The look of high school athletics across Indian Prairie School District 204 has turned a brighter shade of green.
The district’s $3.1 million investment in new synthetic turf fields, track resurfacing, and goal post displacement at Metea Valley, Neuqua Valley, and Waubonsie Valley was approved last November and completed this summer. It was an upgrade welcomed by many.
“I think our parents, we’ve long wanted a turf field, something that we would be able to utilize, you know, throughout the whole day,” said Neuqua Athletic Director David Perry. This story is sponsored by Fair Oaks Ford and Fair Oaks Lincoln.
A new chapter in athletics
These refurbished stadiums provide more than just an updated playing surface.
“I think it opens up just a point of pride for our entire community. Everybody involved,” said Perry.
For the athletes who will call this ground home, a fresh field can mean a fresh experience, from practice to game day.
“It’s exciting for the whole DVC because nobody has to play on grass anymore. It’s a new life for Metea,” said Metea football player Charlie Larson.
While the grass fields at Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie served the schools well for decades, the switch to all-weather turf provides more opportunities across the board.
“It gets used for physical education. It gets used for athletics,” Perry replied.
He shared, “It allows kind of a safe playing field for us to get on more consistently when grass becomes muddy and kind of tough to navigate.”
New turf opens doors down the line
The pitch isn’t just a game-day destination. They can be used throughout the school day and across multiple athletic events, and could even open the door to brand-new sports.
“We now have a stadium, a full stadium where we can do not just football… We have a stadium that we can do soccer, we can do lacrosse, we can do potentially flag football down the road,” said Waubonsie Valley Principal Jason Stipp.
He added, “At Waubonsie, the modern stadium will become the main venue for fall and spring athletics.”
And while the athletes may be the ones primarily utilizing the space, its impact extends far beyond the lines.
“Any time students can be involved in something directly here at the school, they feel a little bit more connected to the school,” said Stipp.
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