Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
5 <br /> In the 15 years since its opening, the Center has become a regular destination for many <br /> soccer organizations and users. Despite its successes, the facility faces challenges in <br /> the future in part due to this success. Demand for soccer fields, and the paucity of other <br /> nearby fields, mean that time on the complex is hard to come by. Improvements to the <br /> center's playing surfaces and irrigation system will be needed in the new few years. <br /> Capacity concerns have existed for several years now and there is a continually <br /> growing demand for field usage — including requests for extending the season beyond <br /> best management practices for Bermuda grass surfaces. <br /> To address this need for more fields and related infrastructure, the County purchased an <br /> adjacent 37 acres just to the east in 2016 for a Center expansion (please see <br /> Attachment 2). This expansion will allow the facility to address longstanding concerns <br /> about available parking, restrooms, and other needs. Increasing the number of fields in <br /> Orange County would expand opportunities for recreational programming, as well as <br /> creating the potential for larger tournaments. <br /> 1. Soccer.com Center - Operations <br /> The Soccer.com Center operates two soccer seasons' each year. The Spring season <br /> runs from March into the first week of June), and the Fall season runs from mid-August <br /> through the end of October (with the Soccer Showcase event as a special event in the <br /> last weekend of November/ first two weekends of December). During these seasons, <br /> the facility is available for play Tuesday-Sundays. Generally, Tuesday and Thursday <br /> evenings are dedicated for Orange County recreation soccer league play (rainouts on <br /> Wednesdays). Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are available for tournament play, via <br /> reservation. <br /> Mondays and most Fridays are dedicated to cleanup from weekend play and for <br /> mowing and preparing fields for weekend tournaments. Mondays are also used for <br /> preventative maintenance. This would include work such as irrigation repair or sod <br /> placement. The Turfgrass Manager (a certified applicator) applies any fertilizer/chemical <br /> applications needed, or horticultural practices such as slicing and aerifying. <br /> Tuesday is used to paint the fields in the complex for the upcoming week's play. With <br /> five full sized fields and one youth/practice field, there are up to twenty possible field <br /> configurations that may be needed depending on the age groups and field sizes <br /> scheduled for the week. The fields are painted according to the user groups for the <br /> week. Mowing, weed trimming, sidewalk edging, and blowing off natural areas are all <br /> done on Wednesdays during the day prior to field usage. Weekend rental field needs <br /> are marked on Thursdays and early Fridays. Goals, benches, and flags must be moved <br /> and set up each time field layouts are changed, which happens on a regular basis. <br /> 1 Soccer seasons have evolved over the years,and some groups now look to begin in February, and end in <br /> November for example.This poses issues for Bermuda grass fields,which are dormant. <br /> 2 <br />