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Partly Cloudy LHS gets synthetic athletic field
The Lawrence High School athletic teams have received a major boost with the recent completion of a new synthetic-turf playing surface, which will be used by the school's football, soccer and lacrosse programs as well as others in the community.
The installation of the FieldTurf surface was completed in late April, in time for the Lawrence boys' varsity and JV lacrosse teams' final home games, after the teams played most of their 2010 schedule at Lawrence Middle School. In the fall, the field will see a full slate of Lawrence football and boys' and girls' soccer games. The Inwood Buccaneers will also use the field on Sundays, and have already held a football clinic there.
"For the fall it's going to look really great," said Patrick Pizzarelli, Lawrence's director of phys. ed., health and athletics. "It's great for our kids."
Pizzarelli said that the playing surface will enable increased use by the district's various teams as well as community groups like the Buccaneers. He is also hopeful that yeshivas in the district will also be able to use the field for practices and games.
"The biggest thing about it is the durability," said new Lawrence head football coach Joe Martillotti. "The kids are all really excited."
The synthetic field was made possible by a $1 million referendum passed by District 15 voters in 2008. A separate proposition that year created a $16 million districtwide capital improvement plan, and some of those funds are being used for other improvements of Lawrence athletic fields, including new drainage, irrigation and seeding at the football practice field. In a couple of years, Pizzarelli said, he hopes that lights will be installed at the field to allow even more playing time for Lawrence teams, yeshivas and community groups.
Because of the work being done at the football practice field, the varsity and JV teams will hold practices off site in the fall. Pizzarelli is planning to have the varsity team practice at Inwood Park, while the JV squad will hold sessions at the Number Six School in Woodmere.
