Feature Story
Consider How
TESTING BASICS
Can Provide Improved Quality, Better Player Experiences and Safer Athletic Fields By Dr. Kyley Dickson, Associate Director of the Center for Athletic Field Safety and Dr. John Sorochan, Distinguished Professor, Plant Sciences Department The University of Tennessee This article appeared previously in the February 2020 issue of Sports Field Management online. It is reprinted here with permission of STMA and the authors.
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thletic fields require regular maintenance whether the surfaces are natural or synthetic. One under-appreciated and challenging aspect for managing athletic fields is that systems change as a season progresses. One of the best ways to reduce player injuries and increase player performance is to have a consistent playing surface that is kept within acceptable ranges for athlete safety. Without regularly testing fields, it is hard to determine variances in playing surface consistency as use and wear increases. Knowing how a field is changing throughout the year can help field managers make data-driven decisions to optimize the performance of the playing surface and help to keep athletes safe. Keeping records of different field conditions across years and within season can help a field manager to visualize what is going on below the field surface. Although testing takes time and can be expensive, the knowledge gained by field managers can help extend the quality and longevity of a field, can improve player performance while protecting player health, and can mitigate risk. One of the main benefits of testing a field is that testing results reveal consistency and characteristics of a field that have direct impacts on athletes. Tests that are conducted give clues to the health of a field and help identify maintenance actions that are needed. While there are different testing criteria for natural and synthetic surfaces, some shared tests are beneficial for both systems. In determining what tests are needed for a given surface, a few questions need to be answered. First, is the field natural or synthetic? Second, what sport or sports are played on the field? Lastly, what is the budget and time available for testing? Answers to these questions will help determine what tests will provide the most beneficial information for each surface. To start, some basic tests need to be established for field managers as a baseline. 10
tennessee greentimes SUMMER 2020
Fig. 1. A side-soil profiler crosssection of turfgrass field reveals roots and layering structure of the sod/soil profile.
Some of the biggest challenges facing turfgrass managers about testing fields come with decisions about which tests to perform, and then budgeting time, interrupted field scheduling, and dollars to complete the tests. The University of Tennessee Center for Athletic Field Safety (UTCAFS) has outlined its suggestions for a basic kit for natural and synthetic fields. For natural fields, the basic test kit should include a soil moisture probe, a side soil profiler, and a rotational traction, testing device. If buying these test components new, estimated costs will range between $2,500 and $5,000 depending on which products are selected. There are a variety of suitable products available. On a synthetic surface, the recommended basic kit includes an infill depth gauge, a measuring device for surface temperatures, and some type of rotational traction device. Estimated costs for synthetic turf kit components range from $850 to $1,000. There are also companies that will perform these tests on both natural and synthetic athletic fields. Companies can provide a wide range of tests and provide a summary of their findings and recommendations for any actions needed. Remember that testing results provide a snapshot of the condition of that field at that particular time. Depending upon weather, level of play, and other factors, the same test conducted the following week can yield very different results. For this reason, taking multiple readings across a year will give a more detailed picture of what is happening. The other key requirement for getting a good snapshot is testing for the variables that have the greatest impact. A few variables have an influence on many parts of the field. In natural grass fields, for example, the soil moisture content of the field effects surface hardness, traffic tolerance of grass, rotational traction/resistance, increase in soil bulk density when trafficked, head injury criterion, and translational traction. There are several different kinds of devices
