Lakewood Memorial Field stadium manager Chris Gray paints the lines at LMF earlier this fall. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

LAKEWOOD — A mix of new technology and innovations has been applied to one of the oldest prep sports venues in Colorado.

Lakewood Memorial Field (10th Ave. and Wadsworth Blvd. in Lakewood) wraps up another regular season of boys soccer games this week. LMF, one of four district stadium complexes run by Jeffco Public Schools, hosted 56 prep soccer games this fall season.

This was the third boys soccer season with the new XtraGrass at LMF that was installed in the summer of 2014. The hybrid surface is a combination of synthetic fibers and natural grass to provide more durable surface for the field that hosts nearly 150 events in a calendar year.

Lakewood Memorial was the first field in the United States to have XtraGrass.

“It’s been everything we wanted it to be. I’ve been very impressed with it,” said Chris Gray, who became the stadium manager at LMF during the summer of 2014. “It plays true and plays stable. You can definitely tell the field takes a lot more games with less wear and tear. It recovers a lot quicker.”

The field at LMF has drawn plenty of attention from around the country with more than just other school districts looking into going with the same hybrid field on their own facilities.

The new scoreboard was installed before the start of the boys soccer season at LMF. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

“Turf managers from across the nation, which includes NFL, MLB, college, high school and recreation districts have traveled to LMF to learn more about this product,” said Jim Thyfault, Jeffco’s Executive Director of Athletics. “In all cases, our stadium managers are praised for their commendable work.”

While the playing surface has been a huge upgrade, there is still the old classic feel for the stadium that initially hosted track and football games for Lakewood High School and Lakewood Junior High School when both of those schools were located at 10th and Wadsworth.

The field was dedicated in 1946 to Jeffco Public Schools graduates who lost their lives in World War II. In 1977 the stadium became a dedicated soccer venue for Jeffco, along with hosting junior high football games until Lakewood Junior High School closed after the 1988-89 school year.

“It’s a heritage field. I played here when I was in high school,” said Paul Moline, D’Evelyn boys and girls soccer coach that graduated from Columbine High School. “There are generations who have played on this field that I think is really cool.”

Moline credits Thyfault for seeing the need for an upgrade of the field at Lakewood Memorial. The playing surface was native grass before the XtraGrass was put in.

“Especially teams that come outside of our county can’t believe how great our fields are, the North Area Athletic Complex (Highway 93 and 64th Parkway in Arvada) and Lakewood Memorial. We are very fortunate to have these fields,” Moline said. “They keep them in such good shape. The kids look forward to playing on these field. There are college pitches that aren’t this great. We are very lucky.”

Wheat Ridge girls soccer coach Dan Watkins has seen the upgrades in the stadium in recent years, which includes the replacement of the original scoreboard this fall. There was also a secondary scoreboard placed on the concession stand building before the start of school year.

Lakewood Memorial Field hosted 56 regular-season varsity boys soccer matches this fall. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

“The new field and scoreboard has turned a great soccer only venue into an absolute first-class soccer stadium,” said Watkins who guided the Farmers to back-to-back Class 4A girls soccer state titles in 2009 and 2010. “Former players who have gone on and played at college have come back and marveled at the facility.  Chris Gray does a remarkable job making everything about LMF a first-class experience.”

The most memorable game Watkins recalled at Lakewood Memorial was in 2009 when Wheat Ridge faced rival Golden in the state quarterfinals.

“Playoff games under the lights at LMF have always been special events, but playing our rival made it that much sweeter,” Watkins said recalling the game. “I remember the crowd being at capacity with all of the seating full and people standing on the hill and along the fence. It was probably the loudest and most energetic I remember.”

Lakewood Memorial Field has stood the test of time with generations of Jeffco families using and seeing the upgrades to the classic stadium.

“With the addition of the XtraGrass field and the new scoreboards at LMF, we are extremely grateful to district leaders for allowing us to take one of the oldest high school stadiums in the state and converting it into, arguably, the nicest facility for players and coaches,” Thyfault said.

Lakewood Memorial Field was dedicated in 1946 to Jeffco Public Schools graduates who lost their lives in World War II. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

NOTE: This is the second part of a four-part series this school year on Jeffco Public Schools’ stadium venues — North Area Athletic Complex, Lakewood Memorial Field, Trailblazer Stadium and Jeffco Stadium.

The NAAC has won two national awards in the past two years. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

ARVADA — Over the past three years the North Area Athletic Complex — Jeffco Public Schools’ football and soccer venue in Arvada — has raked in national awards.

The NAAC’s soccer field was named the Schools and Parks Soccer Field of the Year by the SportsTurf Mangers Association in 2014. The football field earned STMA’s Schools and Parks Football Field of the Year in 2015. Both are national awards with applicants from all over the United States.

NAAC stadium managers Sun Roesslein and Christi Clay, along with former stadium manager Don Frantz — at NAAC from July 2012 to August 2014 — have taken the complex that opened in 2000 to a new level of excellence.

“Sun, Christi and Don over the past three years have made the NAAC facility the best it has ever been,” said Ezra Paddock, Manager of Stadium Operations for Jeffco. “The recognition for them is absolutely deserved.”

Roesslein joined Jeffco Public Schools in 2005 and has always served as a stadium manager at NAAC.

