Kyle Bender ’12 – Work continues at Hollett Little Giant Stadium as dump trucks haul away loads of sod stripped from the playing surface. The field is expected to be completely dirt by the end of the week as a full crew works to remain on schedule for the completion of the field for the fall football season. 
 
The next step will be to form the dirt to sub-grade level, where it will be sloped at 1% grade from the center of the field in all directions. On Monday, the crew will begin pouring concrete within the inside oval of the track to form a drain that small trenches throughout the field will lead rainwater to. 
 
Project manager Mike Strolle said that the next two weeks will mostly consist of concrete work, as proper drainage is an important aspect of creating a successful FieldTurf playing surface. He did mention that dry weather is tremendously vital during this time when so much dirt is exposed, as rainstorms can create a huge mud hole and slow progress considerably. 
 
Once the concrete drains are completed, a foot of gravel will be spread across the construction site that will also aid in the draining process.
 
We were able to catch up with Athletic Director Tom Bambrey and Head Football Coach Erik Raeburn, who were able to give more insight on the project: