Athletics

NMH Begins Work on New Turf Fields

A message from head of school thomas k. sturtevant

I am pleased to announce that the NMH Board of Trustees voted last week to approve the construction of two turf fields, one on Thorndike Field and the other on the western end of McLamore Field. This project will advance our goals for excellence and community in athletics, which will broaden the school’s appeal to prospective students and their families. The fields are scheduled to be completed late in the fall semester. Tom Pratt is managing the fall athletic schedule to accommodate construction during practice and play times.

The turf fields have several attributes. The turf surface is a porous synthetic rubber that is laid over padding, packed dirt, and gravel. The surface can be cleared of snow and ice, allowing spring sports to begin field practices at the beginning of the season, regardless of weather conditions. Because they are porous, the fields can be used in wet conditions, enabling teams to practice and play games on a consistent schedule. They require no watering or cutting and can be used all day without significant wear. This durability makes these fields good for football, as well as soccer and ultimate Frisbee in poor weather. Field hockey and lacrosse especially benefit from the consistency of the surface.

The fields require maintenance and resurfacing after about fifteen years. The all-in costs are consistent with the maintenance of a high-quality grass field. The environmental considerations are both positive and negative: the fields require less fossil fuel and water for maintenance, but they are synthetic, and the implications of the down-cycling of rubber during resurfacing are not yet tested. We’ve given much care to the look and blending of the field surface color and how it will blend into the landscape.

We will raise $2.85 million to pay for the fields. An alumnus—and current parent—initiated the fundraising effort for this project. In addition to his own generous gift, he has offered a $19,780 match for any gift or pledge of $200,000 or more to the project. So far, two other alumni have pledged $250,000 each; if you know of parents or alumni who might be interested in supporting the fields with a leadership gift, please contact Chief Advancement Officer Allyson Goodwin.

When seen in concert with all the other physical changes in the campus—the new cottages, the Rhodes Arts Center, Bolger House, and the roadway re-alignments—the campus will have transformed dramatically over a five-year period. These improvements all point to our investment in our students and to the value of a strong community as we seek to inspire the individual best of each student in our academic, arts, and athletic programs.