbicide and grub control, topdressing for surface quality, irrigation management to prevent overuse or under-watering.

  • Sport-Specific Maintenance: Baseball and softball infields require periodic laser grading to maintain a level playing surface. Synthetic turf fields need specialized care to prevent compaction and extend lifespan. Football and soccer fields require aeration, overseeding, and proper irrigation programming.

5. Establishing a Chain of Command

• A successful field project requires clear decision-making and accountability. Before starting, determine:

  • Who is the primary decision-maker? Is it the school administration, athletic director, booster club, or facilities manager?

  • Who oversees budgeting and approvals? Understanding who controls funding helps avoid delays and ensures financial expectations are met.

  • Who handles day-to-day operations and maintenance? Will it be the coaching staff, grounds crew, or an outside service?

  • Who has final say on field use and scheduling? A well-defined process prevents conflicts between teams, school programs, and community organizations.

To Summarize

Building a field is a great accomplishment for your organization and should be a celebrated time for your community! Proper planning, research, expectations, and communication are essential to making your dreams of a beautiful, safe, and well maintained field for your athletes today and well into the future a reality.

Spring Sports

Good luck to our spring sport athletes as their seasons are now underway! From little league to professional, we support our athletes at every stage and wish them a healthy and successful 2025 spring season!