turf fields

chris s · #1 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 17, 2003, 07:00pm

When I played high school ball, (class of 83) our stadium was refered to as "the pit", reason being after a nasty bunch of storms, some brilliant fellow decided a bunch of sand on the grass would fixer up just fine. It shoulda been called "the sand box", but it was very old and very cozy place...lotsa big games there....very fond memories

Any way, prior to last season, school got the money to put in synthetic turf, same new stuff like Dallas has. This place is beuatiful!!! The carpet has drain holes and a good system underneath, hashes and yards are laser painted...but those darn rubber pelets they toss on top for cusion...arrrrrg!!! AD warns us, "DO NOT take your shoes off in the house, my wife bout killed me!!" Those things get everywhere! Only prob I had was working a wet one as U and the ball would get these things all over , went through bunches of towels that day!! Anybody else work on this type of turf????

Mike Simonds · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 17, 2003, 08:50pm

Sounds like you are talking about the new field turf surface. They are putting this in at Aloha Stadium so if I'm lucky enough to get selected for the state championship I might get to work on it. In a another year or two I heard that Kamehameha Schools-Maui campus is putting in a field turf surface.

My question is this: Is it still possible to get dirty on one of these surfaces? I read that they sprinkle a mixture of sand and soil over the synthetic surface and it settles in naturally between the fake glass blades.

Seems like the NFL prefers these types of playing surfaces over the traditional artificial turf but grass is still number 1.

Sleeper · #3 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 17, 2003, 11:17pm

I work a couple of fields with this turf. The first couple of years is the worst. The material is a recycled tire pellets. The biggest problem I have getting the pellets between my heel and sock and rubbing blisters. I didn't have many problems with getting the pellets on the balls when they got wet, but the field I called on last year was a couple of years old.

The plus side is that the turf is easy on the knees, always marked well and has absolutely no mud. I have never heard of the sand going on the top of the turf. Under the stuff, but never on top.

cowbyfan1 · #4 (**permalink**) Fri Jul 18, 2003, 06:14am

we have atleast 5 schools in this area with the new turf. After is has been use a couple years the pellets become less of a problem. Great stuff otherwise. Beats artificial turf hands down.

Bob M. · #5 (**permalink**) Fri Jul 18, 2003, 08:02am

I've worked on FieldTurf a number of times most recently on the new field at Giants Stadium for a charity touch FB tournament. Yeah, those ground up tire pieces get everywhere. I only worked on a wet field once and I remember that stuff sticking to everything. When I got home and took my knickers out of the bag, my wife looked at them and thought I'd become infested with deer ticks! But the stuff is a great surface.

chris s · #6 (**permalink**) Fri Jul 18, 2003, 08:04am

Quote:

Originally posted by Sleeper
I work a couple of fields with this turf. The first couple of years is the worst. The material is a recycled tire pellets. The biggest problem I have getting the pellets between my heel and sock and rubbing blisters. I didn't have many problems with getting the pellets on the balls when they got wet, but the field I called on last year was a couple of years old.

The plus side is that the turf is easy on the knees, always marked well and has absolutely no mud. I have never heard of the sand going on the top of the turf. Under the stuff, but never on top.

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Was dumped on the ol grass/mud combo 20 years ago....thus "the pit"...new stuff is great, but those darn rubber pellets...I use my football shoes for base work on the BB field(3/4Reebock cleats) and I still got those things popping out of the inside of the shoe!! Turf is nice, and as you said, the knees and such don't get hammered....read in our local paper that we gonna have 4 more coming up!!!!

chris s · #7 (**permalink**) Fri Jul 18, 2003, 08:12am

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike Simonds
Sounds like you are talking about the new field turf surface. They are putting this in at Aloha Stadium so if I'm lucky enough to get selected for the state championship I might get to work on it. In a another year or two I heard that Kamehameha Schools-Maui campus is putting in a field turf surface.

My question is this: Is it still possible to get dirty on one of these surfaces? I read that they sprinkle a mixture of sand and soil over the synthetic surface and it settles in naturally between the fake glass blades.

Seems like the NFL prefers these types of playing surfaces over the traditional artificial turf but grass is still number 1.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is ground up recycled tires...rubber pellets...blades are bout inch and a half, with the pellets imbeded(sprinkeled over top)..nice and cushy. Very "bouncy".. I have worked one of the old school turf fields, hard as a rock...this stuff is real nice...cept those darn dingle balls

ABoselli · #8 (**permalink**) Fri Jul 18, 2003, 08:13am

Fantastic stuff. I've never had a problem with the pellets sticking to the ball. The first year or two are the worst for "pellet spray" but after that, it calms down. It is soft, traction is fantastic, it doesn't freeze like AstroTurf (not a problem for you, Mike) and there is less glare.

The only problem I have found is the heat it generates on a sunny day early in the season. If you look at it straight down, it looks more black than green, and those black rubber things absorb heat like crazy and radiates it back up at you.

Otherwise, very easy on the feet, knees and back.