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TurfImprovements in artificial surfaces breathe new life into high-usage fields.by: Steve Silverman © More from this issue Artificial turf has undergone a major makeover. Instead of a hard, abrasive surface that players feared and fans despised, the newer version of artificial turf provides a softer, more cushioned playing field that wears well and can stand up under heavy usage. That’s the key to today’s artificial grass-like surfaces. For universities, colleges and high schools with fields that will endure heavy usage, artificial turf may very well be the answer. Grass fields have a hard time holding up when events are scheduled back-to-back for weeks on end. For example, in any midwestern or northern city where weather is a major factor, grass fields are difficult to maintain because they are likely used for football, soccer, practice and the marching band. Hour after hour; day after day; week after week the fields are used and abused. Once the weather turns cold, it’s difficult for a grass field to maintain its playability. Wear and tear in addition to cold weather often leads to chewed up sod in as little as three weeks. In places with ideal weather – like Southern California and South Florida – a grass field with everyday usage can last as long as two months before showing the effects. As a result, many high schools and coaches are looking at artificial turf as a viable surface once again. Manufacturers have improved artificial turf significantly and it is really nothing like it was in previous years. Instead of a dense, abrasive carpet, manufacturers like Southwest Recreational Industries used softer fibers with a rubber in-fill to make a more user-friendly surface. “Over the last three years, rubber in-fill synthetics have allowed schools and municipalities to consider artificial turf once again,” said Dr. David Minner of Iowa State University, who has specialized in the study of turf surfaces. “The main reason for this is that they provide a surface that players can use cleats on. That’s because the rubber can be torn and thrown from the surface just like the tearing of natural grass. This is a good thing since it makes for a more forgiving surface. “The jury is still out on what type of injuries are likely with the new rubber in-fills and how long they will actually provide a reasonable surface. They certainly seem to be an improvement over older type synthetics that did not allow cleats to be worn. It simply will take some time to determine this.” While there are no long-term studies on how long this new generation of artificial turf will survive intact, manufacturers recommend that a surface should be replaced after no more than 10 years. “The guarantee on our surface is eight years,” said Jim Savoca, the executive vice president of sales for Southwest Recreational Industries. “After 10 years, we believe the surface should be replaced. We tell our customers that up front. We’re not interested in anything but a safe surface and there’s a point where the surface needs to be replaced.” High schools and small colleges are the most likely customers for a new artificial field. Grass surfaces break down after several weeks of solid use; artificial turf can be used seven days a week for 52 weeks a year by a community, school district or college. That’s important when a high school will use the same field for football, soccer, field hockey, concerts, marching band practice and other activities. Artificial turf manufacturers were forced to come up with a better product for two reasons. Not only were older versions of artificial turf surfaces regularly criticized by players and coaches, but advancements in grass fields also played a role. Brad Fresenberg, extension/research associate at the University of Missouri Turfgrass Research Center, said that in the 1960’s and early ‘70’s, there may have been 12 different types of blue grasses grown for athletic fields. Now there are more than 160 types of blue grass. The development of hybrid grasses have made it easier for maintenance staffs to build a strong surface. If artificial turf manufacturers wanted to compete, they had to produce a better product. “There are problems with grass fields,” Fresenberg said. “In warm weather places like Florida, Bermuda grass will thrive and drain well when it rains. But in northern communities where Blue Grass is often the choice, it may not do as well in the hot weather.” While installing an artificial turf surface calls for a significant outlay of capital initially, a school district or college won’t have to spend a lot of money on maintenance in the ensuing years. For example, it could cost an average of $560,000 to install an artificial turf system in Year 1, while maintenance cost would be minimal for the next 10 years. On the other hands, a prescription athletic turf system could cost $700,000 to maintain over its first decade. As a result, many communities find they can afford to pay for a new artificial turf surface because it can be less expensive over a decade than a grass field.
Newer generations of artificial turf – specifically the NeXturf field at Veterans Stadium – are much more comfortable and safer for today’s players than previous generations of artificial turf, and in many cases, are safer than grass fields. By the time the Eagles got ready to play the Jets, officials from NeXturf manufacturer Southwest Recreation were on hand to supervise the installation of the surface. After the installation, the field was inspected by team, city and NFL officials and the conditions were acceptable. |
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