In 2009, Appomattox County Public Schools commissioned Hurt & Proffitt (H&P) to begin the engineering process to upgrade the high school football field and to create a new practice field. The high school had never had a dedicated practice field for physical education classes or league sports on which to practice.
The practice field was designed with a crown along the middle of the field to allow for drainage to storm water inlets located in strategic spots to remove the storm water from the surface. An irrigation system was designed and installed to supply water to the new sod placed on the field. Additionally, we extended the irrigation system beyond the practice field to serve a softball field that previously did not have any irrigation. Now, all of the athletic fields at the high school are irrigated with an automatically controlled system, whereby the high school can control the growing conditions during dry periods. This will allow the fields grass surfaces to be healthy for students to play.
H&P was able to design the practice field in the area of an existing tennis court, which was rebuilt in an area directly beside the gym. The area was limited, but we were able to create a 160’ by 300’ practice field. The unique aspect regarding the irrigation system is that each of the four fields are served by the same irrigation pump, with bypass lines incorporated into the design scheme to allow for any problems that may occur in the irrigation system piping.