September 2004

Fairview's Field of Dreams dealt set-backs

    The Fairview Apache football family will be trying to make the best of a bad situation this fall. The Apaches were hoping to be opening their new football stadium on Parents Night on Sept. 3 against Genoa. But setbacks in installing the new football field, which started last spring have put the Apaches in a predicament.

So, instead of christening their new stadium against the Comets in Week 2 of this season, the Apaches will play that contest, as well as all their other scheduled home games, at Defiance High School's Fred J. Brown Stadium.

"We greatly appreciate the neighborly help they've given us," said Central Local School superintendent James Fetzer about the move that has been okayed by the Defiance City School Board. "For them to help us like they have shows that they're willing to help a neighbor that's in an unfortunate circumstance."

The new Fairview schedule calls for two home games (Sept. 10 vs. Archbold and Oct. 29 vs. Holgate) to be played on the original date scheduled (Friday nights). However, the other four home games on the slate (Genoa, Edgerton, Wayne Trace and Ayersville) will played on Saturday night.

"It hasn't been a problem at all," pointed out Defiance High School athletic director Barry Parsons, who worked closely with Fairview head football coach and athletic director Bob Olwin and DHS grid coach Jerry Buti to find a solution. "The biggest concern is if we get a lot of rain, will the field hold up? But that's it. We hope that if we (Defiance) were ever in a similar situation someone would help us out. We feel bad for Fairview and their program so we were glad to help out."

Despite two teams calling Fred J. Brown "home," the locker room issues should also be easily handled. The Bulldogs will remain in their digs under the home seats of the stadium while both the Apaches and their opponents will be housed inside Defiance High School.

The unfortunate circumstances that forced Fairview's change in scenery arose about mid-summer when plans were made to install a new all-weather track. To do so, crews had to move the current football field approximately 20 feet east, in order to have enough room to fit the new track between the home stands and the football field. Fairview is currently without a track that is usable for varsity meets.

From there three major problems occurred:

- Approximately 70 percent of the new soil laid down was recycled from around the school campus. Unfortunately, that soil contained debris such as  rebar and glass chips that was deemed hazardous to the athletes.

- The content of the soil was deemed to be nearly 100 percent clay, meaning growing new grass would be next to impossible.

- Drainage imperfections in the original plan made for improper drainage of the new field. 

"We're taking measures to find out at what step (in planning) things went wrong," added Fetzer, who also pointed out that the problems were found early enough that the $550,000 project won't go too far over budget. "Now we've brought in local professional turf and soil consultants who are donating their time. With their help we don't foresee any more problems."

     With two-inch drainage tiles installed and nearly a foot of new topsoil in place, hope is the problems are over. Crews will be planting grass by Sept. 15 in hopes of getting growth before winter. Plans then call for additional seeding next spring and again in the summer so that the Apaches' will have solid playing field for 2005.

The track, however, should be ready by this spring while the new softball diamond has also been added without a hitch and should be ready for the Lady Apaches in 2005. The Apaches will do their best on the field to make their second postseason appearance in three seasons.

Off the field, much will remain the same for the Apache faithful.

Fairview will still be in charge of hiring referees for contests played at Fred J. Brown Stadium while tickets and concessions will also be handled by the Apaches. "We're not losing much," said Fetzer about any added expenses. "The charge to use the field (at Defiance) was extremely reasonable and we'll still be able to keep the gate and the concession (monies). The money for this came out of the athletic fund so no board (of education) funds went toward the renting of the facility.

"We apologize to everyone for this inconvienence," ended Fetzer. "It's an unfortunate circumstance, but we're taking the step and moving forward."