Tag: sports

Turf battle over athletic fields

Turf battles between the Loudoun Board of Supervisors and the county school board are nothing new, but now the boards are tussling over the turf itself, as they debate whether artificial and natural turf athletic fields at high schools should be tested for potentially harmful chemicals.

The supervisors have expressed interest in testing three synthetic turf fields, but the school board has insisted that an equal number of natural turf fields also be examined so as to make a comparison. Supervisors have responded that testing the natural fields is unnecessary and that the additional requirement was concocted by the school board to kill the initiative altogether.

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Washington Post, October 2, 2016

Authors to sign sports-themed books

As the public information officer for the Loudoun County school system, Wayde Byard is one of the best-known local officials. In winter, children, parents and school staff members eagerly anticipate hearing his voice on phone alerts announcing weather-related school closings.

Now Byard is directing his voice toward a new audience, as the author of a history of the Washington Redskins. His first book, “The Burgundy and Gold Standard,” has been published by Mascot Books, which is based in Herndon.

Byard and two other local authors will sign their sports-related books Tuesday at an event in Ashburn. Joining Byard will be Andrea Alexander, who has written two sports biographies for children, and Ann Good, author of “Washington Nationals A to Z.” The event will raise funds for Glory Days Live, a nonprofit group Alexander is launching to raise money and equipment to help children from low-income families play sports.

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Washington Post, July 24, 2016

Preventing concussions in H.S. sports

A two-year push to prevent concussions and other injuries in Fairfax County high school sports is showing encouraging results, according to data released by the school system.

Statistics collected by Fairfax County public schools indicated that the number of injuries sustained by football players declined by 16 percent over the past year, and the number of concussions by 28 percent. There were similar declines in the incidence of concussions and other injuries among lacrosse players.

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Washington Post, October 15, 2015

Deal valued at $1.4 million

Loudoun County’s controversial eight-year, $2 million marketing agreement with Washington’s NFL team was worth $1.4 million in marketing value last year, according to a report from the county’s Department of Economic Development.

Washington Post, April 30, 2014

Supervisors defend deal again

Is Loudoun County’s marketing agreement with Washington’s NFL team helping attract businesses to the county? That’s the question a growing number of critics are asking about the controversial agreement.

Washington Post, March 31, 2014

Supervisors defend deal

Members of the Board of Supervisors defended Loudoun County’s controversial marketing agreement with Washington’s NFL team during a budget work session Thursday, calling it a valuable economic development tool for the county but not saying how it promotes tourism.

Washington Post, March 15, 2014

The Post’s Tom Jackman comments on the issue here.

Marketing agreement criticized

Buried 784 pages deep in Loudoun’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2015 is a $500,000 expenditure that has caused grumbling in the county’s rural business community. The expenditure represents Loudoun’s payment to the Washington NFL football team as part of an unusual eight-year marketing partnership.

February 26, 2014

The Post’s Tom Jackman weighs in on the story here.