Over the summer of 2018, the track and football field, as well as the main gym, were remodeled by the Novato Unified School District.
Although the average lifespan of a turf field is around 10 years, San Marin’s field had been used for 13. Construction began June 11, 2018. Like San Marin, plenty of other football fields in Marin County have been recently remodeled. The field at Terra Linda High School failed a shock test due to its old age and was shut-down mid football season.
“It was time for [the field] to be redone with more modern technology for the safety of our students,” Varsity Football coach Cory Boyd, who is excited about the new facility, said.
When a player falls, the impact can either be absorbed by the playing surface or their body. The harder the playing surface, the more the body absorbs the fall, making players more prone to injuries like concussions. Prior to renovation, the football field was made of pellets which are harder than the new material and absorbed heat, making the field between 105 and 110 degrees on hot days.
“This [the heat] was exhausting,” Varsity football player and Senior Beau McAndrew said, “I had to pour water in my cleats to keep my feet from burning up.”
Now made of softer cork, the field has additional cushion to help absorb impact and disperse heat.
The main gym began its renovation during the last three weeks of summer. The newly sanded and resurfaced floors use a brighter material, with better-defined basketball and volleyball court lines. Another new feature added to the court was the printed signature of late basketball coach Craig Pitti, who passed away last year, located in front of the student section.
Junior Varsity and Varsity volleyball coach Michael Mann explained the benefits volleyball gained from the new gym, including the improved traction and brighter light the court offers.
A few minor construction issues, including a broken radiator, delayed gym construction time by a couple of days, leading to scheduling conflicts with the volleyball teams. Earlier thisyear, volleyball tryouts were relocated to Novato High School and a few practices were moved to community gyms.
