FiElD SCIENCE

I) vcr the years questions haverisen about the advantagesof soil conditioners forsports field construction

and maintenance. Experts in the professionknow first hand the importance of using them.Roger Bossard, head groundskeeper for theChicago White Sox says, "There are two mainfactors in the success of maintaining any sportsfield. First the field must be constructed proper-ly. Making the right decisions on building tools,turf, dminage systems, etc is key_ Second, thatafter construction the field is properly cared forand maintained. Soil conditioners are a majorpart of bath construction and maintenance"

Soil conditioners made from calcined mont-morillonite clay arc used to manage moisture,reduce compaction, and increase drainage on

24 February 2008

your sports field. They can be used duringconstruction on the turf areas of your fieldto improve rootzone growth and also on theskinned areas of your baseball or softball field toenhance footing.

This technology was first introduced for useon major league baseball fields in the 1960s.

Then head grounds keeper for the WhiteSox, Gene Bossard, used this emerging technol-ogy to give his team the home advantage. Geneperfected the usc of soil conditioners on hisfield to maintain its health and beauty and alsolearned how they could improve footing on theinfield for the team,

Gene Bossard regularly incorporated soilconditioners into the maintenance of his fieldand has been heralded as a pioneer in using thistechnology. Roger, Gene's son, learned from

his father about the importance of using soilconditioners. A2, an expert in his field, Bossardteaches others about field maintenance andshares his love for the job with up and cominggroundskeepers.

Understanding the concept of how a soilconditioner works and its use is not rocketscience. Calcined montmorillonite clays thatmake up the best soil conditioners are processedto a certain hardness or ceramic-like material.When incorporated into the soil the condition-er creates spaces so the roots grow deeper thustoughening up your grass. As a footing for theskinned areas of your ball field, soil conditionersabsorb excess water because of their capacity tosuck up moisture; they also help with traction asan athlete is running.

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Not just for MLBBossard says, "\Vhen we start a project,

our approach revolves around three consid-erations. These concepts don't just workat the Major League level. If anything,they're even more important to consider onmunicipal and academic projects."

• Never forget the purpose of the tle1d-athletics. The decisions you make will affectits ability to be available on game day.Games that have to be rescheduled orcancelled cost money. Inadequate turf andlnflelds can also cause poor playing condi-tions, which can lead to injury.

• Common sense goes a long way in design-ing a field. Keep it simple. Once it's built,someone is going to have to take care of it.Your success depends on the decisions youmake. In Seattle, the team spent 3 yearsfinding a grass that would proliferate in the

Pacific Northwest climate, under a retract-able dome, none-the-less.

FiElD SCIENCE

• The uriginal design concept must not onlykeep the construction budget in mind, butthe maintenance budget as well. Even thebest designs will suffer if you can't afford totake care of them .

Professor Henry Wilkinson, an expert indesigning, building and maintaining naturalgrass sports fields, has completed years ofresearch proving the heriefits of soil condi-tioners. "If you want to create the perfectmedium for playing hall, you have to do yourhomework," says Wilkinson. "Understandingthe type of soil yOIlhave, sand or clay based,will help determine how a soil conditionercan optimize the conditioning and moisturemanagement effects on your field."

Soil conditioners are super-heated or cal-cined to create stable granules that are

.1IiOWldehiuihln fii ""'"provides excellent plck-up on aD surface'$, inclllding ~artific;iol turf and granular rubber peDets.

. A wear-resistant, rep!ac;eable blower housing liner and directhydl'aU1ic drives help reduce maintenanc;e <:O$tS.

. PrO- and gps engine-powered models let you tow with anytractor or utfIlty vehicle while wireless remote control putsmanagement In the operator's seat.

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SportsTurf 25

FIELD SCIENCEdurable and don't break down into dust. Find a granular size dis-tribution that best meets your needs and your budget. For yourturf areas, a hard, irregular-shaped soil conditioner will give youthe best performance.

"For the infield, 1 recommend choosing one with the reddestcolor and the least dust," says Bossard.

\Vhen it comes to maintaining the field there arc a fewthings to consider. "In baseball it's important to remember,"says Bossard, "70% of the action takes place on the infield, sothat's where your resources should be focused. Don't forget theturf though, proper maintenance will prevent more expensiverepairs down the road."

