30
SPORTS / WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
Hoglund Ballpark's transition to turf means more practice for team
BY CARLO RAMIREZ cramirez@kansan.com
No longer will players leave Hoglund Ballpark with uniforms covered in grass stains. By September 1 the KU baseball team will have officially switched the surface of its field from grass to turf.
The $1.1 million project which was funded entirely by donations from boosters, former players and alumni — will be the final step to legitimizing Hoglund as one of the finest facilities in college baseball, said head coach Ritch Price.
In addition to the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the turf, the renovations will also allow more time for the team to train outdoors. Price attributed 15 days of missed practice between the months of February, March and April to poor weather and an unplayable field — 15 chances he believes his team could have used to improve.
"Guys in Texas, California and Florida play year-round." Price said. "Using turf will allow us to spend more time outdoors and play more often, which is how you get better."
After a game at Texas last year,
one of Price's players walked off the turf field and told his coach, "If you make an error on this, you are a bad player," Price said.
The switch to turf will allow the field to stay playable even with the severe and inconsistent weather Kansas endures.
"I'm excited for turf." Zac Elgie, junior first-baseman, said. "It allows us to constantly get to play outside and not have to worry about tarping the field and maintenance."
The turf will also improve the hops infielders receive when fielding ground balls. Price said he thought this would build confidence and allow his players to believe they can field anything hit their way.
Even with all the positives the new turf offers, Price — a former infielder himself — had a difficult time switching from traditional grass and dirt to turf.
"I'm prejudiced when it comes to playing on dirt and grass," Price said. "Because I believe it is the best way to get better."
Even with the emotional tie Price felt toward traditional fields, the appeal of turf was too great. The money the Athletics Department would spend on dirt, grass, water and other field equipment to maintain the field during a 15-year span would equal the cost of converting to turf. In essence, the turf will eventually pay for itself.
Price compares the final completion of the field to that of a game seven championship series in Yankee Stadium - the well manicured playing surface is a treat to play on.
The move to turf fields has become a common trend throughout college baseball fields in America. Grass fields are quickly becoming a thing of the past, and turf is becoming the preferred field surface.