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By Kris Henry February 04. 2016 7:30PM Final stage of new turf begins at Spiegelberg Employees with FieldTurf install a new artificial surface at Spiegelberg Stadium in Medford on Thursday. The work began in December and is expected to be completed by the end of the month. MAIL TRIBUNE / JAMIE LUSCH Work began in earnest Thursday morning on the final stages of much-needed FieldTurf replacement at Spiegelberg Stadium. As part of a project that began in December thanks to a generous donation by Medford High graduate Charley Cobb, workers began rolling out and sewing up the initial FieldTurf sections at the historic stadium after considerable ground preparation and laser leveling had been completed in recent weeks. All told, the project expects to be finished by the end of the month, according to Steve Coury, regional state representative for FieldTurf. “Once we start that process of getting the carpet in, you’re looking at a three-week process to get it all down and to where you can play on it,” said Coury. “The last part of layering in the sand and rubber is kind of weather dependent, though, because you can’t really infill in the rain so hopefully that won’t be an issue.” Private fundraising by the now defunct Medford Linebackers allowed for the installation of FieldTurf at Spiegelberg Stadium in the summer of 2004, as well as resurfacing of the surrounding track. No FieldTurf had been in place at that time beyond eight years, so it was definitely time for the surface to be replaced. That’s when Cobb stepped up, through the negotiations of South Medford athletic director Dennis Murphy, and last November agreed to donate $425,000 to the school district to replace the 12-year-old FieldTurf. Cobb was a standout football and basketball player for Medford High and graduated from the school in 1969. His wife, the former Nancy Piazza, was a Medford High cheerleader and graduated in the Class of 1970. “I’m glad that this project obviously is happening and it’s going to get done,” said Murphy. “You can’t thank Charley Cobb enough for his donation to make it happen and we continue to have FieldTurf, which is a great product and it will make the stadium that much nicer.” Coury’s crews just finished up work in adding FieldTurf to Providence Park in Portland and at Jesuit High School. After groundwork is complete, he said, the initial phase of laying out the carpet and sewing it all together takes four to five days. After that, another five to six days are needed to come back in and set up the perimeter parts of the carpet and inlay all the lines, numbers, hashmarks, middle logo and end zone letters that need to be sewn in. The final four or five days of the project involve a three-layered infill process that starts with a quarter inch of sand on the bottom and then a base layer of rubber before spraying in another layer of rubber that will total about nine pounds of rubber per square foot, or about 700,000 pounds of rubber. Coury said the FieldTurf is insured with an eight-year guarantee, and the lifespan typically is between 10-12 years, depending on usage. Some FieldTurf spots in Portland, he said, host around 1,600 events per year. “It’s like a carpet, eventually it’s going to wear out,” said Coury. The new setup includes an additional 10 feet of turf that will be placed beyond each end zone for an extra ease area. The move, which involved trimming back the track, creating new curves on the edge and cutting into the shot put pit, was made to increase the safety of athletes. Last year, South Medford junior Cedrick Mobley suffered a broken collarbone when he stretched out for a pass at the back of the end zone and came crashing down to the hard track surface. “That just gives you a little bit extra room there,” said South Medford football coach Bill Singler, “so that will be nice to see and hopefully help with the safety of players.” The new FieldTurf will have the word “Medford” stitched across midfield in white letters with black outline and, unlike the current alternating color pattern, will be solid green. Both end zones will be black, with “North” in one end zone stitched in red lettering with a white outline and “South” in the opposite end zone nearest the parking lot stitched in blue lettering with a white outline. Stitched into sideline sections on the southwest and northeast edges of the turf in white lettering and black outline will be “Cobb Field” to honor the benevolent gift. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 541-776-4488, [email protected], www.facebook.com/krishenryMT or www.twitter.com/Kris_Henry http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20160204/SPORTS/160209803 © 2016 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->