FARMINGTON — The RSU 9 board of directors meeting Nov. 12 celebrated the achievements of its student-athletes and approved a significant step toward enhancing the district’s sports facilities with a new synthetic turf field.

Cynthia Pratt, RSU 9’s director of athletics and student activities, shared a recap of the Fall 2024 athletic season. Approximately 200 student-athletes participated in sports including golf, field hockey, soccer, cross-country, football and fall cheering.

“We had wonderful weather this fall,” Pratt said. “Certainly when the weather cooperates it makes my job so much easier. It was a fantastic fall for all our outdoor athletic events.”

Pratt highlighted key achievements, including sportsmanship awards for the golf and cross-country teams. She recounted the story of top cross-country runner Henri McCourt, who embodied the spirit of sportsmanship by cheering on the final runners at the state meet instead of celebrating with teammates.

“Everybody was like, ‘Where’s Henri?’” Pratt said. “And he was out cheering on some of the last boys who were finishing up the race. That’s what sportsmanship is all about.”

Additionally, seven student-athletes attended the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Leadership Conference, an opportunity to develop leadership skills for their teams.

“The commitment of our student-athletes and the encouragement from the community make seasons like this possible,” Pratt said.

Following the athletic season recap, the board turned its attention to the proposal for a synthetic turf field at Mt. Blue Campus. Joel Smith and James Black of the Turf Committee presented findings from their meetings held between August and September.

“We reviewed and researched extensively, considering the pros and cons of synthetic turf versus natural grass,” Smith said. “It was a fair and informative process, and the recommendation reflects our comprehensive findings.”

The committee consulted experts such as Ben Gleason from Activitas, who explained installation and maintenance requirements, and Sarah Woodbury from Defend Our Health, who raised concerns about microplastics and environmental impacts. Activitas Inc. is a firm specializing in planning, landscape architecture, civil engineering and athletic facility design. Defend Our Health is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring all people have access to safe drinking water, healthy homes, and toxic-free products by advocating for environmental health policies and solutions.

“Activitas didn’t care if we chose turf or grass; they just provided information,” Smith said. “We had experts on both sides, and it was a balanced discussion.”

Despite some concerns about microplastics and heat retention, the board approved the proposal in an 11-3 vote, enabling the Sports Boosters to begin fundraising for the estimated $1.7 million project. The project is expected to take approximately four years to complete.

Superintendent Christian M. Elkington, in an email, outlined the committee’s discussion of alternatives to traditional crumb rubber infill. Options such as cork, coconut husk and organic wood fiber [BrockFill] were evaluated for their potential environmental benefits, including biodegradability and recyclability. However, challenges around cost, durability, maintenance and student-athlete safety influenced the committee’s decision.

“The committee evaluated how these materials would perform and determined in a majority vote that the best option was traditional crumb rubber infill,” Elkington wrote. “Crumb rubber offers the best shock absorption and uniformity across the playing surface, as well as superb drainage and resistance to mold and fungus.”

Elkington emphasized that crumb rubber is a recycled material well-suited for the region, with lower initial and maintenance costs, high durability and longevity.

Elkington also highlighted the transparency of the process. The Turf Committee was formed after the RSU 9 board of directors approved the Sports Boosters’ initial fundraising efforts. The committee provided a final recommendation based on research and expert input.

“The Turf Committee maintained transparency throughout their time meeting as a committee and are now finished with their assignment,” Elkington said. The fundraising process and efforts will be spearheaded by the Mt. Blue All Sports Boosters.