Muddied ground and waterlogged fields can take an enjoyable game of soccer and turn it into a frustrating and slippery ordeal. Mud slows the ball, making it harder for passes and shots to reach their intended target, all the while suctioning your cleats to the clingy dirt, forcing you to exert more energy just to move around. For parents, the mess of playing on fields like this is an absolute nightmare. Mud, dirt, and grass stick and stain clothes like white on rice, permanently ruining whatever poor car they decided to take. And the smell! Wet, dirty socks covered in the sludge of the field and aromatically flavored with the stench of body odor will not leave your nostrils anytime soon and momentarily putting on pause the amount of physical affection you want to show your kid.
Although the moment can be fun for some of the kids, soccer field drainage is absolutely necessary for a multitude of reasons. In addition to preserving the fields usability, draining it is also important for player safety. Dangerous puddles and muddy patches can cause players to slip and get stuck in potentially hazardous ways, causing injury on top of a poor performance. Draining the field goes a long way in limiting these occurrences and helps players play to the best of their ability, limiting the affect rain and storms can have on the field.
In addition to the physical benefits to the players, effective field drainage can lead to long term savings for field managers. Poor draining often leads to frequent repairs and re-sodding due to water damage and other waterlogged conditions. Having a reliable field drainage system reduces the need for costly repairs and extends the lifespan of the playing surface. Having fields that are reliably drained also increases uses and extends the playing season, bringing in more revenue and foot traffic, helping build reputation and potentially bringing in more players to grow the base there in future seasons.
Florida is notorious for an incredibly wet winter and fall season. However, with such a strong soccer player base, it is important that the state and coastal cities are prepared for such occasions. As such, the City of West Palm Beach is accepting bids from qualified and responsible contractors to furnish and assume full responsibility to complete the Bill Moss Hillcrest Paseo Park soccer field drainage and grading improvements, refurbishment and maintenance services, according to engineering plans and specifications. If interested in this opportunity, click here to learn more. The bid closes September 27, 2024 at 3:00 PM EDT.