Turf fields have been increasingly popular for sports across the world. Compared to grass fields, there are many advantages; however, there are flaws in artificial grass as well.
Installing a turf field here at Sutton has been a topic of discussion for years. Sutton High School has many successful sports teams, so you would think it would be a no-brainer, right?
At Sutton, our soccer and football teams share a field, which sounds practical until it rains and the studs on players’ cleats dig up the field. As a result, the playing surface is too muddy and unsafe to play on, forcing our school to pay for the rental of turf fields elsewhere.
Turf fields are designed to withstand harsh conditions, perfect for New England’s unpredictable weather, which makes turf more durable than regular grass. Turf is a consistent playing surface, unlike grass, and there will be no divots or random uneven patches, reducing the risk of injury. Turf fields require much less maintenance. So, there is no need for watering, fertilizing, painting lines for fields, or mowing. In the long run, the cost of the maintenance for grass adds up and can be expensive.
On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of turf fields. As previously mentioned, they are costly to install, and eventually, they will need to be replaced or repaired, which will also be very expensive. On hot sunny days, you will often hear players say, “My feet are burning.” This is because artificial grass cannot regulate its temperature through water transpiration like grass does and this explains why turf gets significantly hotter than grass. Turf can get up to 40-70 degrees hotter than the surrounding air, making playing conditions unbearable and miserable.
Turf fields are also much firmer than grass, which can increase the risk of impact injuries because of the strain on your joints.
Another factor to take into consideration is the environmental concerns. The synthetic materials used to create the fields can contribute to pollution. Furthermore, some of these synthetic materials contain an unsafe amount of chemicals which makes it very dangerous if any of the particles are accidentally ingested.
What do professional players think of this ongoing turf vs. grass battle? According to the NFLPA (National Football League Players Association), 92% of players prefer playing on high-quality grass compared to turf. This is understandable; however, the high school grass fields could be described as “so-so” or “moderate” instead of “high-quality.”
I surveyed Sutton High School students in an optional survey. I asked, “What would you rather have at Sutton?” Option one was “a new turf field,” and option two was “a nicer grass field.” Of the students who participated in the survey, 74.2% would choose a new turf field over a better grass field. Do high school athletes enjoy playing on turf, or do they prefer it because they don’t have access to high-quality grass fields?
If you live in New England, you probably about Fenway Park. As it is the Boston Red Sox home field, countless games get played there. Fenway also hosts many events like concerts. With all the use of the field, you would think it would be roughed up, right? However, this isn’t the case. Thanks to the extensive ground crew constantly working to keep the field aesthetically pleasing and in good shape for these games and events.
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Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, used to have a grass surface, but it wore down quickly.
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Gillette Stadium converted to turf several years ago after a game where the conditions were so poor it cost the Patriots a game.
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Our field is in good shape at the beginning of the season because it is fresh and has been taken care of in preparation for the long fall sports seasons. Perhaps if the school put more money into constant maintenance throughout the season, it could prolong the usage for more than a month or two. Although this may be more expensive, it would cost a lot less than installing a turf field or adding up the cost of rental fields.
I spoke with Sutton High School athletic director Mr. Friedman. I learned that the cost is the main issue with putting in a turf field. To build a turf field, there needs to be an agreement with the school, the town, and the taxpayers, which has not occurred. There have been plans drawn, and conversations for a new athletic field at Shaw Farm, which is only three minutes away from Sutton Public Schools. This could be a good solution as Shaw Farm has much more room available than on school property. However, none of these plans have made it past the planning stages.
As an athlete, it’s hard not to be biased. I’ve played high school soccer for four years. Sometimes the fields are great, and sometimes they are not so great. Would you rather pay money for a field that is low maintenance but costly to install, or pay the expenses for a high-maintenance field? It’s honestly up to the taxpayers.
