Wheelersburg's new field turf

[FaberGrad62]

Does anyone know if this is ever going to happen? They have been having fundraisers for the last couple of years, so are they even close to getting it done?

I had a friend tell me he was talking to a guy and that he was told they are thinking about scrapping the turf idea and using the money to fix the bleachers. Is there any truth to this?

It has been awfully quiet in Burgland about the turf and with all the team speed they have coming back next year, it would be really nice to see it in place befroe the start of next season.

[Mad-Dogg]

i haven't heard that one.

[biggdowgg]

Does anyone know if this is ever going to happen? They have been having fundraisers for the last couple of years, so are they even close to getting it done?

I had a friend tell me he was talking to a guy and that he was told they are thinking about scrapping the turf idea and using the money to fix the bleachers. Is there any truth to this?

It has been awfully quiet in Burgland about the turf and with all the team speed they have coming back next year, it would be really nice to see it in place befroe the start of next season.

if they had fundraisers for new field turf, and scratch it for the bleachers,I bet they will be some very upset people in burg land.....if I donated money for one thing,and it was used for something elkse,,I would be upset

[FaberGrad62]

Does anyone know if this is ever going to happen? They have been having fundraisers for the last couple of years, so are they even close to getting it done?

I had a friend tell me he was talking to a guy and that he was told they are thinking about scrapping the turf idea and using the money to fix the bleachers. Is there any truth to this?

It has been awfully quiet in Burgland about the turf and with all the team speed they have coming back next year, it would be really nice to see it in place befroe the start of next season.

if they had fundraisers for new field turf, and scratch it for the bleachers,I bet they will be some very upset people in burg land.....if I donated money for one thing,and it was used for something else,,I would be upset

Kind of my feelings also. I know quite a few people who bought the raffle tickets and done other things to help the cause

[osu 77]

I think they need to work on the field and the surrounding fences. Every time I watch a game at Wheelersburg I see some kid run into the fence that are too close to the field. Players safety first then worry about getting the field turf.

[The Riepo Man]

Look, poeple will only donate money to this cause a certain amount of times and Wheelersburg doesn't have a person who will donate the millions of dollars needed to fund this project.

Eaton has put sooo much time and effort and his own money into this project to just allow the BURG to give up on this...everyone who has donated knows this and they should be commended also

[art_vandelay]

Last I had heard, they were still a couple hundred thousand dollars short of the amount of donations needed to make it happen. And in a tough economy, I can't see donations picking up anytime soon. I wouldn't expect this to happen for awhile barring someone from Burg hitting the lottery.*

[schenk11]

Look, poeple will only donate money to this cause a certain amount of times and Wheelersburg doesn't have a person who will donate the millions of dollars needed to fund this project.

Turf is only between 500,000-700,000. What else is being done in the project?

[drrabbit]

They are about 20-25% of the total currently (I think it was about $125,000). Someone should know better than I.

I happen to think that they need to do both the stands and the turf at the same time in order to correct the fences being too close to the field. The home stands need moved back about 20 feet and the field moved over ten feet to get 10' more space on both sides. And then the turf needs put down. There is maybe ten years left in the home bleachers. They are due for a lot of work if they are to last longer.

Room has always been at a premium there. But they could expand that 20' IMHO.

Back when they first turned the field behind the old school into the football field, they worked all weekend to level the area (some 50-75 people working Friday night to Sunday night with both bulldozers and shovels.) When they stopped on Sunday, the field was long enough but it was too narrow. The school did not own the property on top of the hill at that point. They had to contact the farmer who did and get permission to take out some of the hillside on the current visitor side to widen the field. Not only did he let them do that but he talked the board into buying the property for a new high school. Within a the week, the board had the property and within four years or so, they opened the new high school. --story per Gene Bennett.

[The Riepo Man]

Look, poeple will only donate money to this cause a certain amount of times and Wheelersburg doesn't have a person who will donate the millions of dollars needed to fund this project.

Turf is only between 500,000-700,000. What else is being done in the project?

I just over did the amount there, my bad.

[Neutron Man]

Last I heard from a very reliable source, was that Bug was @ about 50-60% of the $$ when a major donation offered by someone was retracted. Why I don't know, but that knocked it down majorly. I believe the donation amount was roughly around $250,000. So that hurt.

