Hurley Field was opened for use in August 2024 after months of waiting. The remodeled field features new turf with a big Berkley bear logo, new soccer goals, football goalposts, a new blue track, and a new shot put area.
The complete remodel of the Hurley Field turf, track, and field facilities was funded by the bond that was passed in Aug. 2023. The most notable upgrade is the new turf field. It became very clear that the field needed an upgrade after 22 years of wear and tear.
The new field has proven to have an impact on players and fans both mentally and physically. Varsity soccer player Sawyer Rhoads says that “playing on the new field gives me confidence because it has a very fresh and new feeling. I also think the new field has an impact on the spirit that the fans bring because everybody is pretty excited about the new stadium. My teammates that were on varsity last year said that the student section was a lot louder than last year and we all think the field is a big part of that.” Rhoads also mentioned that he really likes the massive bear in the middle of the field because “it shows a lot of school spirit, and it’s also just pretty cool.”
Sophomore Riley Gutman commented on the atmosphere of the student section this year versus last year. “I was in the student section a lot last year and it was fun and pretty loud but we have been a lot louder and a lot more hype this year and I think it’s because everyone is excited about Hurley because it’s this cool new thing and it brings a lot of people to the games.”
Varsity football player Henry Herron also expressed that he thinks the field has a big impact on Berkley home games. “The field has been due for an upgrade for a few years now” says Herron. “Playing on the new field is different; the turf is a lot softer and you get better traction when you make cuts. I like how the field looks, and I think it’s perfect that we got a new field this year because our football program is starting a rebuild and a new stadium is a pretty good way to symbolize our fresh start.” Herron also brought up the effect the field has on the fans and their attendance. Herron addressed the bears first home game on Sept.13 saying “We got a pretty big turnout in the student section and I think a part of that is that everyone was excited to see the new field and we started to run up the score and the student section got really hype and loud.”
Another very popular part of the Hurley upgrade is the track. The track went from its old fading black to a new imperial blue, a color halfway between navy and royal blue. The old track was ripped up and even had a few potholes, but the new one is smooth with crisp white lane lines. Varsity cross country runner Lev Babcock was asked if he noticed much of a difference between the old track and the new one he said, “ I definitely notice a difference. The new one feels a lot smoother and less worn down and the lines and marks look really nice.”
After all of these renovations we can look forward to lots of exciting home games and practices on our fresh new turf and our new track and field facilities.
