For Millburn High School athletes, rain can mean more than just getting wet. It can mean a canceled practice, a postponed game, or another day of trying to find an available field. That will become less of a problem as Millburn High School’s athletic fields get a major upgrade.
On September 1, 2026, Millburn Township and the Millburn Board of Education officially broke ground on a major renovation of the high school’s athletic fields. The project costs $5.67 million, which will be split equally between the township and school district.
The project includes organic infill synthetic turf on two multi-purpose fields and the varsity baseball field. These fields will be used for Millburn’s public youth soccer league and Millburn boys and girls high school soccer. New LED lights will also be installed on the newly turfed fields and at Miller Field, home of varsity baseball. This will make it so baseball games do not have to be delayed or left unfinished because of insufficient lighting. Construction started at the start of the school year, and the project is expected to be finished before March 2027.
For Millburn students, one of the best things about the new turf is the reliability after bad weather. Currently, the natural grass fields get soaked after heavy rain, leading to canceled practices and games. Turf will make it easier for teams to get on the field instead of constantly checking the weather forecast. According to Scott Redler, a commissioner on the Millburn Township Recreation Board, “Sometimes there are holes or divots that can cause injury. Lots of geese and animals leave droppings which are unpleasant”.
The project is also expected to add about 1,120 playable hours for community athletic programs, creating extra time for sports, practices, and activities. More available field time will also help alleviate some of the scheduling challenges that arise when teams are competing for the same spaces.
The new fields will be helpful as Millburn’s sports programs continue to grow. Freshman teams will have more opportunities to practice, while newer programs, such as girls’ flag football, will have additional space to develop. Additionally, boys and girls lacrosse teams may no longer need to alternate between the high school and library fields because of the added field space.
The turf is designed to improve safety while also reducing maintenance. Instead of constantly worrying about damaged grass or muddy fields, the school and township will have a surface that can handle frequent use.
The biggest benefit, for Millburn athletes, is simply more time to play.
