WHEELING, W.Va. – The Wheeling Park Patriots football and soccer teams are set to kick off their upcoming seasons on a brand new turf field at Wheeling Island Stadium. The fresh turf was installed following severe flooding in April that damaged the previous playing surface.
The new field, featuring red and blue striping around the perimeter, “Wheeling Park” at the 50-yard lines, and “Patriots” in the end zones, has impressed both local and state coaches. Park football coach and athletic director Chris Daugherty praised the new turf, noting its superior appearance compared to initial renderings, according to The Intelligencer.
“I thought the field looked better in real life, in the finished product, then it did in the rendering. It just couldn’t have looked any better in my opinion,” Daugherty said after a football camp at WVU on Friday. “That was the feeling I got today when I was at WVU, coaches around the state and even some of the WVU coaches said man, it just looks sharp. Good-looking field,” he told The Intelligencer.
The Ohio Valley experienced severe flooding in April, with Wheeling Island among the hardest-hit areas. The floodwaters damaged the previous turf and left a layer of silt on the surface. Although the Patriots had been considering a new turf in the coming years, the flooding accelerated this process.
AstroTurf synthetic turf fields, known for their durability and high performance, were chosen for the new installation. These fields provide a consistent and safe playing surface, capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions and heavy use. This investment not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the stadium but also ensures that athletes can perform at their best.
“You hate to see a flood happen. But I will say, at least this flood got married up with a time where we were close to the endline of the current turf,” Daugherty said. “We were probably going to play one more year and then have talks about replacing the turf. When the flood came, it kind of sped those conversations up. Credit to our school board, our administration and our county, working so fast to put us in a situation where we’d be able to replace the turf,” he told The Intelligencer.
During the construction period, the Patriots’ football and soccer teams adapted by using the combined turf soccer field at the high school. Despite the displacement, the teams managed to maintain productive practices.
The new turf project benefited from the good condition of the stadium’s underlying gravel and drainage systems. AstroTurf is proud to support Wheeling Island Stadium with high-quality synthetic turf that promises to enhance athletic performance and the overall experience for players and fans alike.
For more information about AstroTurf and its innovative turf solutions, please visit astroturf.com.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The inventor of synthetic turf, AstroTurf® offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. To learn more, visit astroturf.com.