Turf vs. dirt: Bend-La Pine Schools speak on local baseball field concerns

BEND, Or (KTVZ) -- Local baseball and softball teams are calling for facility upgrades, and they’re hoping the Bend-La Pine School District will listen.

Earlier this spring, coaches across the district raised concerns about the condition of dirt fields at local high schools. Their worries focused on the mounting costs of upkeep, weather conditions, safety, and the hours of labor spent maintaining the fields. The solution many are proposing? Artificial turf.

Paul Dean is the Chief Operating Officer for Bend-La Pine Schools. He acknowledges the advantages of turf.

“We would really love to have turf for baseball and softball programs here in our town," said Dean. "For No. 1, during our spring months, where things are really rainy, it would make things a whole lot easier to have teams be able to access those fields. Also, our coaches spend dozens, if not hundreds of hours maintaining those, and having turf fields would reduce the maintenance demands on our coaching staff. And it also provides a consistent playing surface. Anyone that's had a ground ball hit them in the face knows what a bad hop is, and the impacts of it.”

The call for turf fields is growing louder in the community — but switching from dirt to turf isn’t a simple decision. Dean says dirt has always been a constant in the sport.

“Well, I know we've had dirt fields, I played under fields all growing up. The idea of turf fields didn't even cross my mind when I was playing baseball. So I think that we're used to those things.”

For the school district to make major facility upgrades, like turf fields, projects must be included in their Capital Improvement Plan, or CIP.

“We embark on that every five years." Dean continued, "And one of the things that we do is we meet with administrators from every school. Those administrators meet with their teachers, meet with their athletic directors and everyone on their staff to identify what are the projects that need to be done in the next five years so that they can continue to maintain robust learning and athletic and activities environments for their schools?"

A CIP is a strategic, long-term plan that outlines how the district will invest in infrastructure, equipment, and other major needs, and it’s funded through voter-approved bonds.

The cost of turf fields is significant. A softball turf field ranges from $100,000 to $125,000, and a baseball field can reach up to $150,000. But unless the project is included in a CIP, the district can’t fund it.

“No school in either of the last two bonds identified turf as their No. 1 priority." said Dean, "We generally want to do a project for each and every school and if possible, with funding restrictions, we want to do their No. 1 priority. There have been other more urgent demands for learning spaces or repairing of roofs or HVAC systems or other things that schools have identified as a higher priority than turf fields.”

While turf may not be high on the district’s capital list, individual schools can fund projects themselves. The district said they are in full support of teams raising money to use on fields. That’s what Summit High School did when it installed its turf football field.

“To the extent that our community wants to get behind a project like that, we would support it." said Dean.

Dean added that any improvement, including turf fields, must also comply with Title IX regulations to ensure equal access across boys’ and girls’ sports.

“It's a comprehensive way to make sure that there's equity between men's and women's athletics and also instructional programs, we're beholden to make sure that we follow Title IX laws, to make sure that there is equal access for men's and women's sports. We have to look at every individual project from a unique perspective and evaluate whether or not there are Title IX implications for any type of facility improvement,” said Dean.

Bend High School is currently trying to raise $250,000 for a new baseball and softball complex following the demolition of its baseball field. The district has set a deadline of July 25 for the funds to be secured so construction can begin on time. So far, only $60,000 has been raised, and the clock is ticking.

“For the baseball and softball coaches, we said, yes, we're in solidarity with you," said Dean. "And at the same time, there's a lot of other things that we have to continually evaluate on which is the highest priority at any given time.”

On rainy days, the issue becomes even more urgent. Just today (Monday), every Little League game was canceled due to poor field conditions.

High school teams are responsible for nearly all field maintenance — everything except mowing. One local coach told KTVZ that during one season alone, their team spent $20,000 on field materials like Turface and Quick Dry to keep the surface playable.

The ongoing wear and tear, along with unpredictable weather, only increase the risk of injury. Coaches say player safety is their No. 1 concern.

While some schools are trying to fund projects on their own, the district has announced that it will pause all fundraising projects starting August 1. That gives schools like Bend High just a few more months to secure support for turf installation.