• Every grounds keeper should know his or her athletes' wan tsand needs. In the Major Leagues, that means making surethat the franchise players have conditions that optimize theirtalents. At other levels you need to ensure the field is safe andready when needed.

• You should choose the best base clay and soil conditioner that fitsyour needs. Of all the soil structures out there, only about 10% areeven suitable for a baseball field. You have to find what's best foryour situation.

• Make sure your drainage options meet your needs. The numberand placement of your watering heads is critical to good irrigation .Your clay should be moist to a depth of 112-3/4" at game time. Ofcourse, weather factors like wind and humidity will playa role inthe amount of water needed.

(AerWar)AerWay~ ventingtines can be used allseason to keep thesoil surface open.Water and nutrientapplications aremore efficientbecause they areabsorbed immediate-ly into the soilprofile.

10, more information 0011 1-800-457-8310

Advanced Aeration Systemswww.aerwav.c om cmaf l: ac rwavte acr .. ay.com

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• Find a knowledgeable/skilled ground-skeeper for guidance. There are many goodresources and a pool of knowledge outthere to help you. The best resources areoften other grounds keepers. "The best wayfor a new groundskeeper to learn aboutfield maintenance is to actually do it. Inthis business, hands-on experience is thebest way to learn," says Bossard.

The skinned areas of the Held are mostimportant to the player. "If there is a badhop you just cringe and you never want tosee it. It happens though," says Bossard."The biggest pressure moments are whenyou are in the playoffs. God forbid youhave two outs, you're winning by a runand someone hits a ground ball and ittakes a bad hop and you lose the WorldSeries. Trust me when I tell you that everygroundskeeper is concerned about how thefield plays. Soil conditioners make the dif-ference.

"As the person responsible for my team'ssafety and comfort on the field, 1 am veryconscience and selective about the product>I use," says Bossard. "Every groundskeeper,no matter at what level of play, should bejust as aware of their field. Going to schooland learning from a book is a plus but the

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FIELD SCIENCE

A GRANULARDISTRIBUTIONBEST MEETS

YOUR NEEDS ANDYOUR BUDGET.

FINDSIZETHAT

most important part is going out on the field andlearning it hands-on,"

Pro's Choice Sports field products sponsors localfield day programs that provide you hands-on expe-rience to learn about proper field construction andmaintenance of baseball and softball fields. Pro'sChoice Field Days brings expert knowledge to thelocal level. You'll have professional groundskeepers atyour disposal to ask questions that pertain directly toyour field and your problems. This one-day programis an excellent opportunity to network with ground-skeepers in your immediate area and work withknowledgeable people. •

This article was provided by Pro's Choice sportJjie!d prod-ucts, www.proschoice1.com.

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SportsTurf 27

FIELD SCIENCE

-' , charti.ng system developed.. to assist sport turf manag-

ers, the Field Wear Index.... (FVVI), enables better

visualization and trackingof the amount of activity occurring on yoursport fields. It will permit you to assess theimpact these activities will have on their fieldand allow them to prescribe a level of main-tenance that is appropriate for the amount ofdamage that is occurring on the field.

Some activities have greater impacts onsport fields than others. For instance, foot-ball is harder on a sport field chen baseball.Activities where the players arc allowed to

wear cleats have a greater negative impact onan athletic field than activities where the play-ers do not wear cleats. When play takes placeduring or just after a rain storm the negativeimpact on an athletic field is multiplied.

An activity that is allowed to take placeon a sports field before and/or after the turfis dormant greatly compounds the damage tothe field because the turf has stopped growingand the grass cannot out grow the injury doneto the Reid. An activity with 300 participantshas a greater negative impact on a sports fieldthan the same activity with only 100 par-ticipants. Damage can also occur because ofnon-sporting uses, for example, a field used asa parking lot or holding a concert on a field.

28 February 2008

To compensate for the impact each event hason an athletic field we assign each activity amultiplier.

