Wiss turf debuts for spring sports season

The new multi-purpose turf fields at Wissahickon High School (WHS) are finally ready to be used for the upcoming spring sports season. 

After construction began last summer, the long-awaited grand opening of the fields was held in November 2023. The ceremony included the softball team and a member from each sports team at Wissahickon, who were to represent their respective teams by making the first goal or pass on the new turf. This new expansion for Wissahickon athletics is sure to allow more teams to get to practice, play on turf, and improve their skills.

The plans for a complete remodel of the softball and baseball fields at WHS began back in late 2022. The new model included synthetic turf fields for both varsity baseball and varsity softball and a multi-purpose field in the baseball outfield during their offseason. The new synthetic fields require less upkeep than dirt fields and are becoming even more popular throughout high schools in the area. Compared to dirt fields, turf fields have draining systems installed that help keep the turf dry when it rains, eliminating the chance of a game cancellation even if the weather is bad. Turf fields also don’t need to be mowed or weeded, which means the new fields will save a lot of money in equipment, maintenance resources, and manpower. 

“This project once again demonstrates that the Wissahickon School District and its community is committed to building a community of champions both in the classroom and outside of the classroom,” said Wissahickon Athletic Director Jim Cairnes, at the grand opening ceremony.

The new multipurpose fields allow for two teams to utilize the stadium and baseball turf fields for practice, heavily eliminating the need to practice on grass. The Wissahickon softball and baseball teams not only have new turf to play their games on, but also received brand new dugouts and batting cages for practice. 

With the excitement of this new addition to Wissahickon, students should check out a softball or baseball game after school this spring.

The following article originally appeared in Wissahickon High School’s student-run newspaper, the Trojan Times. It has been republished here with permission from Wissahickon School District.