By MADDY VITALE
Lacrosse players got to try out the new artificial turf field at Ocean City’s Tennessee Avenue Sports Complex on Friday.
The turf was officially unveiled during a ceremony with student athletes, city, county and state officials in attendance. The new surface takes the place of the old maintenance-intensive grass field. It is far less weather dependent, which means no more soggy, muddy fields in inclement weather.
“I’m really excited. The new turf is really nice. It’s just amazing and I think it will be a great place for us to play,” said lacrosse player Marley Dwyer, 14, an eighth-grade student at the Ocean City Intermediate School.
Lacrosse players from the high school, seniors Chayston LaBarre and Charlie Schutta and sophomore Chris Pontari, also tried out the new turf and agreed that it was a great and “awesome” new surface to play on.
Mayor Jay Gillian said that he is happy about how the new surface turned out.
“The kids are excited to use the field for their spring sports seasons that start next week,” Gillian said.
He said that he is “proud to continue to invest in facilities and programs that serve the youth of Ocean City.”
The new field will be home to school teams in lacrosse, soccer and field hockey. It will also serve youth clinics, recreational programs and summer sports camps.
The Ocean City Nor’easters soccer team will be able to use it as a practice field, and it could host exhibition games in the same way that Carey Stadium, at Sixth Street, does.
The field at Tennessee Avenue now joins the high school’s Carey Stadium field as the only ones with artificial turf in town.
Prior to becoming mayor 14 years ago, Gillian served on the Ocean City Board of Education. He said he enjoyed being on the school board because he learned what the kids needed.
The new turf field is a showpiece and a gem and something to be enjoyed by the student athletes, he said.
And by improving the field at the Tennessee Avenue complex, the student athletes and others in the community can enjoy three “amazing” fields in town, including the field at Carey Stadium and Palmer Field, Gillian pointed out.
The artificial turf will be lined for soccer, field hockey and boys and girls lacrosse.
The project began in November and the total cost to install the substructure and the artificial turf field was around $1.6 million.
In August 2022, City Council voted 6-0 to approve the installation of artificial turf at the Tennessee Avenue Sports Complex as part of a nearly $11 million funding package for a series of capital projects.
The field is approximately 100,000 square feet. The artificial turf features a cork infill and officials noted that it provides good cushioning and is better for the environment than some of the rubber alternatives.
Jackie Adams, of the city’s Community Services Department, is a coach for the junior varsity soccer team. She said that the old grass field made playing difficult at times.
“We were unable to use the field for two or three weeks out of the season, so knowing we have a space we can play and we don’t have to freak out and find a patch of grass to play on, is going to be a huge help,” Adams said.
City officials said that in addition to benefiting the school’s sports programs, Ocean City residents can use the field for practice and fun.
