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Football Field of the Year

Winner:  Tomball ISD, Tom Wiggins, Athletic Grounds Supervisor

This complex was finished in the summer of 2002. Usage of all fields began in the fall of 2002 with maintenance beginning that summer. The athletic complex consists of the main football stadium, 1 baseball field, 1 softball field, 1 soccer field, 1 football practice/alternate soccer field, and 8 tennis courts. All areas and fields are lighted and many nights, baseball, softball and soccer games are played concurrently. The football field was completely resodded in the spring of 1999 with Tif419.

Football season begins with practices during the second week of August. Games begin the last week of August with 2 sub varsity games on Thursday nights and a varsity game on alternating Friday nights. The past season was unique in that the season included 6 Friday night home games. For the season, 32 scheduled games were played. The football field is also home to the annual Powder Puff game, a varsity soccer tournament, 3 high school track meets, and 2 junior high track meets. Spring football includes weekly scrimmages culminating with the annual Red and White game, completing the football field usage.

A highly anticipated game each year is the patriotic show on the second to last varsity home game. They have the combined bands and choirs of the high school and 2 junior highs, the drill team and combined cheerleading squads for a total of about 1250 students on the field. The half time show concludes with a fireworks show and they paint many red, white and blue graphics to complement the night.

 The staff consists of Athletic Grounds Supervisor Jim Wiggins, along with assistants Cody Albin and Nick Wiggins. The staff handles all mowing, edging, graphics and pesticide work on the field. Outside contractor, Larry Rider of Turfgrass Professionals of Texas, is a unique partner, who performs all turf maintenance excluding irrigation. A cutting edge program that combines an outside contractor with in house personnel is a unique formula that has proven successful. Tomball was the first school district in Texas to use nematodes on the baseball field for mole cricket control. This year they expanded the use of nematodes to include the football field.

The Cougar field staff strives to maintain the safest playing surfaces possible. The field staff, coaches, administration and players all work together in order to raise the standards of the fields. Continuous maintenance, along with hard work and dedication make the football field of Tomball ISD the best it can be.