After years of calling the lacrosse field home, the Paly varsity soccer team now finds itself fighting to reclaim it—caught between player passion and referee frustration.

Following the 2022-23 season, the referees complained about officiating on the lacrosse field due to a conflict between the referees and crowd. Paly soccer was then required to use the football field for games. The referees were unhappy with the tight sideline space that placed them directly in front of the crowd, where they faced unsportsmanlike behavior from parents, especially during high-stakes matches.

Now, many Paly soccer players are unhappy with this outcome, and believe that the football field provides a huge disadvantage for soccer.

Varsity men’s soccer coach Luiz Lodino Jr. had trouble adjusting to the use of the football field last season.

  “The lacrosse field is definitely better, because it has a soccer field to it, and without all the football lines it would be less confusing,” Lodino said. “We also train [on the lacrosse field] more during the season; the dimensions and the field itself [are] more for soccer.”

Richie Ogawa, a 2024 Paly soccer alum, used the lacrosse field in his first three years at Paly, but was forced to switch to the football field for his senior season.

“The turf makes the ball bounce differently — it’s less predictable and doesn’t roll the same way,” Ogawa said. “It can throw off timing and touches a bit, especially when you’re used to how the ball moves on the lacrosse field.”

Many Paly soccer players also argue that the use of the football field results in many injuries. Because the football field is used for a variety of reasons such as P.E., school rallies and other sports, the turf is more worn down, making playing conditions more difficult.

Senior varsity soccer player Hadrien de Martel is among the players most opposed to the change in venues.

“The shorter turf on the football field makes it very easy to slip, especially when the field gets wet in the winter,” de Martel said. “The track around it can also cause injuries, as running on the track with cleats can be a huge safety hazard.”

According to a 2024 study published on ResearchGate, shorter turf fibers are associated with reduced rotational traction, which can increase the likelihood of noncontact injuries. This finding suggests that the lacrosse field’s longer turf may offer conditions that help reduce the risk of such injuries over the course of Paly soccer’s 20-game season.

The varsity girls soccer team also expresses a discomfort with the use of the football field, and prefers the use of the lacrosse field — a sentiment echoed by senior varsity soccer player Reyes Aronson.

“The negatives of the football field are the turf and how long it is, as well as the track when we have to chase loose balls or sometimes we lose them in the bushes,” Aronson said.

Additionally, the football field has a large track around it, providing a big distance between the field and bleachers. Players say this separation affects the atmosphere during games.

“When the fans sit far away on bleachers, it’s much less personal and fans are less present,” de Martel said.

With the fans having less personality, this may lead to Paly’s home games not having the extra advantage that it could have. The team believes they could benefit from a big fan presence.

“We have the fighting spirit, and people in the stands fight with us, and being so far away from us takes that away,” Lodino said. “You definitely can feel more energy when we play on the lacrosse field.”

Beyond just games, the soccer team also has to practice on the football field at times,  which can push their training sessions late into the evening due to scheduling conflicts with the football team, whose season can possibly extend into December.

“Practicing very late isn’t ideal for a lot of us on the team, and we would definitely prefer to have practice right after school,” junior and varsity soccer player Koji Silverberg said.

With the lacrosse field being open in the winter due to a lack of sports that use it, the use of the lacrosse field would also give the soccer team their preferable practice time. This could allow students to excel in both soccer and academics, giving them their ideal time to study. To many players, another frustrating aspect of the football field lies in its proximity to the train.

“The football field is closer to the train tracks, so it’s louder, which can be very disrupting to hear during a game or practice,” Ogawa said.

As a whole, players and coaches believe that the lacrosse field provides a more natural field. However, this doesn’t include every aspect of the issue. Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson acknowledged the referees’ concerns.

“I would side with the refs, the lacrosse field is really close to the stands, and the linesman’s back is to the crowd, so he is unable to know what’s coming, who is saying what, or have any idea what is going on behind him,” Berkson said.

An article from Human Kinetic Journals written by Christian Unkelbach and Daniel Memmert, professors of experimental psychology at the University of Cologne, states that crowd noise can affect referees’ judgement of the game, leading to incorrect calls.

These findings indicate that the use of the lacrosse field is not without drawbacks. While the field places fans closer to the action — an aspect many players appreciate — it can also increase the likelihood of distractions or pressure on referees, which in turn can hurt players as well.

Overall, Paly soccer players and coaches believe that returning to the lacrosse field would benefit the program, citing factors such as field quality, atmosphere and fan engagement. As discussions continue, the school must consider how to balance athletes’ preferences with the practical needs of game officials.