Colorado town fights to save one of the worst football fields in America

Colorado, Branson is a small town, less than one mile north of New Mexico. In Colorado, almost about 49 of the residents drive every day for about 50 miles to get groceries and gas. The community from Colorado bonds for their high-school football team. 

It’s a matter since 2014, the Kim High School combined with the Branson School, and they are located 40 miles away from each other so that a team can be formed. A team of six-man football includes 80 yards long and 40 yards wide field. The first down was away 15 yards. 

A very popular storyline in the report has always been of the home-field advantage. But the same is anything but one for the Kim Bearcats/Branson field. 

According to the head coach, Adam Lucero, this field is considered as the worst field in entire America. He also added that if someone falls on that field there is a high chance that the person will be stabbed by either a cactus or by a wood chipping.

According to Brody Doherty, the junior quarterback, the ground is like a big patch of dirt that has barely any grass. And if it was not a football field once then the field would be grazed by cows. 

The town has a very limited water resource which also contributes to the rough surface of the field. Branson itself get water from couples of miles away from the five small springs. The field does not have a creek therefore a proper green football field is next to impossible to have. The field is regarded as the badge of honor to the team but it has both dry dirt and gopher holes. The team is suffering from a new level of toughness. 

But the opponents have not felt this the same way. One coach, during the league coaches, call held in December, has raised concerns over the safety of the play despite any major issues that might occur in the field according to the athletic director of Branson, Brady Doherty. He is Brody’s father and an assistant football coach. 

The coaches also came to a conclusion and were deciding that they won’t play any game at Branson. According to Lucero, most of the coaches supported enough to figure out the ways that can help to improve the conditions of the field, but the decision surprised him in the end. 

There is a big possibility of a lost season, therefore it made Brad Doherty think the ways to save the team. And hence he came to the conclusion that the field is needed the most. 

Lucero said that he remembers the night Brad texted him and told him that the board of the school approved the plan of Brad that the most crucial need of the hour is a turf field. He also added that initially, it came as a surprise for him that they were going forward with the plan. Afterwards, Brad told him about the monetary matters and it made him realize that it is next to impossible for the small communities to arrange for it. The cost needed was $450,000.

The cost needed was decided by the plan that was submitted by Doherty. The cost needed for the field is $350,000. And the rest of the money will be for goalposts, scoreboards and bleachers. 

Doherty started 2021 by making a point of raising the money that is required for the turf by launching a video along with the Branson Football Field Community Long-term Athletics and Wellness Project. This was put together by Brody along with the teammates. As a result of the video launch, a total of $264,949 has been raised on 11th of February. The amount is more than 58% of the targeted goal. Maximum of the funding came from the older people and also from the sixth-grader who had hope to play the sport soon on the field. The funding is still going on with the proper goal of approval on the 15th of February.