By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The 2024 football season will look a lot different around Barton County. The turf and track at Great Bend High School's Memorial Stadium have already been removed, and work is underway at Hoisington's Elton Brown Field. USD 431 Superintendent Patrick Crowdis updated the board of education during Monday's meeting.
"We have sold 16 rolls of turf," he said. "We will be going ahead and taking three of those down to the baseball and softball areas to use in batting cages, around home plate, to cut off for the sale of some of it during Labor Day."
Earlier in May, the district announced it would be auctioning off the Cardinal logo at the 50-yard-line of the football field. Crowdis announced Monday that Ryan Woydziak had the winning bid of $1,000.
"After football camp, I had the bright idea we were going to go ahead and cut that out," Crowdis said. "I'll have all these football boys help me move it. We were cutting through three inches of rubber. We've put that on hold for now."
Crews are now working to remove as much rubber as possible from the field, though work has been slowed by recent rains. Crowdis estimates 100 bags of rubber will be salvaged. Stone Sand will then remove the track and drain before turf cutting begins. Crowdis expects the rolls of turf to be ready for those who purchased it in the next three to four weeks.