Turf fields

[RideUmRough07]

Ok this has BY FAR been the absolute worst football season ever as far as the weather is concerned. As if the football team tearing the field up isn't bad enough, you also have the band who has to practice for contest in October.

 

So the question is, how many school districts are fed up with it and will invest in a turf field for next season. Of course there are teams each year that make the investment, but I think we will see a very large increase in the number of teams that switch over this year.

 

 

What are your thoughts?

[panther55dad]

Pony up, make the investment. It's worth it.

[franksnbeans]

Good point. I have watched a lot of football this year and the difference the last few weeks between games being played on turf and those being played on grass has been astounding. They don't even look like they are playing the same game.

 

Come playoff time it shouldn't be an issue with most games being played on the turf. But, there have been some sloppy games the last few weeks.

[tdsteele]

Does Spring Hill have any plans for turf? Aren't they they last in that district to have grass?

 

PS...their grass held up pretty well Friday night. Although I did see a Spring Hill player suffer a knee injury that looked grass related to me. Maybe it wasn't but it seems like I see fewer knee injuries since many facilities went to the new and improved field turf.

[Eagleborn]

Does Spring Hill have any plans for turf? Aren't they they last in that district to have grass?

They are the only in distict to have grass... Funny.. I was gonna mention this the other day..

 

Somewhere on here there was a topic about SH getting turf or not getting turf.. I cant remember..

[bulldogbacker]

I sure would like to see Big Sandy become the first 1A to get turf....are there any 1A schools with turf?? I am sure the cost is going down. "Lovie Smith Field" has a good ring to it!

[wildcatphs]

Palestine's getting turf next season.

[REL1978]

If you are putting in a new field it is a no brainer. It is cheaper over the long run than sodding a new field, installing a sprinkler system and maintanance. With an existing field you might be surprised at how much money you spend on water, fertilizer, top dressing, painting lines, mowing, rye in the winter if you play soccer, fixing the sprinkler system etc. A nice grass field is like a golf fairway, it takes a lot of work. The upfront expense of turf is high but most schools are finding it pays for itself over the life of the turf. Plus it is ok to practice on, band and football and play all your sub-varsity games on without tearing it up. Some new schools are even going with turf practice fields to save money.

[BigdaddyV]

would have thought them springhill panthers would have had turf.

[yeahyeahyeah]

I sure would like to see Big Sandy become the first 1A to get turf....are there any 1A schools with turf?? I am sure the cost is going down. "Lovie Smith Field" has a good ring to it!

 

 

Mart has turf. It looks like turf on the pic I seen.

[Valhalla]

I personally never cared for playing on turf. Playing in the rain and mud is part of what makes football great.

[ComBat]

Rumor is he J-ville will get turf when Lon Morris starts playing ball.

[micotrav]

I personally never cared for playing on turf. Playing in the rain and mud is part of what makes football great.

We have turf on our new field and it is really great and the savings are enormous over the years. The costs are coming down to where school districts can afford the investment. However, I am like you when it comes to playing the game. I never had the opportunity to play on turf, so my opinion is one sided. But playing on a solid grass field in dry conditions or muddy,snow or ice is really what the game was meant to be played on. Not until many, many years after the Houston Astrodome introduced Astro-Turf, did any college or professionl team follow their lead. The cost was just to large for anyone to justify. But I do like to watch games on both fields. I hope there are always plenty of grass fields at all levels to keep the game as it has always been.

[GoBigBlue]

I had this conversation with a well thought of 3A school supt. this past Friday. He said it would take 16 years to justify the cost of the turf field over grass. In those 16 years it was his understanding that you would have to replace the rug part of it and that cost was not included in the amortiztion of it.

[WestwoodPantherPride]

We have turf on our new field and it is really great and the savings are enormous over the years. The costs are coming down to where school districts can afford the investment. However, I am like you when it comes to playing the game. I never had the opportunity to play on turf, so my opinion is one sided. But playing on a solid grass field in dry conditions or muddy,snow or ice is really what the game was meant to be played on. Not until many, many years after the Houston Astrodome introduced Astro-Turf, did any college or professionl team follow their lead. The cost was just to large for anyone to justify. But I do like to watch games on both fields. I hope there are always plenty of grass fields at all levels to keep the game as it has always been.

 

I also prefer the real thing over artificial turf. You are playing the game outside, you might as well play it on real grass, how it was intended. So what if it's a little muddy or slick, it's affecting both teams equally. Especially at the high school level, I have never liked the idea of artificial playing surfaces.

