Why high school football players prefer the grass fields over artificial playing surfaces
The tear heard ‘round the world.
The injury to Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Sept. 11 did not actually make a sound, but his rupturing Achilles tendon reverberated across the landscape of the National Football League and its fans.
The injury – suffered on the artificial turf at MetLife Stadium during Rodgers’ fourth play of the season - led the NFL Players Association to call on the league to switch to grass playing surfaces.
Half of the NFL’s 30 teams still play on grass, but a majority of major college teams play on turf. The same goes for the area’s larger high schools. Milford High recently completed a project to replace the turf at its multi-purpose field and Algonquin is nearing the finish line of a massive project that includes two new turf playing surfaces.
But grass is still poking through the soil below the cleats of local football teams. City stadiums such as Bowditch Field in Framingham and Kelleher Field in Marlborough in addition to Hudson’s Morgan Bowl feature the real thing. Ditto for smaller school districts such as Nipmuc, Blackstone Valley Tech, Tri-County and Millis (the only Tri-Valley League school that does not play on turf).
High school football players say they prefer grass fields
A majority of the football captains at Framingham, Marlborough, Hudson and Nipmuc said they enjoy their grass fields and, if given the choice, prefer that surface over artificial turf.
“I do like grass. Seeing what happens in the NFL – they're all trying to ban the turf,” said Nipmuc’s Thomas Howell. “I like grass because of its functionality; when you cut, it’s super-easy. I also like the look of turf, but I definitely prefer playing on grass.”
Howell, a senior receiver/defensive back, spoke after his team’s 7-2 “home” victory over Assabet last Saturday. The game was switched to the turf at nearby Northbridge High School because of the possibility that heavy rain from Hurricane Lee may ruin Nipmuc’s grass field with 80% of the season still to be played.
No rain fell; no harm done.
But like Howell’s sod-preferring brethren, nothing beats a well-manicured lawn.
Marlborough junior Akrif Semakula splits his time between running back and linebacker. “Two physical positions,” he says. “You’re hitting the ground a lot.”
His preference? “I just move better on grass.”
The feeling is mutual a short drive north along Route 85.
“I prefer grass,” said Hudson junior quarterback Jake Attaway. “It’s been a tradition at Hudson forever. You see people get hurt on turf all the time. When I’m playing on grass, I feel less of a risk.”
Framingham High practices most days at Phil Read Field, a turf layout behind the school. But on home game days, the Flyers trek three miles to Bowditch Field and its welcoming pasture.
“Grass is ten times better than turf," said defensive back/running back Nick Duplessis. “I slip a lot more on turf, especially when it’s painted.”
His teammate, two-way lineman Angel Colon, concurred.
“Well-cut grass, well-taken-care-of grass – I play a lot better on that,” he said. “I can dig my cleat in and launch myself more than I can on turf.”
Turf fields bring ‘the community together’
While sod gets the nod most of the time, turf brings opportunity. Multiple sports can use a turf facility and many schools that upgrade to that surface also improve their tracks and fan experience.
Like Howell, his Nipmuc teammate, senior Chris Casey is torn between the two layers.
Standing on the turf at Northbridge’s Lasell Field last week after the Warriors moved there to earn a nerve-wracking victory over Assabet, Casey let the cheers wash over him as he envisioned what could be at Nipmuc.
“Grass is fine, but it’s the conditions,” he said. “We had to move to a turf field because we couldn’t play on our grass field. That says it all.
“If we had the opportunity to have a turf field like this, it would be incredible because there are so many more opportunities. You’d be able to play whenever you want and it also helps bring the community there. We don’t have anywhere for anyone to watch. If you had bleachers, a turf field – everyone comes together. Anyone can use it; walk on the track, whatever.”
Asked if he enjoyed playing at sparkling Lasell Field, which was renovated from grass to turf in 2021, Casey said, “I loved it. Having everybody in the stands, cheering you on, it’s just incredible.”
Playing on grass ‘feels like old-school football’
The preference for grass, however, goes back to – for the lack of a better term – grassroots.
Local players long for the “fields” they played on behind the house as kids.
“A lot of my childhood was spent playing on grass fields – just playing backyard football,” said Framingham senior running back/linebacker Ben Lincoln. “It gives you that home vibe and you get all the grass stains, too. Even after the game, with the stains, it’s a lot more rewarding.”
“Like when it rains, it’s muddy. It feels like old-school football,” added Hudson senior two-way lineman JJ Senske. “I have a chip on my shoulder when I play. Just like playing in the backyard. It brings back a lot of memories.”
Hudson junior linebacker/tight end Owen Nanartowich listed tradition as a reason for his liking of natural footing. The preference is also generational.
“You step on Morgan Bowl, you step on that grass. My dad (Mike) played on that grass,” he said. “I definitely wish there were more grass fields because it’s that feeling where you’re just out there playing football, you’re out there just having fun. Grass reminds me of when I started and how I’ve grown.”
Tim Dumas is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. He can be reached at tdumas@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimDumas.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Local high school football players enjoy playing on grass fields
