Laying the Sod

The Monteverde Friends School community has been wishing for a smooth and safe soccer field for the past many years. It is finally getting its wish due to the ideas and hard work of many community members. The playing field has gone through major reconstruction in the past months and is receiving its new surface this weekend.

The old playing field was pockmarked with scars from the remnants of a leaf cutter ant colony all on top of a ten degree slope. Fortunately the slope slanted down toward the school to the teachers' benefit as the force of gravity just funneled kids back to their classrooms. Yes, it was a tricky and somewhat hazardous field to play on, and I believe people really honed good balance and falling skills in addition to dribbling and passing. I also believe that many of the falls and injured ankles, ribs or aggravated backs were due to the potholes and gravity induced speed players generated as they ran for the ball or frisbee.

So, driven by the management of one man and his love of inspiring people to play field games and to the generosity of another caring man and his wife's memorial fund, a new field is born. The tractors and dump trucks started digging and moving earth in April. The field was smoothed and leveled to a comfortable one degree slope. A neighboring farmer accepted the extra earth to raise the level of his pasture.

This morning, many people from the community arrived to rake soil, spread fertilizer, unload and lay the sod as the final major step in the process. Many hands make light work and many characters make fun work. Tomorrow morning, we will continue the work. I just heard the second sod flatbed rumble up the road and we are now getting a light rain to keep today's sod damp and the access to the field impassible to the big rigs. It looks like we will again rely on a few smaller vehicles to move the sod from the flatbed on the road to the playing field.

Signed M