Field sizes for tournament

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SuperSoccerFan555

Member
This is just a general observation on the field sizes for the soccer tournament.

1-all the games are played on turf and what happens with the final in Columbus—played on grass.

2-the vast, vast majority of the games on turf are played on extremely narrow fields. Not conducive to possession soccer and plays well for direct play. A state semi-final game was played on a field only as wide as the football lines! Needless to say it was a pinball game with many throw-ins, not pretty to watch.

3-where is the state soccer coaches association on making demands that ALL District thru State Finals be played on fields that are have least 70 yds wide. The Crew stadium field is 115x75.

4-HS soccer in Ohio needs to improve.

just a fan’s observation
 
 
SuperSoccerFan555 said:
This is just a general observation on the field sizes for the soccer tournament.

1-all the games are played on turf and what happens with the final in Columbus—played on grass.

2-the vast, vast majority of the games on turf are played on extremely narrow fields. Not conducive to possession soccer and plays well for direct play. A state semi-final game was played on a field only as wide as the football lines! Needless to say it was a pinball game with many throw-ins, not pretty to watch.

3-where is the state soccer coaches association on making demands that ALL District thru State Finals be played on fields that are have least 70 yds wide. The Crew stadium field is 115x75.

4-HS soccer in Ohio needs to improve.

just a fan’s observation
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No need to limit this to just “high school” or “Ohio”.
 
I agree. All of the neutral fields are all narrow. I think the District board is simply looking at seating on both sides of the stadium and somewhat neutral. But unfortunately, West, East, Princeton, Hamilton are very narrow fields.
 
cincysports4 said:
I agree. All of the neutral fields are all narrow. I think the District board is simply looking at seating on both sides of the stadium and somewhat neutral. But unfortunately, West, East, Princeton, Hamilton are very narrow fields.
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And who is willing to host the game too....
 
As a player, I always felt that the narrower field favored the inferior team: less space for more dynamic/athletic players, increased chances throw ins/crosses reach the box, inferior team can more easily park the bus, etc.

Throw in some autumn rain/wind and it's the perfect environment for an upset.

Then your reward for reaching the state final is playing on the biggest field you've probably ever been on, after a couple weeks of playing on narrow fields.

One of the many reasons the state tournament is so difficult to navigate.
 
Unfortunately, this is what happens when you have non-soccer administrators. Yes, they want venues where there is home and away seating on both sides of the field and synthetic fields. There are several soccer only venues in each district, but the seating would never accommodate the number of fans as you get deeper into the tourney. One more complexity, you could have location issue if the perfect venue happens to be the home field for one of the teams. Last complexity... Many schools dont want to hassle with tourney's, so they don't even "request to host".

Look at the MLS, you have big market teams playing on baseball fields with a much smaller pitch (NY), you have other markets still playing in Football stadiums on synthetic. It's good most are becoming soccer only with grass pitches.
 
SuperSoccerFan555 said:
This is just a general observation on the field sizes for the soccer tournament.

1-all the games are played on turf and what happens with the final in Columbus—played on grass.

2-the vast, vast majority of the games on turf are played on extremely narrow fields. Not conducive to possession soccer and plays well for direct play. A state semi-final game was played on a field only as wide as the football lines! Needless to say it was a pinball game with many throw-ins, not pretty to watch.

3-where is the state soccer coaches association on making demands that ALL District thru State Finals be played on fields that are have least 70 yds wide. The Crew stadium field is 115x75.

4-HS soccer in Ohio needs to improve.

just a fan’s observation
Click to expand...
Soccer coaches association can make all the demands they like. The reality of schools willing to host, and fields meeting the parking, seating, and financial restrictions of the DABs/OHSAA will always take precedent.
 
SuperSoccerFan555 said:
This is just a general observation on the field sizes for the soccer tournament.

1-all the games are played on turf and what happens with the final in Columbus—played on grass.

