Issue date: 8/17/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Brian O'Shaughnessy Once finished, the synthetic surface at Stokes Stadium will be used for events other than football games, including soccer, band and football practices.

The new synthetic grass surface at Stokes Stadium might not be ready for the football team's season opener against Missouri University of Science and Technology on Aug. 28.

"It's going to be kind of day-to-day right now," Director of Athletics Jerry Wollmering said.

Wollmering said they are looking into an alternate site if the field, which originally was scheduled to be completed by the first week of August, is not finished in time for the first game.

"Potentially neutral site, you know," he said. "At [Missouri S&T], obviously, could be an option. We don't have a definite yet, but we are obviously exploring all of our options at this point."

Missouri S&T, a non-conference rival, is the only team on Truman's schedule that plays on a grass field, the same surface Truman has been practicing on in Kirksville.

Every MIAA team plays on a turf field, with multiple teams playing on either Sprint Turf or FieldTurf. All the different kinds of turf are a similar product, but are manufactured by different companies.

Truman's synthetic surface will be Astroturf Gameday Grass 3D.

Head football coach Shannon Currier said that come game time it won't be a disadvantage if Truman hasn't had the opportunity to practice on the new field.

"We're probably not going to get that opportunity until game week," Currier said. "We're hopeful it's done before the first game, but we're the home team so the opponent will not have had the opportunity to play on it. We're just anxious because it's going to be a nice surface for us to practice on."

Ryan Nourse, the team's defensive coordinator, echoed Currier's views. He said the turf surface plays the same as grass except that it is easier on the players.

"The only advantage I think from practicing on the field turf is that it really limits the soreness and pounding that you get practicing on grass consistently," Nourse said.

"It's a much softer surface. ... When you get out on grass, and you've got bumps and mumps that have been tore up. When you get on turf, you get a true consistent surface. It's much less restrictive on your joints."

Continued...

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