PHOTO BY MIKKEL BIGANDT
11 / SPORTSTURF
mAXImISING
yOUR SURFACE Eamon Kealy, turfgrass specialist and lecturer in horticulture at the Institute of Tecnology Blanchardstown, details how return on investment in artificial playing surfaces can be maximised through simple care and maintenance
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wo decades ago it was a rare sight to see an ‘astroturf’ pitch in rural Ireland. Today artificial surfaces are big business with every town and village having at least one, thanks to both the GAA and the government’s capital sports programme. Artificial sports surfaces provide clubs with more training space, consistent playing surfaces and availability throughout the year that natural turf cannot compete with. Additionally, artificial surfaces allow natural turf to be rested at important times of the year while still providing space for training sessions. Artificial surfaces have come a long way since their first inception as short pile carpets that did little for games like soccer and Gaelic football. Today’s modern artificial surfaces comprise of long pile carpets (65mm) with sand and rubber crumb infill designed to reproduce the conditions of natural turf. They have been accepted (maybe not loved) by players of all standards and are definitely here to stay in some shape or form.
SAFETy Many organisations and companies have been at the forefront of developing and publishing standards for ensuring safer surfaces. Prior to opening a new pitch, the surface will often have been tested to conform to the
governing bodies standards e.g. FIFA one star or two star, FIH or the GAA’s Code of Compliance. This ensures that the surface is safe within the recommended parameters. As the surface ages, its performance degrades and in some instances can become dangerous. Annual independent testing can highlight areas needing additional maintenance. At present there is no compulsory annual testing programme for sports surfaces in Ireland. A pitch can be tested on day one and never be tested again before it is ultimately replaced. This may change in the future. In early 2015, Niall Yorke, a fourth year horticulture student at the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, carried out testing of both natural and artificial surfaces as part of his final year project. His findings showed that surface hardness increased with the age of 3G artificial surfaces. Ball roll and ball rebound also increased beyond the recommended parameters. No real surprise, however in one instance of an eight year old artificial pitch, the surface hardness readings (Clegg hammer) measured nearly five times that of the nearby natural turf pitch (273g vs 60g). Maintaining a safe surface requires keeping the infill clean and mobile. Once the performance infill (rubber crumb) becomes compacted and contaminated it must be addressed to keep the surface safe for players. Jerry Tynan, a former laboratory technician and developer
Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
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