Soccer Goalie Supports Turf Field

To the editor: As a soccer goalie, I have taken my fair share of beatings, not by my opponents, but by the field. In my freshman year, we practiced and played on the NES grass fields. There was a point in the season where I dislocated my toe kicking the frozen solid ground, sprained my ankle slipping in the mud on the goal line, dislocated my thumb as I was diving because of the lack of friction due to the dirt pit i was diving on, and pulled my glute due to someone tripping in a hole and falling on top of my extended leg. I walked around like a mummy, groaning in pain, limping around, and covered in wrappings, but still loving soccer. If I lacked that passion for my sport, it is very likely that the grass field conditions would have made me quit.

Last year, the girls' soccer team moved to the turf fields in Nobadeer. I haven't been injured on the field since. If the school committee's purpose is truly to do what’s best for the student body, the goal of this renovation should be to provide a safe environment for our athletes to play on.

I am not the only one who has suffered due to field conditions. Shelbi Harimon, a Cape and Island League all-star, captain, and four-year starter for the field hockey team, has also fallen victim to the poor field conditions. In her freshman year, she partially tore both labrums in her hips due to the mud pit that formed in front of the net. Her dreams of playing field hockey in college were crushed when she realized her body couldn't support another four years of pressure on her hips.

Alex Wisentaner, a Nantucket starting lacrosse player,  tore her ACL, MCL, and LCL in her left knee during a lacrosse game on a grass field. Alex also has experienced a gradual, complete tear to her MCL in her right knee from grass practices. She is now recovered but states, “lacrosse will never feel the same”. Well-rounded athlete Keegan Bedell sat out his sophomore football season to do an ankle break in the divots of the football field during preseason. It was hard on him to miss out on something he loved. A Denis Yarmouth striker managed to take out soccer captain Edvin Valentukevicius after slipping and colliding into his ankle. Edvin spent the majority of a season in a boot and couldn't enjoy his favorite sport. Penelope Hamil dislocated her knee four times due to the gravel track. It ruined the entire sport for her and she had to do weeks of physical therapy just to play sports again. Field hockey Captain and Cape and Island League all-star Sophia Yelverton fell into a large hole on the field senior game. She couldn't play the following two games causing the entire defensive lineup to get switched around.

The field conditions are not the fault of the maintenance team; they do everything they can to keep the grass healthy. In fact, they spend a lot of time and money to do so; however, it is just unnatural for grass to host such lengthy practice hours. It was suggested we redo the grass fields every year to ensure the fields meet basic standards; however, there is no time due to the immediate start of lacrosse once the ground thaws.

It’s important that we support. all athletes with the right facilities and state-of-the-art technology to create a safer outdoor environment. The Nantucket High School Committee must decide on a renovation plan for the Vito Capizo football/lacrosse stadium today, and there is still debate on whether turf or grass fields is the correct decision. With over 300 signatures in support of a turf field and synthetic track, I can confidently say our athletes are tired of our current worn-down track and fields.

If we installed a turf field, it would ensure the playing surface is permanently flat and even. Players could say goodbye to slippery, muddy practices, and they would no longer have to worry about the dust storms. Not only that, but turf can’t freeze over, so if installed correctly, the landing surface would be softer. Installation of a turf field would be costly; however, its extremely low maintenance would pay itself off in no time, allowing for maintenance workers to invest elsewhere and focus on redoing the field hockey and soccer fields, which constantly trigger injuries. Although many claim that turf would bring the cancers of chemicals to the island, there are many turfs claiming to be explicitly PFAS-free. The turf currently installed by Nobadeer is tested each summer and has proven to have less PFAS than rainwater.

Sports are a huge part of the Nantucket community, with over 70 percent of students participating in sports. They teach discipline, teamwork, and how to handle both victory and defeat. They keep student athletes focused and out of trouble. Everywhere you go, you’re sure to see a Whaler W, a small symbol of how deeply ingrained athletics are in Nantucket's culture. The installation of turf fields will allow for high school sports to continue to benefit the community while keeping athletes safe and happy.

Madden Myers