Two local high schools are making a big change to their athletic facilities, swapping worn-out grass for consistent turf surfaces.
Morro Bay High School and San Luis Obispo High School are both undergoing major upgrades to improve playing conditions for student-athletes, with work funded by the San Luis Coastal Unified School District.
For Morro Bay’s boys’ and girls’ soccer teams, winter rains and heavy use often leave their field in rough shape.
“The field has definitely not been the best over the years, especially when it rains. It’s been kind of a bummer to play on,” senior Reese Kelly admitted. Grass fields can vary in quality from game to game, making play unpredictable. With turf, athletes say they’ll know what to expect.
“Grass can change so easily, while most turf fields are pretty much the same,” freshman Parker Duprey added. At San Luis Obispo High, the football program faces similar challenges. Holt Stadium’s grass field takes a beating all year from multiple sports.
“When it was muddy, it made playing more difficult. You could feel the difference under your feet,” junior Cassius Dowler said.
Head football coach Pat Johnston says the grass never gets time to recover.
“Our grass surfaces never really get the true rest they need to rehab and regrow. By the end of football season and into soccer, the field shows a lot of wear and tear.” The new turf being installed will match the surface at Cal Poly’s Spanos Stadium. The project’s cost for Morro Bay and SLO combined is estimated at $3.5 million.
While construction is underway, both schools’ soccer programs are playing at Spanos Stadium.
“Playing at Spanos is different — it adds a cool atmosphere and we’ll be more prepared to play there in the future,” said one Morro Bay athlete.
Morro Bay’s project goes beyond turf. The school is also getting new stadium lights and bleachers, part of a $4.5 million renovation.
Assistant Superintendent Ryan Pinkerton says the projects are being paid for through matching state grants and local bond funds from Measure D (passed in 2014) and Measure C (passed in 2022).
For underclassmen, the upgrades mean they’ll end their high school careers on a high note.
“I started my freshman year playing on bad grass. Ending on a good field will be really cool,” said junior Coco Fortini.
“I’m super excited. We’ll get more experience and be better prepared since most of our games, maybe 80%, are on turf,” added Duprey.
The renovations began in November and are expected to be completed this spring.
