CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Tuloso-Midway Independent School District is upgrading its baseball and softball fields ahead of the new season.
Both fields are getting new turf. There used to be grass there, but T-M Athletic Director Kris O'Neal said the maintenance costs will be significantly less with turf. It costs about $1 million to lay turf on each field, but he said it should take about six years to earn that money back.
He explained the benefits of the new playing surface.
"It plays like grass," O'Neal said. "The technology has advanced so far that it's safe, it's level and it's always available, and you can't have that with grass. We've been in a drought for a couple of years, so this will allow the facility to be highest standard you can possibly have, and our kids will have access to it."
The turf at each facility is projected to last between eight and 10 years.
O'Neal said the point of the turf is that it is always playable, and it gives players more access to it more often. That can help them compete with other excellent teams.
Players have been keeping an eye on the progress.
"They have been here almost every day, you know. Outside looking in, looking forward to it," O'Neal said. "You know, one of the things that we did is we got them involved in whether or not we wanted to start in this project immediately. Knowing that there was a possibility it may not be ready in time for the season. 100% kids said go for it, we want to do that."
O'Neal also said the new facilities can translate to success for baseball and softball, since they can practice when they need to.
This will be a different turf than the type they have at Warrior Stadium, with this one being better for playing baseball.
The projected completion date is February 1, before the season starts for both teams.