I disagree about the stands. At most just get new ones. I personally like the distance from the field. It makes you feel closer to the game. Unlike places like Portsmouth, or West where you are so far away from the field. Makes GREAT gameday atmosphere.

[PirateFan_2010]

Agreed, i think it makes the game better being closer to the field

[Neutron Man]

Agreed, i think it makes the game better being closer to the field

I've even heard players and visitors say how being closer to the field makes the whole environment so much better.

[free safety]

The Turf Fund is just under 50% of cost and that is not because lack of effort. A big thanks should go out to the Turf committe (J. Eaton, C. Smith, M. Miller......) they have worked very hard to get this done for the boys. To all the fans wanting this to happen now and not in about 5-6yrs. When they are selling raffles, dinners,etc.... instead buying your 1 or 2 tickets ask if they need help selling them. The more people out there selling, the more money that is gone to get raised. Their is less than seven men busting his butt day to day for the turf. But everbody in the community wants it next year. not gone to happen until we get more involved. So Please help if you can


P.S. Yes we need new stands but that is not a community or Turf committe problem. That is a safety concern and that falls on the schools problem.

[osu 77]

Agreed, i think it makes the game better being closer to the field

I've even heard players and visitors say how being closer to the field makes the whole environment so much better.

I will agree with you if it safe for the Coaches and the Players.

But on the visitors side it is unsafe. Almost everytime I go to a Wheelersburg game some runs into the fense. With the 3 yard Coaching box the Coaches have no room to move if a play comes their way on the side line. I still say it is unsafe and needs to be fixed before someone gets hurt.

[Buckeye-4-Life]

I think it is sad that a program as successful as Wheelersburg is struggling to come up with the cash for this project. This community has more money than any school district in the county and you can't tell me that 3-4 families couldn't come up with the remaining funds! Valley, Oak Hill, Jackson, and over half the OVC schools have it, Wheelersburg has twice the winning reputation as those schools put together. Isn't time to reward those kids and coaches that made that happen?

[Neutron Man]

I think it is sad that a program as successful as Wheelersburg is struggling to come up with the cash for this project. This community has more money than any school district in the county and you can't tell me that 3-4 families couldn't come up with the remaining funds! Valley, Oak Hill, Jackson, and over half the OVC schools have it, Wheelersburg has twice the winning reputation as those schools put together. Isn't time to reward those kids and coaches that made that happen?

How much have you donated? aside from raffles.
Its not that families don't care and don't wanna see this, but with times being very tough right now, how could 3 or 4 families just say " Hey Here's the Money". Ain't gonna happen. Regardless of a reputation. With many other problems and more important things going on in/out of school, its hard to apply so much money to a field, when the one that is being played on is still functional.

I aint debating that it would be nice or is soon needed, because I would love to see it happen. Especially seeing all these other school with them and PHS getting a new field next summer. Just gotta keep plugging and hope the goal reaches soon. All we as the ppl outside of these "rich" families of Burg, have to do is keep buying tickets, and offer to sell to others to earn more $$

GOOD LUCK Committee, Hope it happens soon!

[Westfan]

I think it is sad that a program as successful as Wheelersburg is struggling to come up with the cash for this project. This community has more money than any school district in the county and you can't tell me that 3-4 families couldn't come up with the remaining funds! Valley, Oak Hill, Jackson, and over half the OVC schools have it, Wheelersburg has twice the winning reputation as those schools put together. Isn't time to reward those kids and coaches that made that happen?

alot of these schools are getting corporations to fund them. I think Duke Energy paid for about everything in Rock Hill including the school.

Schools should approach this for funds by not only saying what it costs, but what it saves. Little to no maintenance. One field can do multiple grade levels and sports(like soccer). Appeal to the soccer moms, they have the money .

[art_vandelay]

siderman: great point about the corporations. There are a few people in Wheelersburg who have the money to donate, but considering the current economic crisis and the fact that their overall net worth has probably recently dipped 20-30% if they were heavily invested, it's probably going to be awhile before they feel the need to pony up cash towards high school athletics. It'll get done eventually, but not for a few years if I had to bet.*

[The Riepo Man]

I believe Valley recieves money from the prison which allows them to fund bigger projects