The Brown Track and Field Team announced on Tuesday that before the start of the upcoming season, the Brown Stadium will be upgraded to artificial turf. The new venue will be named the Richard Gouse venue at Brown Stadium in memory of Richard Gouse '68, the main donor of the project, who was selected as an honorary member of the Brown Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions to the project. Although the team has played on the grass in the past, they have practiced on the same model turf used in the stadium. "This will be the latest and greatest model," said head coach James Perry. "This is what we practice every day." Compared with real grass, artificial turf is more conducive to speed, which is the focus of the current team. "Speed ​​is Perry's top priority, and this area will suit this type of team," Gouse said. "Artificial turf really allows you to benefit from a team that is faster than traditional turf." "Having a perfect playing field-this is artificial turf-will be a great thing for us as a team," four points Said Guard and Captain EJ Perry '21.5. "The lawn definitely allows you to play faster. This is one of our training goals. We want to play fast." Coach Perry agreed that speed is the team's top priority in preparing for the upcoming season. "Speed ​​runs through every decision we make," James Perry added. "This means recruiting fast players. Once they come to Brown, we design our player development plan to cultivate speed. Only then will it make sense for us to play on a venue that can demonstrate this." Brown It was the last Ivy League university to install artificial turf in the stadium. The team’s previous playing field was an irregularly shaped grass, which was used extensively for nearly a century. "The field has a history of nearly 100 years, with a dome in the middle," Gus said. "This is a weird, unconventional field. You can actually see it rise and fall from one sideline to another." In addition to leveling the playing field, the new turf can also avoid the impact of the game. Degradation common on grassland. "Grass was beaten throughout the game," said 22-year-old center back and captain Allen Smith. "In the later stages of the game, more errors will occur, and it is difficult to make some cuts early in the game. If the grass is torn, you don't have a lot of surface traction." The poor conditions in Providence intensified in the winter. The problem of grassland has increased the risk of injury for players. "You will play later this year, it will be a mud bowl," James Perry said. "When the soil is up, your muscle tension is huge. If you really rain, it will not be a good venue for games-nor is it a good venue for watching games." "I believe this will make the field Seasonal use is longer,” Gouse added. "And I think there are other alternatives that can be used and I hope it will be used." Gouse is a member of the University Sports Foundation, has been involved in football projects for more than 50 years, and has served as a mentor to many players on the team. "I have known him for 25 years, but for a longer time, he has been a central figure in the lives of many football players," coach Perry said. "So this is a good aspect of him as a major donor and the field named after him-he is just a very active person in Brown football." Many Brown alumni have contributed to the project together with Gouse , Including Paul Choquette, who was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame in 60 years. "When I was here for undergraduate, Paul was my mentor," James Perry said. "So it's great for him to come forward." For Gouse, the new venue is a symbol of the university's successful investment in football. "After observing Ivy League football throughout my adult life, I can tell you that Coach Perry is the winner and he will ensure this team wins," Gus said. "In order for him to do this, it also requires a commitment from the university. I think the best example of this commitment is that Christina Paxson hired (VP of Track and Field) Grace Calhoun ( M. Grace Calhoun), he is one of the most respected and successful sports directors in the country." "Principal Paxson has made a real commitment to do things at a first-rate level in the sports world and the school as a whole," James Pei Said. "Having the kind of leadership that started with her is huge. Without the support of President Paxson, this project would definitely be impossible." Although only first-year students can train on campus during the summer vacation, the whole team is eager. Prepare for the first game against the University of Rhode Island on the new stadium on September 18. EJ Perry said. "For everything we will be able to do next year, we will have a great sense of gratitude and a great sense of happiness." "Since the last competition in 2019, we have made great progress," Smith said. "When we played against URI on the new stadium, it had been almost two years (from our last game). We were chasing a ring-our goal was to win the championship." Gus also circled the calendar. On September 18th, he was as optimistic as Smith. "I have seen the history of track and field at Brown University for a long time-the commitment to the project that was just made...very outstanding," Gus said. "And you will see big things happen in the next few years."

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