New turf being installed at Lake Marion, Bethune-Bowman

“Great things are happening at Lake Marion High School and Technology Center,” Principal Sean Glover said Monday.

“It is amazing that now we are getting ready to take one more step to our greatness.”

Glover spoke at a groundbreaking ceremony for Lake Marion’s new field in Santee. Ground was also broken on Bethune-Bowman’s field on Monday.

Glover praised Orangeburg County School District Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster and the district’s leaders for wanting to make sure students have the best of everything and can compete with larger school districts.

“Our students here deserve just as much, if not more,” Glover said, to applause.

The new turf will be placed down by Louisiana-based GeoSurfaces. The turf is called AllSport Ultra, a 50/50 blend of monofilament and slit film fiber.

GeoSurfaces has specialized in artificial sports surfaces, including installing fields at Louisiana State University, Arkansas State, the Hawaii Pro Bowl, UNC-Chapel Hill and others.

GeoSurfaces Project Manager Chris Grate said the project should be complete by the middle of January.

“We definitely want to give high school athletes the same opportunities in the high school levels that they will potentially play on collegiately as well as if they make it to the League,” Grate said. “I look to deliver you a great field.”

Some of Lake Marion football players attended and expressed their excitement about the new field.

“This is a great moment to be able to play on turf,” sophomore linebacker and right tackle Dewaine Shivers said. “I know it is going to feel great. It is going to be smoother and better.”

“It is just an honor to play for Lake Marion,” Shivers said. “The coaches and the staff, they are just so great.”

“We are out here to make sure that our student athletes that play football have the best that we can afford to give them,” Orangeburg County School District board member Betty Pelzer said. “We want when visitors come, as well as the local supporters, we want them to say, ‘Wow! That is a beautiful field the students are playing on.’”

“Spread the word: Great things are going on in Orangeburg County School District,” Pelzer said.

“This turf field is not only going to help our athletes, but it is going to help our students as well,” Lake Marion High School Athletic Director Jarvis Davis said. “It is going to help our middle school. It is going to help our feeder program, our rec league program, our Holly Hill Hawks and our Santee youth sports.”

Foster thanked all those who made the project possible, including those who voted for last year’s school bond referendum.

“When I stand up here and see these young speak, I hear the excitement and I can see the benefit we are bringing to children,” Foster said. “It is all worth it. That is why we get up every single day: to ensure that every single child has a high-quality educational experience.”

Foster said success is important both inside and outside the classroom.

“When it comes to extracurricular activities, we want to make sure they have something they are proud of, something that can enhance their athletic and physical talents to hopefully give them an opportunity to move on to post-secondary options,” Foster said. “It is about a comprehensive approach to ensuring that whether you are a great soccer player, football player, there are a ton of different students and types of students that are going to benefit from these small things.”

Foster challenged the students to recognize the sacrifices of the community that supported the building projects and new field.

“There is a saying: ‘To whom much is given, much is required,’” Foster said. “When we do these things as we are building new facilities and we are upgrading things, we are going to ensure and expect you all to do your very best first in that classroom and then any activity or sport you choose to play.”

“It is only because we love you. We know the greatness that is inside each and every one of you,” Foster said.

Later in the day, school officials traveled to Bethune-Bowman Middle/High School, where ground was also broken on its athletic field.

Orangeburg County School District is updating fields at each of its six high schools.

Edisto and Hunter-Kinard-Tyler high schools have already received new turf.

Branchville High School will also receive a new artificial surface field, with work beginning around December. The future Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School will also receive an artificial turf field.

The district’s board of trustees voted to spend at total of $5.4 million for the fields at the six schools earlier this year.

The cost of the athletic fields is included in the larger $190 million bond referendum approved by voters in November 2022.