For many years, SPS athletes and other youth sport organizations have had to deal with massive disappointments when sporting games and practices are cancelled due to field status. As a player for Lincoln High School and a former Little League participant who played at Lower Woodland softball fields, I have personally experienced the challenges of using the current dirt fields. We are tired of our games being cancelled due to poor field conditions and inability to maintain our home fields. Additionally,  rescheduling games to turf fields is not only time consuming, but takes away from students class time since they have to leave 20 minutes to even an hour early just so they can play a game that should've been played at our home fields. My team has watched our coaches and athletic directors spend extra time to reschedule and attempt to make our field playable. They do this for the love of athletics and the growth of youth sports, not just for their own pay. The current field conditions are not only inconvenient but also limits opportunities for players. The baseball field and soccer fields are turf, making us question why we are only limiting opportunities for our younger generations and women who play softball.

 We propose that these dirt fields be converted into turf fields. This transformation would significantly increase their sustainability, allowing more games to be played regardless of weather conditions. In Seattle, it rains an average of 152 days a year, and studies conducted by Penn State's Center for Sports Surface Research, synthetic turf can withstand heavy rain better than natural grass, making this an optimal option for our rainy city. Although turf may be costly upfront, they are incredibly valuable and cost efficient in the long run. Natural grass fields need constant watering, seeding, cutting, pesticide application and etc. making it more expensive and tedious for the city, but even with just a turf infield, it will greatly cut the cost and maintenance time since the infield takes the most time to prepare into playable shape. The time and effort spent by our coaches trying to fix our fields will finally be able to be put into developing athletes, which is priceless for future generations. It also is important to point out that these fields can be a limiting factor for the potential that teams may have due to field conditions. To prevent injuries from uneven dirt and grass, people have to be more cautious of their actions such as running slower or not being able to dive for balls. Players and coaches also have to spend more time maintaining the field, taking away from the important skill development time that other teams are able to have when they have turf fields. 

According to the Seattle Times, the median income in this city is within the top 5 of our nation, and the tax revenue funded by our growing economy should go towards the upbringing of public school sports and local youth athletics. Sports are crucial for students and some may say that bringing up an athlete can make you become more motivated to do well in school. It is a place where students can learn valuable life lessons that they can apply to school, work, and their futures, which may not be found through other activities. None of this could happen if games and practices are constantly being cancelled due to poor field conditions. 

By transforming Lower Woodland Softball Fields into turf ones, we would provide more opportunities for young athletes in the Seattle area while ensuring the longevity of our beloved playing grounds.