THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 7, 1996 TAG: 9606060183
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Lee Tolliver
LENGTH: 56 lines
The Virginia High School League did it again.
The organization totally ignored the safety of the athletes it is supposed to look out for when it let the Group AAA state soccer semifinals and finals be held at Falls Church High in Northern Virginia.
State tournaments should be held on nothing but the best fields available. But time and time again the VHSL overlooks horrible playing conditions.
It is more than a little surprising that no one was hurt during the six games played at Falls Church last Friday and Saturday.
Anyone there knows what I'm talking about.
In each of the four corners of the narrow, extremely-crowned football field was a drainage hole covered with a slab of concrete.
Each slab was about six inches deep from the playing surface.
Surrounding each hole - about 2-feet by 2-feet - were sloping ditches designed to help the water run off into the drains. One side featured a gully that ran the length of the field.
Most soccer teams will play wide and then try to center the ball toward the goal, with lots of action happening just about where these drainage ditches were.
Hats off to the kids playing for the remarkable job of avoiding these pitfalls.
And a big HELLOOOO to the VHSL for ever making the chance possible.
But this isn't the first time non-revenue teams have played on such fields.
Three years ago, the state field hockey championship was played on a field few football teams would have played on - a field with potholes and clumps of grass that made twisting an ankle a distinct possibility.
The fact that no one was seriously hurt isn't the point.
Is the VHSL going to wait for some kid playing in the moment of a lifetime to get hurt before it changes its approach to awarding championship sites?
When asked about the field hockey site three years ago, a league representative responded that it was the Central Region's turn to host the event and that Midlothian was the only school that wanted it.
Wanting to host the state tournament isn't a good enough reason - especially when the playing fields are inadequate.
Let it be known at this point that the Falls Church people running the tournament did as fine a job as any school could hope to. They were informed, prepared and went out of their way to make the event pleasant for the media, participants and spectators.
But their field just wasn't suitable for state-level competition.
And while it's not the fault of those at the school, it is the responsibility of the VHSL to look after the kids who have worked so hard to get to these showcase events.
For their sakes, lets put them on safe fields. ILLUSTRATION: Kempsville forward Joe Buchholz receives attention
after a collision with Clover Hill goalkeeper Todd Spitalny late in
the first half of the state semifinal soccer tournament. Clover Hill
won the game, 1-0. by CNB