Oct. 23, 2013: Athletic Director Karen Peterson presented the Bronxville Board of Education at its regular October 17 meeting with a detailed picture of field usage issues for the school’s sport programs and explained options under consideration to increase and find more field space.

"We’re talking about long-term solutions tonight," Peterson said, "and some of those are in the early stages."

Over 400 Bronxville School students play modified, junior varsity, and varsity sports. Each team needs facilities for practice, warm-up, and games during daylight hours. Trying to apportion the school's limited field space presents an immense challenge.

Board president David Brashear stressed that the board and administration are exploring all options for expanding the number of field hours available to athletic teams in both the fall and spring seasons. "The board needs to identify every possible playing site and the trade-offs associated with each," he said.

Field options under consideration include:

Hayes Field: Hayes Field sits parallel to Midland Avenue and is currently used as a full-sized field hockey site, a modified lacrosse field, and a practice field. The reconfiguration of a portion of this field to increase its size is under consideration. The district is also considering the feasibility of installing artificial turf on the field, potentially allowing it to host junior varsity and varsity games.

"The solution does not add another field," Peterson explained, "but if we can increase the size of the field, it would certainly give us more flexibility."

Scout Field: Peterson noted that the recently signed agreement between the County of Westchester and the Town of Eastchester regarding Scout Field management and improvement includes plans to build a grass field on the upper portion of the park. The new field would accommodate both the modified soccer and lacrosse programs and could be used for practices and games, and it could relieve scheduling pressure on Lower Scout Field.

The possibility of expanding the proposed field at Upper Scout to full regulation size is being explored.

With more space available at Scout Field, the school could free some time on Hayes Field by moving modified soccer teams as well as modified lacrosse practices and games to the park facilities. "This does not relieve the varsity pressure on Chambers Field," Peterson said, "but it would certainly help us spread some teams out on grass fields."

Haindl Field: The district will continue to request more practice time at Eastchester's Haindl Field, a lighted artificial turf field. With the closing of Eastchester High School’s turf field, possibly for a year, however, there will be more demand for Haindl Field, already used by youth programs, since Eastchester High School plans to hold some games there.

The district has requested 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm practice times at Haindl Field for some varsity teams. Peterson stated that the late practice times would not be suitable for modified and junior varsity teams and acknowledged concerns about the impact the late hours might have on high school athletes' study time.

Chambers Field:  Permanent lighting on Chambers Field, Bronxville School's main competition field and football field, would effectively add an additional field by expanding the number hours available for use.

Peterson emphasized that any permanent lighting on Chambers Field would be used only from the first week in September through the first week in November and not again until mid-March through Memorial Day.  Games currently played at 4:30 pm could be rescheduled to 5:00 pm.  Multiple teams could begin practices at 3:15 pm and have longer practice times on Chambers under that scenario.

Fleming Field and Tibbetts Brook Park: The district continues to explore other off-site options for field space, including securing time at Fleming Field and Tibbetts Brook Park, both in Yonkers. Peterson reported that available time on those fields has decreased because Yonkers schools, with resumption of their varsity sports programs, have first rights to the space.

"We're in a process, and the deliberate approach we're taking will require some time," Brashear said. "We're not at any decision points, and I want to reiterate that." He added that the board and administration are committed to providing the facilities that will meet the needs of the school's programs and students.

The Bronxville Board of Education will meet on Thursday, November 21, at 7:00 pm in the school's multipurpose room.

Pictured here: Board president David Brashear, Superintendent Dr. David Quattrone, and board members Ruth Wood, Dr. James Hudson, and Jeff Rohr.

Photo by Carol P. Bartold