For years, Bay County football programs have dealt with the challenges that come with maintaining natural grass fields in the Panhandles unpredictable weather.
Rain, heat and heavy use have often forced coaches to adjust practice schedules and find alternative locations when conditions were not ideal.
That landscape is beginning to change.
With new artificial turf fields being installed across the county, local football coaches are excited about the opportunities the upgraded facilities provide while also acknowledging that the transition will require adjustments for players and programs.
Arnold head coach Jason Griffin has been one of the strongest supporters of the move toward turf, believing the benefits will extend beyond football.
After years of watching programs around the state upgrade their facilities, Griffin said Bay County is making a necessary investment that will improve opportunities for athletes across multiple sports.
“I love it every day, twice on Sundays. I wish it would have been done a long time ago,” Griffin said.
One of the biggest advantages Griffin sees is the ability for teams to have a consistent practice surface throughout the year.
Weather-related issues can often impact preparation during the season, but artificial turf provides a more reliable option for teams trying to maximize practice time.
“You’ll be able to be on it every day no matter what the weather is,” Griffin said. “You can have different things on it, you can have PE on it, so it’s just such a great thing to have an artificial turf surface.”
Griffin believes the investment will have an impact throughout the athletic department, not just football.
At Rutherford, head coach Albert Floyd said the new turf represents a major step forward for the program and community.
For smaller programs, having a dependable practice facility can make a significant difference in daily preparation and the overall experience for athletes.
“You’re out here and it’s hot, but as far as having a practice surface that you don’t have to worry about them coming out here and lining the field up every week,” Floyd said.
Floyd also pointed to the benefits during Florida’s rainy season, when natural grass fields can quickly become difficult to use.
“If it rains, the traction is still good. There’s not any water puddles as far as the drainage system as well,” Floyd said. “It looks good, brings enthusiasm and it takes pride to have something nice.”
Beyond the football program, Floyd believes the facility upgrades can help bring more attention to Rutherford athletics.
“It attracts coaches, players and people in the community to come and watch these events that we put on,” Floyd said.
At Bozeman, head coach Sean Maddox sees turf as a valuable resource for a program that has traditionally had limited practice space.
With the school sharing its campus with a middle school, having another reliable field option provides more accesibility for practices.
“That just gives us the flexibility of having two fields to be able to practice on,” Maddox said. “Guys having plenty of space to get what needs to be done.”
Maddox also highlighted the reduced maintenance requirements that come with artificial surfaces.
“Obviously the maintenance that comes with it is very low, but at the same time, it’s also looks good year round,” Maddox said.
While most coaches see the transition as a positive, Mosley head coach Tommy Joe Whiddon believes teams will have to adjust to the differences that come with playing and practicing on turf.
Mosley has traditionally taken pride in maintaining its grass field, with the program investing booster funds into keeping the surface in top condition. Whiddon said the new turf will remove some of that responsibility but introduce new challenges.
“We invest thousands of dollars into this field to make sure there’s no dirt and that it looks nice out here,” Whiddon said. “So that’s definitely a burden that’s going to be taking off of us.”
Whiddon said the biggest adjustment will be learning how to manage the surface itself, especially during the hottest months of the year.
“It’s going to be like practicing on the face of the sun,” Whiddon said.
Whiddon also emphasized that player safety and preparation will become even more important as teams transition to turf.
“It’s definitely going to create a whole host of new issues, but it’s something we’re going to have to work our way through,” he said.
Adebanji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald. He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X, formerly known as Twitter, @AdebanjiBamide1.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay County football coaches weigh in on new turf fields
Reporting by Adebanji Bamidele, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
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By Adebanji Bamidele, Panama City News Herald | USA TODAY Network
