Ridgewood Village & BOE Partner to Save Fall Sports Season After High School Field Closures
file photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Following the unexpected closure of Ridgewood High School’s primary athletic fields, local officials and community organizations are stepping up to keep fall student-athletes playing.
The closures came after an Aug. 27 announcement by the Ridgewood Board of Education revealing that two high school sports fields failed multiple safety impact tests following a summer of heavy rains. While silt fabric on surrounding fences helped reduce debris, it failed to mitigate silt build-up, forcing the fields to close for mandatory remediation during the entire fall season.
To keep high school soccer, football, and youth sports active, the Ridgewood Village Council and Board of Education issued a coordinated relief effort during the Sept. 2 Council Work Session.
Key Field Accommodations & Schedule Changes
Village Manager Keith Kazmark and school leadership outlined several key updates to reallocate municipal field usage:
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Super Soccer Saturday Preserved: The popular six-game fundraiser scheduled for Sept. 26 will take place at Maple Field. Maroons Soccer Club Board Member John Parrinello voluntarily relinquished their scheduled time at Maple Field to accommodate the event.
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High School Practice Slot: Maple Field is now designated for RHS team practices Monday through Friday from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
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Senior Nights Scheduled:
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Boys Senior Night: Sept. 16 at 4:15 PM (Maple Field)
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Girls Senior Night: Sept. 24 at 4:15 PM (Maple Field)
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Bleachers Moved: Seating bleachers from Graydon Pool are being relocated to Maple Field to handle anticipated spectator turnout.
Resolution 26-263 Extends Field Hours & Lighting
To maximize available space across the municipality, the Village Council approved Resolution 26-263, extending operating hours across all municipal fields from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM for the 2026 fall season. Field lighting will be active on both Veterans Field and Maple Field to support late games and practices.
“The Board of Education and the village are separate, but we are one community,” said Village Manager Keith Kazmark. “We are working closely with the district’s athletic director to maximize village assets to meet the needs of our high school and youth athletes.”
Next Steps for Parents and Residents
While field allocations are underway, a detailed master schedule specifying exact game and practice times for all impacted teams has not yet been released.
Councilwoman Siobahn Winograd invited community members to tune in to the upcoming Field Committee Meeting Broadcast at 8:00 AM on Sept. 8 for further updates and details.
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Don’t worry about those lights we’re installing, they will only be on until 7 pm.