Bosse's Enlow Field will be upgraded with a new turf football field and stadium roof

EVANSVILLE — A third Southwestern Indiana school is receiving an upgrade to its football field.

The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. officially approved the installation of new turf at Bosse High School's Enlow Field last week. The artificial playing surface was originally installed at the facility in 2009.

It joins the previous announcement of new turf fields at Castle and Boonville, which were approved in September.

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Why did Enlow Field need new turf?

A simple answer: The original turf had nearly doubled its typical life expectancy of 8-10 years.

A field can go beyond the range depending on its use and care. The school also had multiple projects in recent years that pushed new turf down the list. Bosse installed a six-lane track in 2017 and completed its long-awaited tennis facility upgrade in 2022. The HVAC chillers in the building also needed updates.

Reitz and Central, who both received turf with Bosse 15 years ago, received a new install three years ago. The overhanging roof above the home stands at Enlow will also be replaced alongside this turf project.

"Bosse had less wear and tear than Central and Reitz," said EVSC athletics director Andy Owen. "Now is the right time to get it done. Probably could play another year or two, but we've funded for it enough to get it done. Excited to get a great product on a good field."

The field likely required an update soon considering how often it is used. Bosse and Memorial share Enlow Field, meaning at minimum nine football games are played on the surface each fall. The facility also hosted several postseason games, in addition to other uses.

"I think it's huge," said Bosse athletics director Tom Bealmear. "Not only do we play here, but it gets played every Friday night. The EVSC has done a tremendous job making our facility fantastic. It's a step-by-step process. Now that we're getting the turf, it will be a cherry on top. This year it's our turn."

What is the reaction from Bosse and Memorial?

Both coaches see it as a positive because of the age of the playing surface. Memorial coach John Hurley noted the current turf was better than its predecessor – three schools used to play at Enlow on grass before 2009 – but this keeps the nearly 100-year-old stadium up to date.

"(This move) was definitely needed," said Hurley. "It was a hard surface and got to be abrasive. It will help with the quality of game and hopefully help prevent some injuries. When turf gets hard, you're constantly worried about shoulders and impact on knees. We like to play at Enlow. It's a great environment."

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Football will not be the only use. The field will include soccer lines, plus it is available for other functions including marching band. Bosse officials also view it as another way to showcase the school with a giant "B" at midfield.

"The kids are excited about it as well as the coaches and other students," said Bosse coach Stephan Mullen. "It will look similar to what Central and Reitz is like. It really puts a big Bosse logo all over the field. It shows support from the EVSC as well. They're willing to make this investment for our student-athletes."

How much will it cost?

The bids for both projects, turf field and stadium roof, were approved at the EVSC board meeting last Monday.

The turf was awarded to Arc Construction Co., Inc. for $429,675, while the roof will be installed by Midwest Roofing and Insulation Co., Inc. (dba Midwest Roofing-Sheet Metal) for a total of $400,050. The source of funding comes from general obligation bond funds.

When does work start?

Bealmear said the official start date is after Memorial Day on May 28. The EVSC will use Sprinturf, the same company that installed four of its five football fields except North High School, and its Predator synthetic turf system.

The goal for completion is no later than Aug. 16, the date of IHSAA football scrimmages, but it could be sooner with base work already in place when the turf was installed 15 years ago.

Follow Courier & Press sports reporter Kyle Sokeland on X (formerly Twitter) @kylesokeland.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Bosse's Enlow Field will be upgraded with new turf field, stadium roof