Spring Break
Hathaway, Edsall Not Pleased With Rentschler Conditions
Patrick Parker
Issue date: 9/12/07 Section: Sports
When UConn's Director of Athletics Jeff Hathaway arrived at Rentschler Field Saturday, he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Saturday, Randy [Edsall], myself and our entire football program was very disappointed about the condition of the field and after the game while Randy was meeting [with the members of the media], I was meeting with members from [Economic Development: Office of Policy and Management] and the stadium management team," Hathaway said.
The apparent problem was that something got into the root system of the turf and not because of the lack of rain in the region, which some fans thought it was. According to Hathaway the irrigation system is supplying more than enough water and there is no grub problem to his knowledge.
The field had grass ripped up and both paintjobs of the end zones were barely seen. Both of these were clearly visible, even from the press box located near the top of the stadium, and they were news to Hathaway and the rest of the athletic staff who had no idea that the field was in such poor shape before Saturday.
The big problem that Hathaway and Edsall faced Saturday and will have to deal with throughout the season is the safety of the players on the turf.
"The bottom line first and foremost is we want a safe field for all the student athletes that are playing on the team and second we want a field that looks the way it should look in the newest Division I football stadium in the country," Hathaway said.
Looking at the schedule ahead, Rentschler Field will house UConn for six more games this year, including three straight weekend games starting Oct. 19. So, with all the upcoming games at home, Hathaway and the staff at Rentschler Field need to see how the grass holds up. Otherwise the entire field will have to be re-sodded, according Hathaway.
This past Sunday Rentschler Field held an exhibition soccer game, but after looking over the field Monday and Tuesday, Hathaway doesn't feel like the field was affected more because of that game.
"Saturday, Randy [Edsall], myself and our entire football program was very disappointed about the condition of the field and after the game while Randy was meeting [with the members of the media], I was meeting with members from [Economic Development: Office of Policy and Management] and the stadium management team," Hathaway said.
The apparent problem was that something got into the root system of the turf and not because of the lack of rain in the region, which some fans thought it was. According to Hathaway the irrigation system is supplying more than enough water and there is no grub problem to his knowledge.
The field had grass ripped up and both paintjobs of the end zones were barely seen. Both of these were clearly visible, even from the press box located near the top of the stadium, and they were news to Hathaway and the rest of the athletic staff who had no idea that the field was in such poor shape before Saturday.
The big problem that Hathaway and Edsall faced Saturday and will have to deal with throughout the season is the safety of the players on the turf.
"The bottom line first and foremost is we want a safe field for all the student athletes that are playing on the team and second we want a field that looks the way it should look in the newest Division I football stadium in the country," Hathaway said.
Looking at the schedule ahead, Rentschler Field will house UConn for six more games this year, including three straight weekend games starting Oct. 19. So, with all the upcoming games at home, Hathaway and the staff at Rentschler Field need to see how the grass holds up. Otherwise the entire field will have to be re-sodded, according Hathaway.
This past Sunday Rentschler Field held an exhibition soccer game, but after looking over the field Monday and Tuesday, Hathaway doesn't feel like the field was affected more because of that game.
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