Football: Writing about turf could net a school some green

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Here’s a contest that should be put out to pasture.

The Synthetic Turf Council -- who knew there was such a thing? -- is holding an essay contest in which the winner will make the most compelling case for how his or her school’s synthetic turf field has positively affected the school, its students or the community.

The contest is open to students, coaches, faculty and parents. A winning school will be selected in April and will receive $2,500 for its athletic program. The second-place school will win $500 and eight finalists will receive $250.

Here’s the problem: The schools that need that money most can’t afford synthetic turf! A better contest would be asking people how a synthetic turf field would improve their school’s athletic program. The grand prize? A new synthetic turf field, of course.

Anyone interested in nominating a school for the ‘Search for the Real Field of Dreams’ contest can fill out the application here. Entries are due by March 31.

-- Ben Bolch