BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Major upgrades to multiple Auburn High School athletics facilities are progressing as planned despite recent downpours and a heatwave.
Among those upgrades are the installation of synthetic turf fields at both Cimo Field and AHS Softball Field and updates to press boxes at both stadiums.
Specifically, the plan calls for the removal of existing synthetic turf, the removal and reinstallation of existing protective fencing and netting, the conversion of existing natural grass and infield clay to a synthetic turf base, masonry walls, padding, improved sidewalks and new bleachers.
Across the parking lot, enhancements to the on-site multipurpose field are also progressing as planned.
Those improvements include new concrete foundations and slabs, new flooring, walls, wall finishes and ceilings, new HVAC, electrical work, masonry and roofing and new aluminum bleachers.
According to AHS athletic director James Slaton, the upgrades are all expected to be ready to use by the time the facilities’ respective sports begin in accordance with the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s calendar.
“It’s pretty special because Auburn High School is a special place,” Slaton said. “We’re extremely successful. We had five team state titles this year, three state team runner-ups and 16 individual state champions. To me, that makes one of the top programs in the state. So I think that’s reflected in our facility upgrades: that we take athletics extremely seriously and we want the best for our student-athletes.”
Slaton added that he expects the synthetic field surfaces to be installed sometime in late September, and the upgraded press boxes and new bleachers at the baseball and softball facilities to be finished sometime in late October or early November.
Among the biggest changes will be to the softball facility, which has maintained a natural grass playing surface for years, even as other area teams, including Opelika High School and Central High School, have already switched to synthetic turf.
Although he described himself as a “purist” who prided himself on maintaining what was known as one of the highest-quality grass fields among local coaching circles, AHS head softball coach Matt Hendricks said the new field will offer him and his players numerous positives.
“As much as I hate to say this because I took such good care of my natural grass, I think it’s going to end up being a benefit for us just because of practice load management,” Hendricks said. “In January and February, you’ll get a lot of rain, and there were days when it had quit raining at noon, but you still couldn’t get on the surface because it’s cold and doesn’t dry.”
With the field able to handle water more easily, Hendricks said that he expects AHS players to be able to practice more often and for longer throughout the season, with considerations for varsity and junior varsity practices almost no longer necessary.
Hendricks added that other benefits will include saving an estimated three to seven hours per week on watering alone, along with other time and financial savings on field maintenance and repair.
The Tigers and Lady Tigers will be able to kick off their respective 2026- 27 seasons with competitive games on Feb. 18.
