The two most valuable items that any sports field manager needs might be a fence with a gate and a sturdy lock for the gate. Although sometimes even that doesn’t deter idiots bent upon destruction..

Yet another inexplicable act vandalism came to light Sunday, March 16, in San Jose, CA. Somebody rammed a van through two locked sets of gates on the campus at Richmond High School, drove the van onto the center of the school sports field, then set the van on fire. The incident is believed to have occurred about 1:30 a.m. that morning, reports the San Jose Mercury News.

The burning van left a black scorch mark of about 20 ft. by 30 ft. on the school’s synthetic turf sports field. School officials are assessing damage to the field to see what needs to be done to get it back into shape. The field, which was being used seven days a week, will be off limits to play until it is repaired. The field is practically new. It opened in 2007.

Vandalism, which is by definition senseless, is a huge problem when it comes to sports fields. In a recent survey on the Athletic Turf News, 46% of respondents reported that their facilities had suffered repeated acts of vandalism, 36% reported that yes, their fields had been vandalized, but generally it’s uncommon and 18% said they’ve experienced no vandalism problems.

“Vandals damage track, field at Richmond High,” San Jose Mercury News, March 18

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