Westside has been a contender in both boys and girls soccer for years now, but the whole time has been playing on an incorrectly-sized field.

Westside Athletic Director Tom Kerkman is aware of the size issue, but there is little that can be done.

“The track dictates the size of the soccer field,” Kerkman said. “Some fields have corners that are narrower so that you can expand the field, where ours is a regulation track, so it is tighter to the soccer field, giving us less space to play on”

An extra foot of space has been added with the new turf. Kerkman said with the extra foot, players can finally perform a corner kick without dealing with walking on the track surface.

This track surface makes itself an issue all the time. In soccer, the play only ends when the ball goes entirely over the line, so the player can be out of bounds as far as they like. On Westside’s field, a player going after a ball can leave the turf surface and still be playing while on the track. This in itself is a major safety concern for players, as soccer cleats slide on the track surface.

Head varsity soccer coach John Brian is pushing for a new field for the Warriors to play on.

“We now find ourselves at the stage where in order to remain competitive, we need a full-size field to play and train on,” Brian said.

The district is now looking to renovate the middle school field by taking out the track and replacing the current field with a soccer-specific field with correct turf, lines and size for both soccer and lacrosse, although it may not be happening soon.

“The field is tied in with the district renovation plan, which is all the buildings they would like to see upgraded,” Kerkman said. “The district is aware of the need for it and we are hoping it will come through when it comes to the board and the vote.”

There is no timetable for when the project will begin, because it is tied in with so many other projects. Until then, the Warriors will continue to play on Phelps field.

“We could be playing on tennis courts,” Brian said. “No matter the size or type of field, at the end of the day it comes down to execution, technique and the desire to win.”