After years of wear from soccer cleats, the artificial turf field at Quest University got a bit of a makeover.
Over the summer, new rubbery pellets were applied to the pitch鈥檚 surface, just in time for the start of this week鈥檚 PACWEST soccer season.
The new material should make the surface softer and more absorbent for the soccer team.
鈥淚t鈥檚 softer on the body. It slows down the ball,鈥� said acting athletic director Jean-Francois (JF) Plouffe. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also a really good thing for injury prevention.鈥�
Plouffe took over the role of athletic director this summer after longtime AD and men鈥檚 basketball coach Sean Shook took a job with SFU. Women鈥檚 basketball coach Dany Charlery is also serving as associate athletic director.
The Quest Kermodes鈥� Facebook page showed the women鈥檚 team doing gymnasium exercises at one point last month while the maintenance work was being done.
Plouffe said the resurfacing marked the first time the field has seen a major overhaul, so it was time to give it some new life.
鈥淚t鈥檚 never been done in seven years,鈥� he said.
He estimates the latest work cost about $20,000, though he emphasizes this was to make up for the fact that the field was long overdue for a resurfacing. The idea now, he says, is to have more regular upgrades and make this part of the budget for sports and recreation in order to avoid larger upgrade projects in the future.
鈥淚 created a maintenance program,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to have it up to par.鈥�
The field has also been used for a number of sports activities outside of the Quest games and practices, Plouffe says, such as local youth and adult soccer programs as well as a private clubs. Independent school Coast Mountain Academy also uses Quest.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just for Quest students,鈥� he said.
The university, itself, has operated soccer academy programs to help teach the sport to young people.
Plouffe views the field as a community asset, but it is just part of the outreach the university wants to undertake in terms of sports and recreation. His plan includes things beyond the soccer pitch like fitness classes in the recreation complex, which take place at 6 a.m. from Monday to Thursday.
Prior to his role as acting AD, Plouffe was working with Quest as the university鈥檚 recreation and fitness coordinator.
In the short term, the field is ready and the Quest Kermodes鈥� soccer season has just begun. Alexander Elliott is again coaching the men鈥檚 team, while Kevin Booker is interim coach for the women鈥檚 team, filling the gap left by head coach Craig Smith after he took a job in the summer as interim head coach for the UBC Okanagan Heat.
