It’s the first new artificial turf field for the Greater Miami Conference (GMC) football program since 2014 and workers are also installing new padding under the surface for football and other Middie athletes’ concussion prevention, said Middletown school officials.
“The impact the new turf will provide to our students and community members is substantial,” said Middletown Schools Athletic Director Joe Campolongo.
“This new surface provides a safer environment for all coaches and players and boasts a design that will captivate our spectators and energize our student-athletes,” said Campolongo.
On average synthetic turf fields last 10-12 years, according to turf manufacturers.
The new playing surface’s $750,000 cost is being paid for through the school system’s permanent improvement fund, which state law allows for school districts’ facilities upgrades, renovations and replacements of buildings and other infrastructure.
Among Butler County’s 10 public school districts, only New Miami Schools – the smallest school system in southwest Ohio with about a 600-student enrollment – still has its high school athletes playing on a natural grass field.
The private Catholic Badin High School in Hamilton recently installed synthetic turf in its just- constructed on-campus sports stadium, which is the first in the school’s history.
The running track at Barnitz is not being replaced as boys and girls track teams – and soccer and field teams – have competed in recent years at district’s other smaller sports stadium on the campus of Middletown High School.
Depending on weather conditions, Barnitz’s new turf installation should be completed by the end of this month, said school officials.
When done, the field will feature a GMC logo along with district’s Middie Man logo.
And the stadium’s scoreboard is also being updated, they said.
The first sporting event on the new field will be Middletown’s opening football game against Troy High School in late August.
“We are incredibly proud of the work dedicated to this project and can’t wait for our first Friday night under the lights on August 22,” Campolongo said.
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