Thoughts on Field Turf

[4thgoal]

Honestly, a well maintained grass field is amazing. The problem in our area is that keeping a field in good condition in the fall is extremely tough. Either is is so dry that it is a bare dirt field or it becomes a muddy mess at some point. We always have a week during fall sports when we get a tropical storm head north and many schools who who host a game on a grass field that Friday ends up with a field that is barely playable the rest of the season (such as Waverly last year).

As mentioned earlier, turf allows more practice time for football and soccer. A couple other things to keep in mind is the reduced cost of keeping practice fields maintained and spring sports use the turf to start some early season fielding practice while their grass fields may still be too muddy or even still frozen.

An interesting note, I just looked at the schedule and Wheelersburg only plays 1 football game on grass this year (Minford). Next year it will be 2 on grass (West and Fairland).

[courier]

Nice article...I'd personally would want to see more scientific data and information...I'm in no way disputing or minimizing the belief of the individual either...Quite frankly, I don't have clue if field turf does or doesn't cause cancer...

Has anyone put out anything on cancer where the turf is manufactured. This would be a great place to start with these worker being in direct contact day after day.

Great questions....This thread is the first I've read about turf being a possible cause of cancer...I don't know...

[warningtrackpower]

This is a great discussion and has given some great viewpoints. This topic is obviously going to continue in the next few weeks on the show. If any of you would be willing to call the show and give your thoughts, please leave us a message of your opinion at 740-569-3254. We will not use your name unless you decide to include it. I just think it can be something that gives multiple opinions to increase this discussion.

Thanks again!

[TRENCHFOOT]

Nice article...I'd personally would want to see more scientific data and information...I'm in no way disputing or minimizing the belief of the individual either...Quite frankly, I don't have clue if field turf does or doesn't cause cancer...

Has anyone put out anything on cancer where the turf is manufactured. This would be a great place to start with these worker being in direct contact day after day.

Good point Noreply.

[Orange and Brown]

Turf has been a good thing at Nelsonville-York. Replacing it is a whole other story though.

[sballchck]

By the way, I have yet to see any Canadian Goose Poop on a turf field.

Those geese are nasty. I don't know if there have been any studies on the affects breathing, eating, or wearing goose poop, but I'm pretty sure it's bad for you.

[TRENCHFOOT]

Good fertilizer for a real grass field.

[G.W.A.]

What is the actual cost of a turf field?

[sballchck]

Here is some capitalist propaganda from field turf that might answer

http://www.fieldturf.com/de/artificial-turf/faq

And, wouldn't you know...they have done a study on Goose Poop
http://www.examiner.com/article/the-dan ... goose-poop

[noreply66]

By the way, I have yet to see any Canadian Goose Poop on a turf field.

Those geese are nasty. I don't know if there have been any studies on the affects breathing, eating, or wearing goose poop, but I'm pretty sure it's bad for you.

Seems like I remember reading a report on how it is bad for horses

[Pol pot]

C'mon man.

There are more health/cancer causing agents in the artificial butter on the popcorn; coloring in the diet Mt Dew; dogs/brats; and melted "cheese" served with the nachos at the concession stand. The ingestion from the food at the games by the fans is worse than whatever the players are "ingesting".

The debate against field turf or natural grass is legitimate but not because of cancer.

If your field is as bad as Jackson was that we played at Saturday and is not going to be replaced in its useful lifetime then just stick with grass. We and they had players slipping all night long. Ridiculous. If you can afford to put it down for pete's sake be sure you can replace it when you need to...simple math...but they must be teaching common core down there.

Give it up! The turf is old but has adaquate fiber and fill with no tears or holes. The father starting that this summer was totally ignorant and you making excuses is even more so. Having first hand experience with turf fields that field is not in dier need of replacement.

[eagles73Taylor]

Piketon is in a great position to keep grass. 1 soccer is played in a separate facility, 2 the max games played on it is 25 per season (pee wee to varsity), 3 we sit on the river bottoms so our soil is sandy which allows for great drainage (even during rainy games you get wet not muddy) 4 also being on the river bottoms allows us to use wells to pump water for our irrigation so cost is lower.

As long as these factors stay the same, give me good grass any day.

[Regulator]

My Thoughts on Field Turf......


It allows many groups and organizations use of the facility without worrying about too much wear and tear.
Football, Soccer, Band, Pee Wee, Softball, etc.... all can use it.
Also, if a group doesn't want the threat of old tires on the field, then I believe most turf companies have a sand option.

[Mad-Dogg]

I agree that more testing should be done to see if the claim of cancer are valid. There are also chemical hazards related to grass fields (fertilizer, grass seed, paint, gasoline, etc...). I guess we should play on organically grown grass, with organic based paints, and cut the fields with solar powered mowers.

well said

[js7_22]

My take on turf. It's nice for school that doesn't have the man power to maintain a field properly. But turf should still be maintained on a weekly bases (brushing grass, filling in spots with rubber pellets, etc) but I'm not sure schools do this properly and the grass begins to lay down.

Safety stand point, a well maintained field is far safer than a turf field, but if a field becomes rock hard from no irrigation then it does become a hazard.

I will say this, sliding on the turf still creates nasty burns just like old turf once did, but to a different degree.

But the main thing I hate about turf is the heat created by it. It melts cleats and creates a playing field much hotter than grass (15-30degrees hotter in most cases).

Give me healthy bluegrass/bermuda any day over turf.

Not to mention that turf needs to be replaced and disposed of which i read will start totaling 5000+ fields a year starting next year once they reach their life cycle.

[4thgoal]

Field turf is 100% recyclable

[Whodey]

C'mon man.

There are more health/cancer causing agents in the artificial butter on the popcorn; coloring in the diet Mt Dew; dogs/brats; and melted "cheese" served with the nachos at the concession stand. The ingestion from the food at the games by the fans is worse than whatever the players are "ingesting".

The debate against field turf or natural grass is legitimate but not because of cancer.

If your field is as bad as Jackson was that we played at Saturday and is not going to be replaced in its useful lifetime then just stick with grass. We and they had players slipping all night long. Ridiculous. If you can afford to put it down for pete's sake be sure you can replace it when you need to...simple math...but they must be teaching common core down there.

Give it up! The turf is old but has adaquate fiber and fill with no tears or holes. The father starting that this summer was totally ignorant and you making excuses is even more so. Having first hand experience with turf fields that field is not in dier need of replacement.

First: I never used it as an excuse, I said "we and they" were slipping...Wellston and Jackson. We got beat by a solid D3 school turf had nothing to do with it.

Second: You are no more experienced in turf fields than the man on the moon.

Third: "adequate not adaquate" and "dire not dier"

Last: I prefer grass fields like Wellston, because I think a lot of districts will underestimate the cost of replacement or not budget for it and end up with issues like what I was referring to above.

[noreply66]

Another so called school teacher...it is this way not that way....jokers

[coop]

Breathing causes cancer...

[Ontheriver]

I am shocked that this tread has not been pulled.

I asked a question last week about Jackson Alumni Field , is the field safe now? do to a news article that was on news channel 13 that a parent was concerned and challenging the school administration about how the field was not safe.

IT WAS A QUESTION AND THE TREAD PULLED.

Where are you MODERATOR pull this tread there was a question asked.