The new turf on Smith Field at Marian University is finally here and here to stay. The change is a huge benefit for the soccer and lacrosse teams. Since the men’s and women’s soccer teams have been playing on the turf a lot lately, a few of the players recently shared their thoughts. 

Junior men’s soccer captain Cade Klusendorf believes the turf will do a lot of good now and in the future.  

“The turf is fantastic to play on and adds a consistent playing field for everyone,” Klusendorf said. “Not having to do so much maintenance on the grass field is very helpful for the staff as well. The turf looks very modern and clean and allows the soccer program to draw in more recruits because of the look that it brings.” 

The playing conditions contributed to why Marian University made the decision to install the turf. Games have been canceled or moved to another field because the grass was muddy or just not safe to play on.  

“The new turf is nice because when it’s too wet outside to play in the grass, instead of playing in the Lenz Fieldhouse like we would in the past, we can play on the turf,” said junior midfielder Danielle Flouro.  

Many of the soccer players agree the turf is a game-changer when it comes to the consistency of the field—for example, there should be less tripping in divots this year.  

“I really like the consistency of the turf when playing and the speed of the game when on turf because it is faster,” senior midfielder Chris Nelson.

Picking up the speed of the game is very beneficial for the athletic department because the field can be utilized by other teams than just soccer. Lacrosse players have also tested out the field. 

Senior midfielder Allyson VanZeeland and junior forward Shannon Coughlin shared that they believe the change makes the ball move faster and smoother, that it adds to the intensity of the team, and that everyone seems more energetic while playing on it. 

Although the turf provides Marian with a great spot to play soccer, there are also negatives that come with the new turf. 

“One downside is that sliding and falling causes more turf burns and bleeding rather than normal grass,” Klusendorf said. 

Flouro also agrees that the turf does have flaws even though it is brand new.  

“The one thing I don’t like about the turf is how much the ball slips, so not just me, but the whole team has to get used to how far the ball bounces when it hits the ground from a ball that’s played in the air,” she said.   

In the end, most players agree the pros outweigh the cons, and the turf is a great addition to the athletic facilities at Marian.  

“I don’t have anything that I dislike about it because it’s a huge improvement from what we had before, and it helps us soccer players out tremendously when most teams we play have turf,” Nelson said.