District flags safety issues at Fox Creek field; plans temporary move to city fields while assessing repairs
Summary
Superintendent reported 54 sprinkler heads at Fox Creek are set below field level, creating holes and safety risks; the district will partner with the city for practices and games while it evaluates costly repair options, including raising risers or replacing an entire field surface.
The Bullhead City School District told trustees on Dec. 16 that Fox Creek’s football field has developed safety hazards and will require assessment and likely repairs.
Superintendent reported that 54 sprinkler heads on the Fox Creek field are set an inch to two inches below the playing surface, leaving small holes that could cause injury to players. "They still function, but what it's created is kind of a little dip at every one of those 54 sprinkler heads, which means that as our runners, as our players are running, there are holes for them to step in," the superintendent said.
Because repairs can be expensive and complex — options discussed included peeling and re-laying the turf or cutting and replacing risers for the sprinkler system — the district has arranged a short-term partnership with the city to hold practices and games at municipal fields while staff and city contacts (including Dave Heath and other city personnel) develop a repair plan. The district said it will consider grant funding or donations for larger projects but noted other facilities needs may take precedence in the near term.
Trustees and staff also discussed the potential of artificial turf as a long-term option; district staff cautioned that turf in a dusty environment requires protective measures and that sand infiltration has been a maintenance problem at other local surfaces. No final repair decision was made; staff will return with an assessment and options.
