After Shiga Prefectural Yasu High School became the first prefectural team to win the National High School Soccer Championship, the artificial turf installed by the prefecture on the high school field is deteriorating. The grass hasn’t been replaced in nearly 20 years, and “Some players have sustained serious injuries that make it impossible for them to continue playing soccer due to the condition of the grass,” said soccer club coach Ryo Yokoe (34). The high school is appealing for the need to completely replace the roof. (Yuma Kayama)
The high school’s soccer team won the tournament in 2005 and was nicknamed “Sexy Football” for its playing style that captivated the audience with its brilliant passing. After winning the championship, artificial turf was installed the following year in 2006 using the prefecture’s budget. Director Yokoe says, “Normally, the panels are replaced every seven to eight years,” and he has been requesting the prefecture to replace them about 10 years ago when they started to show signs of wear and tear. However, the high school currently estimates that it will cost 100 million yen, and the prefecture has expressed its disapproval, calling it “too expensive.”
When you actually walk on the grass, you can see that there are large irregularities. The area in front of the goal, which is particularly badly damaged, is patchy due to emergency measures and is particularly prone to tripping. Coach Yokoe laments, “The balls bounce erratically, making it difficult to practice.In fact, injuries caused by poor footing are commonplace.” Because he has to keep his eyes on the ball while dribbling, his field of vision becomes narrower, which has a negative impact on his play.
I took up my post in April this year.
Principal Mitsuro (56) said, “I understand that a large amount of budget is not available for a public high school,” but added, “When I saw the damaged ground on my first day in office, I felt that it needed to be replaced immediately.”
It is said that many middle school students have given up playing on their high school’s soccer team because of the condition of the field. Director Yokoe, who enrolled in the 2006 academic year and knows when the stadium was brand new, says with a shrug, “In the past, artificial turf was popular…” Principal Shinji says, “The number of students enrolling because they want to play soccer at Yasu is decreasing, which has led to the continued lack of enrollment in recent years.”
The school is also using it in physical education classes, and the school’s principal believes that “this is not the time to wait for the prefecture to take action,” and is looking for a way to raise funds to replace it on its own. In cooperation with the PTA, supporters’ association, and alumni association, in October they established the Shin Yasu High School Support Association, a general incorporated association that works to improve the environment at the high school.
As the first project, we are planning crowdfunding (CF) for artificial turf replacement. The goal is 100 million yen, and applications began on the 18th on a special page on the CF site “Campfire” entitled “Connecting Yasu’s future with turf – project to completely replace the Yasu High School soccer club’s artificial turf.” The campaign is valid until March next year, and return gifts include a ball with the club’s emblem and old uniforms.
Principal Shinji said, “The current ground is in an extremely dangerous condition.We would like the cooperation of local people and soccer fans from all over the country.”
