Sports Field Maintenance
Coaches may be more concerned with injuries, personnel problems, and opponents rather than the condition of their playing turf. However, this may be detrimental to their athletes.
An acceptable playing field should be resilient, uniform, and wear-resistant. It should be soft enough to prevent cuts when players fall, yet firm enough to allow for good footing.
Recent reports show that as many as half of the serious knee and ankle injuries are related to poor field maintenance, such as:
- poor grass cover
- rough surfaces
- slick, muddy conditions
Fields that are mowed regularly, fertilized properly, and watered on a timely basis tend to stand up to normal use.
Improving the Playing Surface
If the field is hard due to poor soil conditions or even heavy use, you may want to aerate to help the problem. A hollow-spoon aerator will reduce soil compaction, increase water penetration, and promote grass recovery.
- For best results, you need to aerate fields when the soil is moist, not wet, for maximum penetration.
- After you complete the aeration, drag the field with a heavy mat to break up the soil and smooth the surface.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-2. _____ of serious knee and ankle injuries are related to poor field maintenance.
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