Here is an example of how multipliers areused: You have an intramural soccer game

on a field lasting for 1 hour. The impact thatthis game will have on the field is equivalentto people standing and walking on the fieldfar 2 haurs.lfyau have three I-hour gamesan the field the impact of those three games

This is a list of the activities that take place on BYU'sathletic fieldsand the assigned multipliers for each event:

Multiplier1

1.251.5

1.5

1.7522

2.252.252.252.252.5

2.52.5

2.752.75

33.253.75

4

ActivityWalking and/or standing on a fieldBaseball and/or softballParked carsSport camp: baseball/softballMarching band practiceSoccer w/o cleats (Intramurals)Ultimate FrisbeeField hockeyFootball w/o cleats (flag football)LacrosseSoccer w/c1eats & team practicesRugbySport camp: lacrosse and team practicesTournamentsFootball w/cleats (College Football)Sport camp: soccerSport camp: footballFootball team practiceActivity before/after turf dormancyActivity during/after rain

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on the field is equivalent to people standingand walking on the field for 6 hour"

The above multipliers are for sandy loamor sand-based fields. For a heavy loam ornative soil sports field add 0.5 to the abovemultiplier. Each activity will have an areawhere the impact of thc activity will be moreintense than in other areas on the field, whatI call "focus areas."

Walking and/or standing on a field:This isthe base line multiplier.

Baseball/softball: There is localized activ-ity in the outfield, where the outfielders stand,however, most of the activity takes place onthe skinned area and on the infield grass.Youwill alsohave wear in front of the dugouts andin the coach'sboxes.This does not include thecare needed for the skinned area.

Field used as a parking lot: Extreme wearwill become evident in the area between the

parking rows.The paths to the exit gates willalso receive excessivewear. If a car acceleratestoo fast or the driver spins out on purposesome turf will be lost due to peel out. If thefield is wet this multiplier must be raised.

Soccer: A continuous motion game andsome wear can take place anywhere on thefield. Extra wear will take place at the goalmouths, the corner kick areas, in the centerarea, and along the sidelines were the teamsstand and a referee runs up and down.

Ultimate Frisbee: A continuous motiongame. The play takes place all over the field.Wear areas can be at the goal line" also usedas the toss-off lines, and along the sidelineswhere the penalty and team boxes arc andwhere a referee runs.

Field Hockey: A continuous motion game,however, you will have excessive wear areasin the goal mouth areas and in the shooting

circle area.Hockey sticks have the potential totake out divots as the players hit the ball.

Football: Damage caused in between thehash marks and near the goal line. Wear willalso OCCUI along the sidelineswhere the teamsand other spectators stand, If the games arctelevised you will also have damage from thecamera cart moving up and down the field.

Lacrosse: A continuous motion game.Excessive wear will occur at the goal mouthsin the attack/defense areas,along the sidelineswhere the referee runs and around the inteam's bench area.

Rugby: A continual motion game. Playwill move all over and damage can occur any-where on the field. Additional wear will takeplace along the side lines where the teams sitand a referee runs. The serum can take placeanywhere on the field where a tackle is made.A serum can be very damaging to turf.

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www.stma.org SportsTurf 29

FIELD SCIENCETeam practices: Will cause wear 011 specific areas of the field

where the players do drills in the same areas repeatedly. Another areais around the goal area where the team will repeatedly practice playsstarting from the same spot and working toward the goal.

Turf dormancy: After the turf has gone dormant any damage doneon the field is compounded. The turf cannot outgrow the damageinflicted.

Rain: Damage done by play during or just after rain can causesevere surface disruption in a surprisingly short period of time.

Any activity such as a sport camp or tournament play will increasethe activity multiplier because of the number of participants that areinvolved in the event. For example, 300 people using a field will havea greater impact than 100 people using the same field. Other consid-

erations you should include beside the length of the activity are setupand take down for the event.

How can we use this information?

Calculating the AdjustedWear Index Value (AWIV)A 4-hour college football game calculation would look likc this:

Activity Lcngth of Activity Multiplier AWIVFootball (college) 4 Hours 2.75 11

Multiply the length of the event by the multiplier to get the A\iV1V.

Y e " r

-1.--<.......-,.IF ie I d : -I

~Fie I d T Y P e :

::J fie I d s q F l.

o fie Id Co.

