2008 Woodie Awards
New field shows little progress
Joe Barker
Issue date: 8/17/08 Section: News
With the football season set to kick off Aug. 28, the Bulldogs are gearing up to take the field. Which field the teams will play on still is up in the air.
The old grass field was supposed to be ripped out at Stokes Stadium this summer and replaced with a new synthetic surface. The grass is gone, but the new artificial turf is nowhere to be seen.
"I don't know [if it's going to be ready]," Director of Athletics Jerry Wollmering said. "I haven't heard anything different otherwise. I think it's kind of day-to-day right now. Obviously they've been working around the clock."
Wollmering said the initial plans called for the field to be ready to use by Aug. 2. Two weeks later and less than two weeks before the first home game, the field at Stokes Stadium is home to backhoes and dirt mounds instead of Bulldogs and coaches.
University general counsel Warren Wells said the contractor, GeneralSports Venue, is the main reason for the delay.
"It's running behind simply because the contractor has had a hard time keeping a schedule," Wells said.
Repeated calls to several representatives at GeneralSports Venue were not returned.
Wells said the University was told the field should be completed before the Aug. 28 opening game.
He said this could present a problem because if the field is even one day late, the team wouldn't be able to host Missouri University of Science and Technology.
"If they get to the 27th and it's not finished, then it's not enough time to arrange to have the game somewhere else, so that's a problem," Wells said.
Wollmering said the team already has begun searching for a new venue for the first game in case the field isn't done in time. He said the school is looking at possible neutral sites near Kirksville.
With the floor in Pershing Arena damaged beyond repair, the volleyball team found a new home with the Kirksville school district. Wollmering said that using the high school's field isn't a likely option for the football team. For one thing, the high school and colleges have different size goal posts. Wollmering said the biggest deterrent to playing at KHS is that he doesn't want Truman responsible for tearing up the field.
The old grass field was supposed to be ripped out at Stokes Stadium this summer and replaced with a new synthetic surface. The grass is gone, but the new artificial turf is nowhere to be seen.
"I don't know [if it's going to be ready]," Director of Athletics Jerry Wollmering said. "I haven't heard anything different otherwise. I think it's kind of day-to-day right now. Obviously they've been working around the clock."
Wollmering said the initial plans called for the field to be ready to use by Aug. 2. Two weeks later and less than two weeks before the first home game, the field at Stokes Stadium is home to backhoes and dirt mounds instead of Bulldogs and coaches.
University general counsel Warren Wells said the contractor, GeneralSports Venue, is the main reason for the delay.
"It's running behind simply because the contractor has had a hard time keeping a schedule," Wells said.
Repeated calls to several representatives at GeneralSports Venue were not returned.
Wells said the University was told the field should be completed before the Aug. 28 opening game.
He said this could present a problem because if the field is even one day late, the team wouldn't be able to host Missouri University of Science and Technology.
"If they get to the 27th and it's not finished, then it's not enough time to arrange to have the game somewhere else, so that's a problem," Wells said.
Wollmering said the team already has begun searching for a new venue for the first game in case the field isn't done in time. He said the school is looking at possible neutral sites near Kirksville.
With the floor in Pershing Arena damaged beyond repair, the volleyball team found a new home with the Kirksville school district. Wollmering said that using the high school's field isn't a likely option for the football team. For one thing, the high school and colleges have different size goal posts. Wollmering said the biggest deterrent to playing at KHS is that he doesn't want Truman responsible for tearing up the field.
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Sean Morris
posted 8/17/08 @ 1:08 PM CST
Most of you probably remember me, number 43 for the dogs (00-04). I made a lot of plays on that field. I can't believe they got rid of the grass. I shed blood, sweat and tears on that field, and now it is gone. (Continued…)
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