The construction on the new Nicotine turf field next to the football field was delayed recently after its initial start earlier this year due to a mishap in the type of rock used by the contracting company.

The rock was installed as the material to go underneath the turf. Workers soon discovered that it doesn’t drain properly.

As a result, the girls’ and boys’ soccer teams won’t be able to practice on the new field this season, which they hoped would happen. Instead, the teams alternate between playing on the football field and outfield of the softball field.

“We can’t have as effective of practices because you’re always trying to avoid the puddles, and the grass is really thick, so it’s hard to play on, and the lighting isn’t as good on that field, so sometimes we have to call practice early,” junior soccer player Chloe Sharratt said. The new field will have lights, which is critical for allowing teams to practice during the winter season as it gets darker earlier.

“It’s a different type of field, so when we try to come to the turf, compared to the grass, the style of playing is way different,” senior Hector Echeverria said.

“The rock that was supplied by the quarry wasn’t matching the specifications of what’s needed for proper drainage, so it seems like it was mistake on the quarry’s end,” said Melissa Schmidt, varsity girls’ soccer coach and athletic director.

The original estimate for the field was $1.5 million. However, the new rock will not cost the district. “I don’t think it’s actually going to cost the district anything, as a result of this. I think that that’s all between the people installing the field and the quarry itself. But I don’t think we get an impact,” Schmidt said.

The field will be ready ideally in January 2018 and will be used as a practice field by the football teams in the fall, soccer in the winter, and lacrosse in the spring.