Kentucky high school requests play area for turf field

[HLinNC]

https://www.athleticbusiness.com/facilities/outdoor-fields/article/15447835/school-specifies-public-play-area-as-part-of-synthetic-turf-install?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATHLCD230608002&utm_term=&fbclid=IwAR06iGpW8imMhG_qBJzfb9_vvsn7ASi8Ikmzt9gR5v7JY41gzfusL2OZLaA

[Grant - AR]

I think that's a great idea!!!  I wish they could move it back another 20 feet or so, but that will be awesome for the little kids out there playing. 

[ElvisLives]

I don't mean to be negative, but I can see it now. The home team is down by 5 points, and throws a sure-thing TD pass to an open receiver in that end zone with time expiring during the down, and one of those kids - paying no attention to the real game - decides to kick their ball and it flies into the end zone and 1) deflects the pass, 2) the receiver steps on the ball breaking his ankle and missing the catch, 3) the receiver thinks the kid's ball is the real game ball and catches it, while the real ball flies past, incomplete. What a mess.
As an Architect, I have planned play areas for children at football stadia. They are far more removed from the real playing field, and are usually enclosed with a fence, but are within easy sight of the grandstands, so their parents can keep an eye on them. This is a noble idea, but not well thought out.

[HLinNC]

My thought was that play clock standard is really gonna hurt unless they put a goalpost style pad around it.

[dammitbobby]

I don't mean to be negative, but I can see it now. The home team is down by 5 points, and throws a sure-thing TD pass to an open receiver in that end zone with time expiring during the down, and one of those kids - paying no attention to the real game - decides to kick their ball and it flies into the end zone and 1) deflects the pass, 2) the receiver steps on the ball breaking his ankle and missing the catch, 3) the receiver thinks the kid's ball is the real game ball and catches it, while the real ball flies past, incomplete. What a mess.
As an Architect, I have planned play areas for children at football stadia. They are far more removed from the real playing field, and are usually enclosed with a fence, but are within easy sight of the grandstands, so their parents can keep an eye on them. This is a noble idea, but not well thought out.

While I love the idea of this, I agree with Elvis... I'm not sure I'd be very comfortable letting my kids play that close the the end zone, that's a liability disaster waiting to happen.

[AlUpstateNY]

While I love the idea of this, I agree with Elvis... I'm not sure I'd be very comfortable letting my kids play that close the the end zone, that's a liability disaster waiting to happen.

Expanding the new Turf surface to accommodate a "play area" for small children might make some economic sense and provide a nice (weather resistant) area for parents to spend time with small children, BUT allowing it to operate during High School sporting events, sounds like "an accident waiting to happen".  Of course, it would have to be supervised (adults/parents) and having parents wandering between supervising young children, at one site and watching older children compete, simultaneously, at another (closely connected) venue could be a disaster.

Never mind a ball/toy from one area going into another, think about a toddler wandering into the wrong area, during a game, or a wide Lacrosse shot or (really) over thrown/errant football pass or soccer kick sailing too far.

[bama_stripes]

FWIW, the locals call their home field the Briar Patch.  Love it!

[TampaSteve]

To me: the less rif raf inside the fences, the better.

[VALJ]

To me: the less rif raf inside the fences, the better.

Amen.  Preach it!

[riffraft]

To me: the less rif raf inside the fences, the better.

But I need to be inside the fences to call the game. 

[Tom.OH]

But I need to be inside the fences to call the game. 

But I've heard you can see better from the seats, at least that's where alot of the yelling comes from...