 

I can understand the money side of it, if artificial turf is indeed as "affordable" as some try and make it sound, but I still don't like it. LOL

[purplemonkeydishwasher]

If you are putting in a new field it is a no brainer. It is cheaper over the long run than sodding a new field, installing a sprinkler system and maintanance. With an existing field you might be surprised at how much money you spend on water, fertilizer, top dressing, painting lines, mowing, rye in the winter if you play soccer, fixing the sprinkler system etc. A nice grass field is like a golf fairway, it takes a lot of work. The upfront expense of turf is high but most schools are finding it pays for itself over the life of the turf. Plus it is ok to practice on, band and football and play all your sub-varsity games on without tearing it up. Some new schools are even going with turf practice fields to save money.

 

 

Although this is all very true, the average turf field runs around 750,000.......and up. Some of these small schools might not have the money or the community support (Taxpayers) to poney up the money for a team that might not even win many games. Those taxpayers dont look at potential injuries and all the things you mentioned. They just see it as a million dollar investment for a program that might not be producing.

 

Just a thought

[trueblue82]

Although this is all very true, the average turf field runs around 750,000.......and up. Some of these small schools might not have the money or the community support (Taxpayers) to poney up the money for a team that might not even win many games. Those taxpayers dont look at potential injuries and all the things you mentioned. They just see it as a million dollar investment for a program that might not be producing.

 

Just a thought

 

You are so right. I can just imagine the howls you would hear in some small towns if the school spent that kind of money on a football field. Even in a district like Joaquin or Tenaha where we are building new educational facilities, an extra million for a football stadium would probably get a bond issue shot down.

[realcoach25]

You are so right. I can just imagine the howls you would hear in some small towns if the school spent that kind of money on a football field. Even in a district like Joaquin or Tenaha where we are building new educational facilities, an extra million for a football stadium would probably get a bond issue shot down.

 

We just put in a new stadium with field turf and it is really nice. Any school that can come up with the money to put in a good turf field will see that it improves the image of the entire football program. Kids really enjoy playing on it, especially with the type o inclement weather we have experienced lately. While I don't have any numbers to support this, there is some evidence that the new field turfs are helping to reduce field-surface related injuries. Maintenance savings should not be the only consideration used in making the decision.

 

On the othr hand, Texas High still has one the most immaculate grass fields in NE Texas at Grim Park. They maintain it like a golf course green.

[bordertown]

We have turf on our new field and it is really great and the savings are enormous over the years.

 

I am not sure I believe that statement. What is the cost of a turf field and what is the expected life of the field?

 

This is the argument that is always made for a turf field. The following is a link to a University of Arkansas Study:

 

University of Arkansas Study

 

What is interesting is a synthetic turf field needs to be replace every 10 years. What do you do with the material? I suspect schools will find it will be expensive to dispose.

 

Texarkana has had over 70 inches of rain almost twice the average to date. 2009 is going to be a top 2% year in terms of rain. This fall is the exception, not the rule in northeast Texas. If I was in Beaumont I might think differently.

 

Vote God's green grass.

[sftballdad]

This reminds me of an option you can do on a grass field over a turf. I remember once overhearing someone talking about the home team didn't have much speed and they were going to play someone with lots of speed, so they didn't mow that week to leave the grass taller to slow down the other team. I don't know if it really works but it makes me laugh thinking about it.

[warbird482]

I had this conversation with a well thought of 3A school supt. this past Friday. He said it would take 16 years to justify the cost of the turf field over grass. In those 16 years it was his understanding that you would have to replace the rug part of it and that cost was not included in the amortiztion of it.

 

Canton has turf, and IMO is one of the smartest investments we have made in a long time. No mud and it just makes the stadium look great.

[RideUmRough07]

what about revenue generated from hosting playoff games and what not?? I'm sure there will always be towns that choose to maintain a grass field because like it has been stated here, playing in the weather is part of the game, it is one of those things that just makes for a good football story. And lets all be honest, most of us have a memorable moment (good or bad) while playing in the pouring down rain or snow or some other type of weather condition.

 

 

That being said, there is nothing like playing on a turf field. I always enjoyed playing on an artificial surface. I guess its just how nice the field is it just makes you feel like your playing in a big time game or something.

[bulldogbacker]

the average turf field runs around 750,000.......and up. Some of these small schools might not have the money or the community support (Taxpayers) to poney up the money for a team that might not even win many games.

 

I heard that just the field turf would only be around $250,000. Our stadium in Big Sandy is already curbed and fitted for the field turf the last time our track was redone....so a company would only have to come in scrape, prep, and roll it out....sounds easy, but I am sure it is not.

[Hayseed]

Even us "die-hard" natural grass folks are seeing the benefits this year.

Canton has turf, and IMO is one of the smartest investments we have made in a long time. No mud and it just makes the stadium look great.

[BSOTA]

I sure would like to see Big Sandy become the first 1A to get turf....are there any 1A schools with turf?? I am sure the cost is going down. "Lovie Smith Field" has a good ring to it!

 

 

Canadian is playing their 3rd season on their turf field. I also know Mart plays on turf. We are the only school in our district to have turf. My avatar is a picture of Wildcat Stadium in Canadian.