The Paris News

Every weekend the soccer fields just south of Paris Junior College are filled with players, fans and families out for a day of fun, food and camaraderie.

For years, the players have had to endure rough, dry, cracked soccer fields filled with course native grasses and weeds.

Sometimes the scrapes and bruises left by the rough turf were evident on the players after a match, but they came back for more the following week.

That is the pull of soccer in Paris, and by the end of the year, Paris Adult Soccer League hopes to have 15 to 16 teams playing on the fields, some teams from as far away as Sulphur Springs and beyond, with as many as 200 to 400 fans watching.

That dream is looking much closer to reality because of a major effort by State Farm Insurance Company, Unruh Turf Farms, Pro Turf and others who are jumping in to repair the existing fields, build covered bleachers and perhaps build additional soccer fields at the park.

State Farm agent Scott Kennedy, with funds provided by his company for the benefit of the community, kicked off the effort earlier this year by enlisting the help of everyone willing to join in the soccer fields upgrade.

Unruh Turf Farms was one of the first to join in, donating the turf for the first field.

“We completely stripped the field to put down a grass from Australia — Celebrations Bermuda,” Kennedy said. “The Bermuda will make a first class soccer facility. The sprigs were provided by Unruh Turf Farms near Tigertown, and Unruh and Pro-Turf put in the work to do the sprigging.”

“It took about three hours to sprig the hybrid Bermuda on that first field,” Fred Unruh said. “This is great turf for sports fields and golf courses. It is rated No.1 for drought tolerance, wears well and recovers quickly from use. In a 60-day drought test, it was the first to recover after water was added.”

Kennedy said State Farm Insurance funds will be used to do many things in the soccer park, including providing bleachers with covers and backs to provide shade and protection for fans.

“The City of Paris will provide a “water cannon” to deliver water to the fields while the turf is maturing,” Kennedy said. “The field can be watered half at a time in four hours per half. The city also will provide the water.”

Kennedy said it will be four months before the turf is solid on the field that has just been sprigged, and Paris Adult Soccer League will keep it mowed and watered.

The soccer fields upgrade is one of the first positive steps since the City of Paris took over maintenance from Paris Junior College years ago.

Ramon Torres of the soccer league said he expects the first field to be ready for use by October.

“I also coach high school girls soccer, and my kids want to practice on the soccer fields. The new turf and the upgraded fields will be much safer, and we hope to do two or three more fields, and with the covered stands, people can watch away from the rain and sun.”

Unruh said the sprigging of a soccer field is a big operation.

“A soccer field covers two acres,” he said.

Kennedy said the grass will be mowed about an inch above the ground to provide a soft turf and encourage the Celebrations Bermuda to maintain its quality.

One treatment of fertilizer already has been applied to the sprigged soccer field and more will be needed to assure the proper growth of the turf.

Randy Stephens of Pro-Turf said the first 21 days are critical for sprigs.

“If we just get a good shot of rain, it will be a great help,” Stephens said. “It is rainwater that makes everything perk up.”

Pro Turf does commercial sprigging applications.

“We do all the athletic fields in 12 school districts, and we put in baseball fields,” Stephens said.

Unruh grows the Celebrity Bermuda.

“You have to have a license to grow it,” he said. “I have been growing it near Tigertown three years, near CR 35050.”

Kennedy said the soccer field improvements will be a big asset to Paris, pulling in people from all across the area.

“This is a needed thing in the community,” he said. “State Farm is proud to support efforts like the soccer field improvement, which rejuvenates communities and contributes to the growth and stability of our youth and neighborhoods where we do business. Supporting the communities where we live and work is part of our proud tradition. My

hope is that we can eventually create a first class soccer complex, which draws groups from across the Red River Valley region and even beyond.

“We have tried for years to get upgrades on the soccer fields,” Kennedy said. “This time when I went to the city, I told them I was not asking for manpower and not asking for money. I told them I just wanted the city’s consent to do this. Pretty much all they have given was their blessing.”

Kennedy said he is looking for someone to donate concrete and steel for the bleachers, “and we will be looking for someone to help put in more fields.”

“We have a certain number of dollars provided by State Farm, and I need all the help in donations and work we can get,” Kennedy said.

Share | Save | Mail | Print | Letter

Serving Northeast Texas and Southeast Oklahoma

A Southern Newspapers publication.