“It’s super exciting to be chosen,” said Roesslein, who begins her 12th school year at NAAC. “It definitely shows we are doing the right things to create safe playing fields and doing the best we can do with our resources.”

(Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

Roesslein put herself into an elite field over the summer when she passed the Certified Sports Field Manager test to become one of just over 200 CSFMs in the country. She is just one of eight females to currently hold the CSFM accreditation.

“I wanted to challenge myself as a professional and my knowledge of turf management. A big part of becoming a CSFM is the commitment to continuing education, professional development and community service,” Roesslein said. “Taking the test isn’t the end of the process, it’s really the beginning.”

The process and evolution of NAAC is always ongoing. A new soccer scoreboard was installed over the summer to replace the original scoreboard.

“I think it just added another ‘aw’ element to the soccer side,” said Clay, who has been a stadium manager at NAAC since August 2014. “I’ve heard so many comments on it already this season.”

NAAC’s soccer field is scheduled to have 49 regular-season boys’ soccer games this fall.

(Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

Next on the plate is a video scoreboard to be installed on the football side within the next month to replace its original scoreboard. The video scoreboard will be similar Jeffco Stadium’s that was new a few years ago.

Jeffco has worked on getting sponsorships on the new scoreboards. The money from the five-year contract for advertising on the scoreboards will go toward maintenance and upkeep at the stadiums, as well as supplies for Jeffco’s athletic trainers from each high school.

“The scoreboard is going to be a great addition. It will really bring us a step forward,” Roesslein said. “With the video board we’ll be able to personalize it to whoever is playing.”

NAAC’s football field will host 24 regular-season games, along with the Pomona Band Festival on Saturday, Oct. 1. Pomona, Arvada West, Ralston Valley and Standley Lake will all have their homecoming games at NAAC.

A future desire is to replace the original track around the football field and install a timing system so NAAC could host varsity track meets in the spring. This could become a reality if the proposed $535 bond for Jeffco Public Schools passes in November. There is also the probability that lacrosse games will be played on NAAC’s football field in the future.

“It would be fantastic to have a new track. People like to come here and run just from the community,” Roesslein said. “Having a new track and timing system would take some of the pressure off Jeffco Stadium.”

Christi Clay, left, Cooper Loyd during paint day on NAAC’s football field. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

Moving forward is something Jeffco’s stadium managers are always zeroed in on. Providing the best experience for student-athletes, coaches and spectators has always been the goal for the district’s four stadiums.

“Sun and Christi are perfectionists. They want this place to be perfect. There is absolutely room for improvement, always,” Paddock said. “With our whole athletic stadium staff, I don’t know if they will ever be satisfied.”

Executive Director of Athletics and Activities Jim Thyfault concurs, “Jeffco is very fortunate to have two people the quality of Sun and Christi. All our stadium managers are ultimate professionals — not only turf experts, but event managers and organizers. Coaches and the community comment about our great stadium managers constantly.”

NOTE: This is the first part of a four-part series this school year on Jeffco Public Schools’ stadium venues — North Area Athletic Complex, Lakewood Memorial Field, Trailblazer Stadium and Jeffco Stadium.

Sun Roesslein in is her 12th year as a stadium manager at the NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

PARKER — Dozens of female athletes were honored Friday afternoon at Douglas County School District’s Girls & Women in Sports Luncheon at Chaparral High School.

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Lee Peters, the principal at Legacy High School, has been named the new district athletic and activities director of Adams 12 Five Star Schools.

“It’s always been an area of interest for me; I was a longtime high school athletic director,” Peters said on Thursday. “I was attracted to the opportunity to serve in a district position to oversee some of those activities that are going on.”

Lee Peters. (Courtesy of Legacy HS)

It marks a return to athletics for Peters, a 1989 graduate of Northglenn. Prior to becoming principal, he was the athletic director at Legacy for ten years, and was also the boys basketball coach at Legacy for two seasons.

“I’ve certainly been involved in athletics as a young person, and then have continued to be as a professional,” Peters said.

Peters became the principal at Legacy in August 2011.

“I think the thing I probably most enjoy about Legacy High School is the strong emphasis on both academic and activities being valued at our school,” he said. “We’re very academically focused, but at the same time, we have lots and lots of student who are participating in co-curricular activities — music, drama, athletics, and other activities. It turns out well-rounded students.”

Peters takes over the role at Adams 12 from Eddie Hartnett, who left to become the athletic director at Boulder High School.

Asked about his goals for the district, Peters said, “We have to find new and better ways to fund our co-curricular programs. I think continuing to operate on a shoestring budget is just really difficult for programs to find ongoing success. I would like to hopefully find some ways some of the budget constraints we’re facing.

“Secondly,” Peters added, “it will be a priority for me to find new and better ways to hire and retain high-quality coaches. The success of any program is dependent upon the person leading that program, and we need to work in ways we haven’t maybe done in the past to ensure we have the best folks leading those programs.”

Peters will begin his new job on August 1.

Adams 12 consists of eight high schools, five of which are CHSAA members: Horizon, Legacy, Mountain Range, Northglenn and Thornton.

The district has two stadiums: Five Star Stadium, a 7,500-seat venue in Thornton, and 1stBank Field in Westminster, which seats 2,500.