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Nickerson Field will be home to women's pro soccer team

By Brian Fitzgerald

Sarah Powell has never played soccer on FieldTurf, the new synthetic grass that duplicates the playing conditions of real grass. "I haven't even had the chance to run around on it," she said. Yet there she was, sitting on a small patch of it -- a promotional display set up at a press conference announcing that the Boston Breakers, a new women's professional soccer team, will play its home games at BU.

	Boston Breakers midfielder Sarah Powell checks out a sample of FieldTurf, a synthetic grass that duplicates the playing conditions of real grass. The Breakers, the local entrant in the new Women's United Soccer Association, will play 11 home games on Nickerson Field, where FieldTurf is being installed. Photo by Albert L'Étoile

The January 12 media gathering in the Case Athletic Center's Eilberg Lounge overlooked Nickerson Field, where half of the old artificial turf had already been pulled off. The Breakers -- the local entrant in the fledgling Women's United Soccer Association -- will play 11 home games there this spring and summer, and no one was happier than Powell, a midfielder on the team. "I'm excited about it," said the Boston College senior, who also plays on BC's women's soccer team. "It sure is softer than Astroturf. It's like playing on real grass. Plus, it's a five-minute ride from my school."

Also enthusiastic were Breakers owner Amos Hostetter, General Manager Joe Cummings, BU President Jon Westling, and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. "We are thrilled to announce Boston University as our home field," said Cummings. "Our first choice has always been a location in Boston, and BU not only meets, but exceeds all of our expectations. It presents an ideal size and location, with complete access to public transportation. We feel that this is the beginning of a long-lasting partnership between the Breakers, Boston University, and the city of Boston."

Aside from completely replacing the current playing field with FieldTurf, enhancements to BU's existing stadium will include the replacement of four sections of bench seating and the addition of nearly 2,000 chairback seats, as well as luxury suites and a hospitality club. The venue will hold approximately 12,000 fans.

"With the tremendous growth in popularity that soccer has enjoyed in this country, we're especially happy to serve as host to the Boston Breakers," said Westling, who was presented with a team jacket. "People throughout New England will be able to enjoy the finest quality women's soccer in the heart of the city. And thanks to renovations under way at Nickerson Field, our own outstanding men's and women's soccer programs will now be able to host top collegiate soccer teams from around the country here on our own turf. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with the Breakers."

Neil Roberts, coach of the BU men's soccer team, said the new playing surface is "a hundred percent better than what we had." Astroturf, which had carpeted Nickerson Field since 1963, has long been reviled in the sports community for its hardness and propensity for "turfburn" injuries. Nickerson's Astroturf has been refurbished several times -- the stadium hosts a variety of sports that make it impossible to maintain as a natural grass field --but the surface is frowned upon as a soccer field by the NCAA. "Astroturf isn't banned, but the NCAA gives universities that play on it a low field rating," said Roberts. As a result, BU has not been able to host NCAA tournament games, forcing the Terriers to play "home" playoff games on the road. "I think we'll be able to host more games on this field," he said.

FieldTurf fibers are made from a polyethylene and polypropylene blend, which is treated and tufted into a unique permeable backing. The hybrid fiber is strong, smooth, and soft. The shock-absorbing infill is made from graded silica and ground rubber.

"The new field gives us an opportunity to be more competitive in our scheduling and our quality of play," said BU Women's Soccer Coach Nancy Feldman. "And we're not directly competing with the Breakers for fans. It's a different season. We play in the fall. In fact, if they bring in a great crowd, people will be used to coming to BU for women's soccer and will come back to watch our team in the fall."

The Breakers' roster includes U.S. National Team veterans Kristine Lilly, Kate Sobrero, and Tracy Ducar, as well as German Olympians Bettina Wiegmann and Maren Meinert and Norwegian Gold Medalist Dagny Mellgren. The team will kick off its home schedule on Saturday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m. against the Atlanta Beat.

19 January 2001
Boston University
Office of University Relations