2-the vast, vast majority of the games on turf are played on extremely narrow fields. Not conducive to possession soccer and plays well for direct play. A state semi-final game was played on a field only as wide as the football lines! Needless to say it was a pinball game with many throw-ins, not pretty to watch.

3-where is the state soccer coaches association on making demands that ALL District thru State Finals be played on fields that are have least 70 yds wide. The Crew stadium field is 115x75.

4-HS soccer in Ohio needs to improve.

just a fan’s observation
Click to expand...
The state championship is played on a professional grass turf that plays almost exactly like artificial turf. As far as size fields, you say this as if there are, not just tons of professional sized fields to choose from, but that they are all available to OHSAA to use whenever they want. While a large percentage of high schools are moving to turf fields, they aren't soccer clubs, they are high schools. Shoot, 99% of club soccer is played on the same fields lol. That means those fields can't normally be catered to just soccer. They have to be able to accommodate as many sports as possible to justify the cost. I love how you just DEMAND all these things lol
 
I would be interested in knowing how many 70 yard wide fields in playable condition are available for all the games you want. NFHS recommended width is 65 yards and that's what a lot of stadiums are. East, West, Hamilton, and Princeton are all between 63-65 yards.

But personally I prefer a wider field as well. Just don't think it's realistic.
 
jgrischow1 said:
I would be interested in knowing how many 70 yard wide fields in playable condition are available for all the games you want. NFHS recommended width is 65 yards and that's what a lot of stadiums are. East, West, Hamilton, and Princeton are all between 63-65 yards.

But personally I prefer a wider field as well. Just don't think it's realistic.
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Count me as a big fan of the larger fields as well. They aren't very prevalent though. I've been to Walnut Hills plenty of times over the years and never noticed it's a wide field until recently.
 
Most of the high school turf fields in NE Ohio are right around that 65 yard wide range.
Hudson and Revere are the anomalies from what I can recall in being out at 75 wide in terms of traditional football stadiums. The Mentor soccer only facility is also 75 yards wide and turf.

Come club season, many of the games are played on the high school turf fields, because it quite frankly makes sure that the games will actually happen. For those in Ohio North, just flash back to May and USCS state cup prelim weekend.
 
How many games were impacted by narrow fields this season? I mean a team clearly would have won with more space. All sports deal with issues with playing surface differences. Football ( less now than past), Basketball ( college floors, many other things), Baseball ( major major field issues).

Soccer guys get off the ground holding your shins the width did not cause that pass to sail to the stands.
 
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SuperSoccerFan555 said:
This is just a general observation on the field sizes for the soccer tournament.

1-all the games are played on turf and what happens with the final in Columbus—played on grass.

2-the vast, vast majority of the games on turf are played on extremely narrow fields. Not conducive to possession soccer and plays well for direct play. A state semi-final game was played on a field only as wide as the football lines! Needless to say it was a pinball game with many throw-ins, not pretty to watch.

3-where is the state soccer coaches association on making demands that ALL District thru State Finals be played on fields that are have least 70 yds wide. The Crew stadium field is 115x75.

4-HS soccer in Ohio needs to improve.

just a fan’s observation
Click to expand...
1 not all the games. state semi in 2020 was on grass

2 totally agree. it certainly behooves coaches to scout ahead and see what the field they are playing on looks like.

3 how many fields of a minimum 70 yards width are available? Any idea?

4 Good luck. With the old fart network holding the reigns at so many key spots there's very little hope for change
 
I think playing at the Crew Stadium is crap! Finals should be played on high school size soccer fields.
 
I know that back in the day the local soccer coaches association demanded that all district semi-final and final games would be played on fields with enough width and soccer only stadiums. For the most part the SWDAB made it happen. The coaches do have influence in making improvements for the players. There are schools that have enough width that are turf. Walnut Hills and Will Stargel stadium Cincinnati Public schools are turf and have enough width along with CJ in Dayton. Cincy and Dayton HS Coaches need to lobby for changes to the game so their teams can enjoy the same advantages that other HS sports have.
 
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