After seeing two of his former players suffer serious injuries on the hard surfaces at the Vicksburg Soccer Organization’s Bovina fields, youth coach Bryan Register wanted to do something about it.

Renovations

at a glance

Where: Bovina Soccer Complex

Cost: $60,500

Improvements: New irrigation, sand layer, fields leveled with laser level, new hybrid Bermuda turf

Starting nearly two years ago, Register researched ways he could obtain funding to improve the fields at the VSO’s 11-field complex located on Tiffentown Road, adjacent to Clear Creek Golf Course.

On July 8, work began to improve two of the middle fields at the complex, which hosts nearly 16 teams and  some 200 players who play yearly at the complex.

“Over the course of my time coaching youth soccer I’ve seen several injuries out here,” Register said. “I know from my own teams, I’ve had two serious injuries. I had a girl break her arm and a boy dislocate his kneecap and both came after falling hard on these clay surfaces.

“What I was hoping to do was find grant money in order to build a softer playing surface for these kids.”

According to Register, the original construction is to blame.

“When these fields were originally built, it was on hard clay, and they basically just pushed off the top soil and that meant when it rained and then dried out, the fields would just bake and it was like you were playing on bricks,” Register said.

Register contacted the United States Soccer Foundation and the national organization came through with a grant to the Vicksburg Soccer Organization for $30,000 for the purpose of renovating some of the fields at the complex.

“Not knowing much about landscaping and field renovation, I didn’t think it would cost that much, but after seeing what all they do, it’s a lot,” Register said. “We were grateful to get the $30,000 from the United States Soccer Foundation and then when we got it, we were able to get a $15,000 grant from the Warren County Parks and Recreation Department.

“Then the VSO added another $15,500 from its own funds. So we had $60,500 to work on our fields and that was enough to renovate two fields. This week, we broke ground in fixing fields three and four, which are the two middle fields at the complex.”

Register was also able to get parts donated from John Deere Landscaping of Jackson and automated sprinklers from Hunter Industries.

“The funds we raised will be used to add irrigation (sprinkler systems), improve the drainage (shape and laser-graded leveling) on two of the the fields, improve the soil quality by adding sand to help it take more rain, and not let it get so hard-packed,” Register said. “And then get the right type of grass started.”

Stewart Environmental Construction out of Tupelo was given the contract to rebuild the fields.

Contractor Steve Crawford said the project should yield some good results by September.

“Renovating fields is a big part of what we do,” Crawford said. “Right now we’re bringing in a lot of sand and will have that graded. We’ll also put in an automated irrigation system and then seed it with a hybrid Bermuda turf. It should be fully grown in about 10 to 12 weeks. If it stays hot, it’ll be all right.”

“The sand is going to be the big help because that helps the soil mature,” Register said.

With the completion of the project, the VSO will have four top flight fields, with softer surfaces, irrigation and lights.

“Our first two fields we  had already had this done. And now, we’ll have two more. We still have five, six, seven and eight, but we’re just trying to do a piece at a time.”

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Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com