On October 24, the Hyde School varsity football team played its last game on what is now the school’s former upper grass field. Shortly thereafter, construction on what will be Hyde’s new turf field began—a $750,000 project.

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After researching various synthetic turf field companies, the school decided to work with Sports Turf International, which is owned by Eric Lenardson, a father of a Hyde graduate, whose wife is employed at the school. Hyde School administrators expressed gratitude for the generosity of Lenardson and his family, who agreed to build the field for a reduced price.

Upon completion, the new turf layout will provide a football field, soccer field, and lacrosse field.

The new turf field, which is slated to be completed by the spring, follows the recent installment of the new track and turf field at the Hyde School campus in Woodstock, Connecticut. The Grant Track and Field, named after Ken and Claire Grant, Maine residents and the founders of the Woodstock, Connecticut, campus, was officially opened this year.

Hyde School’s new turf field will not only provide a superior playing surface, but also significantly lengthen the fall and spring playing seasons. Other inherent benefits of this new attraction will be increased student recruitment and retention, as the field will provide more program opportunities during summer athletic camps. Financially speaking, the new turf field will significantly reduce the overall athletic field maintenance costs.

Athletic Director, Peter Gregory, comments: “Hyde athletes will soon have a new competitive edge. The new turf field will allow students to get on the field sooner, and play longer seasons. We are really excited for this new addition to Hyde athletics.”
Bath campus Head of School Don MacMillan adds: “It will certainly aid our athletic teams to have the capability to practice regardless of the weather.”

The addition of the new turf field will be the new practice and competition field for 10 of 13 fall and spring sports offered to Hyde athletes, allowing for longer competitive seasons as the field can be plowed in late fall and early spring.

Hyde varsity athlete, Alyssa Thomas, ’11, comments: “While we have a lot of fun playing on the old fields, we are excited about the new turf fields. It feels professional and the games will move faster.”

“Beyond the regularity of practice time, the field will help in maintaining the overall morale and positive culture of the school,” continues MacMillan. Students do better all around when they are able to be physically active and the field will allow us to do that more days out of the year.

News of the turf field construction was received enthusiastically by an audience of students, teachers, and parents when Head of School Don MacMillan and Executive Director of Development Lavoe Davis made the announcement during the school’s recent family weekend.

Construction of the field will involve the installment of two layers of herringbone patterned drainage systems below the surface of the 36-panel turf field. The construction of this “bio field” consists of several layers that collect, cool, and clean water run-off, which will drain to the Kennebec River in a safe, environmentally-sound way consistent with DEP laws.

The school’s fundraising team expressed confidence in the support of the project and continues to accept contributions toward the goal of $750,000.

Davis says, “The Board of Governors felt it was important to move ahead with the project although we are still fundraising. The current field is in very poor condition and needed maintenance, which the board felt would not be a good investment. It made more sense to move ahead with the turf, reducing future maintenance costs and extending field use time for our athletes.”

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For more information on the Turf Field Project, click here.