Drought and Six Man Football

[robb kendrick]

Hi My name is Robb Kendrick. I'm a photographer who grew up in Spur and Hereford, Tx but now live in Austin. I work frequently for National Geographic Magazine and I am currently working on an NG story about the drought in Texas. I'm trying to see if anyone knows of a football team that is canceling their season, or playing all AWAY games because of field conditions and lack of water for their field or safety concerns for the players due to fields not being watered?

Another alternative would be what team has the field under the most stress, maybe little grass left? Trying to show the human side of the drought and if it is impacting High School football in Texas. ANy thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Also, if you have any other thoughts on drought impact in your area that is especially telling of the severity I am open to hear about other items.

My email is [email protected]

Many thanks,

Robb

 

[WV Backer]

I know Robert Lee's field is in pretty bad shape.

 

[chivo loco]

Not just the field backer! This goats dyin over here..

 

[ACPACoachRoss]

We play on turf but as far as practice is concerned we have had to use the gym for the majority of practice because the sun has killed ALL the grass on our practice field. The field now has cracks and holes and is almost 100% dirt.

Coach Ross
(903) 386 - 0400
Athens Christian Prep

 

[dport]

Our practice field at Wichita Christian is 100% dirt. Our varsity kids do not take to the ground (our JH kids do because they don't have too far to fall and don't hit very hard anyways). I told our kids it may suck now but at least it's a good story they can tell when their old!

 

[coschwartz]

Come on over the Buckholts. Our field is in terrible shape.

 

[WildcatClassOf89]

Crowell ISD would have had to cancel or at least play all away games as we as a town have been on water rationing since early July. With this heat nearly no amount of water seems to be enough so watering on certain days and during certain hours of the day wasnt going to work for us. We were blessed to be able to pump water out of our City pool onto our football field while we were digging water wells so as to have water to save our field and our games at home. We still have not plumbed any water to our practice field and its like all the fields mentioned above, bald and cracked. Our fields show both ends of the issue. Praise the Lord we have a wonderful school board that sets aside moneys for these types of problems. The district spent a large chunk of change installing our water works but it will all be worth it when we can have our home games and Homecoming on our own Dick Todd Field.

Are the fields above watered by mother nature only or is rationing or the lack of City water the issue?

I feel sorry for those districts that have no other options. Sad,sad!!!

Pray for rain and lots of it!!!

 

[51eleven]

Each day, a truck from nearby Bronte hauls 6,300 gallons of water to Robert Lee High School to irrigate the football field, at a cost of $200 per trip. That keeps the ground soft but far from green, and there's practically no grass.

"Three years ago it was like playing on a green or a fairway," football coach Shay Avants said. "We'll have a little bit of home field advantage now, I guess, because we'll know what it's like to run in the sand."



Read more: Robert Lee teeters on drying up in drought - Mywesttexas.com: Top Stories http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/ ... z1XrRthxe6
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

 

[granger]

Robb is trying to identify this field... any guesses

 

[willie schoen]

Benjamin

 

[High Plains Drifter]

Looks like old Three Way field.

 

[oldfat&bald]

I think HPD is right. But, it's been 25 years plus since I was there. So, take my input for what that's worth.

 

[High Plains Drifter]

The tip off for me was the man killer pipe fence around it. Ha

 

[Knowmystuff]

Looks like Three Way to me too...based on game film I've seen

 

[willie schoen]

Three Way it is, I saw a picture on their old website

 

[High Plains Drifter]

My question is why is it still that shape? Been a good number of years since been played on. Unless it is an old picture. One thing about it, Willie knows. Ha

 

[Old Bearkat]

Looks like old Three Way field.

That was my first thought!!

I'm still picking grass burrs out of my fingers 40 years later.

 

[High Plains Drifter]

Just be grateful that you are not walking with a limp or in a wheel chair after a collision with that fence. Coaching strategy at Three Way. Put your dads on the fence on your side, and run dive to Three Way side and sweep to your side. Ha

 

[Old Bearkat]

My question is why is it still that shape? Been a good number of years since been played on. Unless it is an old picture. One thing about it, Willie knows. Ha

Yeah I had read the old school buildings and other structures had been torn down.

 

[Old Bearkat]