Southside Soccer Club Field Improvements

Blairs, VA – Crews Construction Co. Inc. successfully completed field improvements to Southside Soccer Club’s main field on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. The field improvements focused on field drainage for the Club’s primary soccer field. Southside Soccer Club is a non-profit (501(c)(3) community organization providing recreational soccer.

After years of constant use, previous drainage areas had filled in, hampering water runoff. This included both the east and west sides of the soccer field, which is also know locally as the former Blairs Middle School football field.

As the largest field maintained by the Club, the lack of appropriate drainage impacted play for 12 to 18 year old players, a summer adult league, and other community users.

Crews Construction’s mission was correct the field’s water drainage. On the west side of the field, Crews cut in a deeper ditch while providing a shallow grade toward the field. An old drainage pipe under the field’s service road was dug up. The undersized pipe was rusted and filled with silt. A larger pipe was installed. On the east side, the field was built up with extra soil. The grade was reestablished for field runoff.

The improved drainage should keep excess water off the field and shorten the field’s drying time after a heavy rain. A drier field will help Southside Soccer maintain practice times and game schedules.

The Community Foundation of The Dan River Region was also a partner in this project. The Foundation supported the project financially after several seasons of heavy spring rains suspended practice and competitive play due to standing water.

Crews also worked with the Club to remove the old baseball backstop in the south end of the field. The removal of the backstop has visually improved the field and created additional practice space.