CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY FACILITY UPGRADES UNDER WAY;INSTALLATION OF LIGHTS AND TURF HOPE TO BE COMPLETE IN SPRING

By Richard RoBards, Campbellsville University Sports Information

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — The project that will ultimately lead to night games for football, soccer and baseball, and artificial turf for football and soccer, drew its first dirt Monday when holes for the light poles began to be drilled at Finley Stadium.

 

Workers from Reynolds Electric Contractors, in coordination with Enterprise Electric, both from Nashville, Tenn., pulled dirt from a hole just after lunch on Monday. Nine poles will ultimately be set, according to Doug Reynolds, project coordinator. Four poles will be set on the football field and five on the baseball field (counting one pole that will be shared by both fields).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doyle Miles of Reynolds Electric Contractors began drilling light pole
holes Monday. (Campbellsville University Photo by Richard RoBards)

 

Turf excavation will begin just after the first of the year, according to Director of CU Athletics Rusty Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth said it will take four weeks to prepare the base and four weeks to lay the turf - all contingent upon the weather.

“We are excited about the possibility of having our lights and field in place for spring practice. This will be a huge benefit to us at a time when the field conditions and weather can be unpredictable,” said football coach Perry Thomas. “Getting started in January will give us a great showcase area to take our recruits as they come on campus. This will get them excited about the growth happening here not only in the educational areas but also with our athletic facilities.”

The nine light pole holes will each be drilled 16-20 feet deep and a pre-stressed “stud” will be placed in the hole and concrete poured in around it. Once the concrete sets for a few days, metal poles will be attached to the “stud.”
“Our ultimate goal is Feb. 1, but that all depends on the weather,” said Reynolds.

Once the poles are set, 157 Musco Lighting System light fixtures will be erected on the poles.  Each light has been built at a computerized designated angle to produce optimal lighting in every corner of each field, Reynolds said. According to Reynolds, the football field will have 75 foot candles of constant light and the baseball field 70 foot candles in the infield and 50 in the outfield.

When asked to define foot candle in layman's terms, Reynolds said: “Well, let's just say it will be quite bright.”

Reynolds said most high school football fields provide 40 to 50 foot candle power. “So, I would assume the university fields will be 1 1/2 to 2 times brighter that that.”

Reynolds also said that the system the university choose is a “green system” that is energy efficient and eliminates spillover light outside the playing areas.

During turf preparation, according to Hollingsworth, about eight inches of soil will be removed and replaced by 4 inches of larger rock and 1 ½ inches of smaller rock. It will all be laser graded and a geo-textile material will be laid on top of the base that allows water to permeate into the drainage system. A 12-inch tile will be set every 30 feet. Hollingsworth said the field is supposed to be able to sustain 10 inches of rain in one hour and still be playable.

“This is a project that benefits so many people on our campus,” said Hollingsworth. “Obviously it greatly benefits our football and soccer programs. It will also benefit the marching band, intramurals and summer camps. The turf field could also allow us the ability to add new sports in the future.”

EnviroTurf out of Jackson, Miss. will be doing the field work. They are the NAIA-recognized turf vendor. The hope is to have the field ready for the football team's spring game.

“We initiated a $1.2 million athletic fund-raising campaign back on September 25 and have many opportunities for individuals and businesses to become involved with this project,” Hollingsworth continued.

For more information about the project, visit CampbellsvilleTigers.com. A live Web cam will be available to view the football field's progress once work begins in January.