Following a flood in December 2016, Waynesburg University’s John F. Wiley Stadium needed a new turf surface. The repair process began June 20, with the old surf surface being ripped up, however, inadequate weather during the repair process slowed down the process and pushed date of completion back.

With the process being delayed two weeks on top of the original time of completion, the field was not finished before the Yellow Jacket football team returned to campus. For the first several practices of the season, the football team practiced at Perman Run, which is where the team used to practice every day many years ago. The team also utilized the intramural softball fie

ld and Waynesburg Central High School’s newly renovated football field.

However, the field was completed near the end of the second week in August. The women’s soccer team stepped foot onto the field for the first practice on the new surface Aug. 22 during a morning practice.

Men’s soccer head coach Brad Heethuis, who is also an assistant coach for the women’s team, said that the new surface has created an exciting environment.

“They were pumped,” Heethuis said. “They were pumped to get out there. I think everyone knew, that old stuff was on its last leg and just to get a new – a brand-new, awesome turf surface, everyone was excited about it.”

The football team later took the field for their own practice, but it was cut short after a heavy rainfall and lightning.

The football team was then able to practice on the field leading up to its season opener at Muskingum University. The Yellow Jackets played their first football game on the new surface when they hosted and fell to Westminster College Sept. 9.

Interim Head Football Coach Chris Smithley said an energetic environment, similar to that of the soccer team’s, was present during the football team’s first practice on the new surface.

“It’s created an excitement within the team to have a new surface to play on and to practice on,” Smithley said. “I think it turned out great, the guys love it, it looks great –  it looks fantastic. It’s just a positive energy that it’s brought to the team and to the program as well as the athletic department as a whole.”

Smithley remembered the days when he was a Yellow Jacket and the team received the school’s original turf field.

“I would say that when we got the last field in 2006 – I was playing – and it’s very similar when it’s fresh,” Smithley said. “I think there was an excitement then just because of the fact that we were getting turf and we didn’t have it in the past. And now this, I think there was the same type of excitement, but yet it wasn’t this is a completely new thing – it’s just fresh, it’s nice, it looks good – the whole design of it is top of the line.”

Heethuis said the new field is different to play on compared to the old turf, which was at the end of its time.

“Certainly, players and coaching staff can definitely tell a difference,” Heethuis said. “Just the biggest thing is the bounce of the ball and how it rolls. The old stuff, that ball moved quite a bit, but this new turf plays a lot more like grass so it’s a little slower actually, but we like it. It’s been great.”

Field Turf is the company that was selected from different bids to complete the replacement process. Field Turf was the same company that installed the original field in 2006. The company is stated to have completed quality work, and Smithley shared a story from when West Virginia University starters visited John F. Wiley Stadium to review the company’s work.

“I remember in 2006 when we put our field in, WVU was looking to put their indoor field in and Pat White and [Steve] Slaton actually came up to here and ran on our field to feel it out and see if it was something that West Virginia was going to want to go with, based off of the company,” Smithley said. “I remember that, that was pretty cool.”

While the basic design from the original turf remains very similar, the orange “W” at midfield is slightly larger, the football team now has two end zones with black backgrounds and the women’s lacrosse team has brand-new orange lines for the goal crease and arc areas.

Heethuis said the returners and new comers alike are enjoying the new surface.

“We’re just excited to get out on the new facility and it’s been awesome so far,” Heethuis said. “It’s been great, the turf is fantastic.”

Although Heethuis said playing on the new turf is different than the old turf, he said the field won’t affect the team’s success.

“The biggest thing is to come out and work hard every day regardless of whether you’ve got old turf, brand-new turf, grass: the game of soccer is the same and it comes down to hard work,” Heethuis said.