An Interview with Coach Joe Taylor
Director of Athletics, Virginia Union University
What does this new field mean for you and the school?
To be honest with you it is a game changer. It is going to allow our athletes participate on a turf that is so much safer, because our field was 113 years old. It will help with our recruiting; a lot of athletes play on FieldTurf in high school and we did not want them to feel like they were going backwards. Lastly, it is a sense of pride since we can now host Friday night high school games. It’s really a game changer.
What was it like working with landTek’s dedicated team?
Second to none. From day one they were very professional, prompt and detailed in explaining the different phased. I am pleased by the professionalism from start to finish.
What are you excited to see first on this new field?
Since sports were pushed to the spring, we have been having intramurals, PE classes, and Band practice on the field. Having the ability to allow our students to go out and participate in intramurals I see a high sense of pride when they go out and see our new field.
Your thoughts on FieldTurf?
In 2017 there was a news article about one of our homecoming games and there was a picture showing one of our players carrying a football and he was covered in mud. The idea of safety is what prompted this whole process. Understanding the process that LandTek and FieldTurf go through to create a safe playing field is truly a game changer.