~

Level 1 - Light M aintenanee

Level 2 . Light 10 Medium M aintenence

Below 250

250_300

Level 3 - Medium M ainlenenee

Level 4 . Medium 10 Heavy Maintenance

300-350

351·400

400-450LevelS· Heavy M einlenence

'level 6 - Renovation-- --- 451 +

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Now that we know the basic principlesbehind how the F'vVlworks,we need to trans-form the results into information we can use.

Step 1: 1 apply this information during thewinter. Before the growing season starts I sitdown and record the various events that willtake place on a Held for the year.You can useyour past records for when sports are sched-uled to be played, when team practices will beheld and so on. 1 record all of this informationon a preseason FVVIyearly log (see Figure 1).

Use one sheet for each of the fields youplan to track the activities on. Figure Out theA\VIV for each event and then add the lastcolumn to get a yearly A\V1V at the bottom.You can also chart the A\V1V by the monthif you wish. Next, compare your yearly AVlIVwith the activity rating at the bottom of theform. This number will prescribe the amountof maintenance you should be doing to keepyour field in a healthy condition. Each of

these maintenance levels will be discussed infurther detail shortly.

Step 2: During the course of the growingseason 1 keep a F\VI monthly log sheet forever activity that takes place on the field andfor every month during the growing season. Jkeep a mnning total of the monthly A\iVIVand compare this number with the number Jcalculated on my preseason FVVIyearly log,using the monthly breakdown I calculated. Ifthe A\V1V number is higher than the A\NIVnumber on the preseason log sheet] can adjustthe level of maintenance upward to anticipatethe increased use of the fleld.I can also adjustthe level of maintenance downward if thenumbers show a decrease in field usc.

As you use this system year after year thecalculating of the preseason FVVlyearly logbecomes easier because you have the FVVlmonthly log sheet from the previous year touse. Ifyou put the preseason FWI yearly logs

and the FVVImonthly log sheets in a spread-sheet program the calculations are mucheasier to do.

It becomes quite easy to adjust your main-terrance progrum swiftly using the F\VI.

Activity ratingThe activity rare shows what maintenance

is prescribe for your calculated A\NIV value.The maintenance schedule is as follows:

Level 1: Light maintenance; equal to orless than 250 A\VIV a year. Perform one ortwo hollow core aerations a year.

Level 2; Light to medium maintenance:251-300 A\VIV a year. Perform between twoand four hollow core aerations a year and onetopdressing a year.

Level 3: Medium maintenance: 301-350A'vVIV a year. Perform hollow core aerationonce a month, one deep rine aeration a year,onetopdressinga year,and one overseedinga year.

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SportsTurf 31

FIELD SCIENCE

Level 4: Medium to heavy maintenance:351-400 A\VIV a year. Perform hollow coreaerations once a month, two deep tine aera-rions a year, t\'VO top-dressings a year, and twoor less over-seeding a year.

Level 5: Heavy maintenance 401-450AVVIV a year. Perform hollow core aerationsonce a month, two or morc deep tine aera-tions a year, or one deep tine aeration and onedeep hollow tine aeration a year, two or moretopdressings a year, two to four over-seedinga year, and field repairs, for instance, pluggingor minor sod repair.

Level 6: Renovation more than 451 AWlVa year. Perform hollow core aeration once amonth, two or more deep tine aeration a year,or one or more deep tine aeration and one ormore deep hollow tine aeration a year, two ormore top-dressings a year, overseeding oncea month, and major Held repairs by pluggingand sodding large areas of the Held.

The numerical ranges of the activity rating

32 February 2008

are for Kentucky bluegrass. Use the speciesmodifier if you have a different species ofgrass on your fields.

Species MultiplierKentucky bluegrassPerennial ryegrassBerrnudagrass

11.251.5

Use this multiplier to adjust the numericalrange of the activity rating.

Some things you should remember: Notall fields are created equal, and each field isunique in its character. The impact an activ-ity will can have on a field with a heavy claynative soil rootzonc will be different than afield that has a sand-based rootzone. Be awareof the characteristics of each of the fields youmange. The Index gives you detailed informa-tion of the wear taking place on your fields, byactivity; this will allow you to plan an appro-

priate maintenance regiment. This Index'sinformation can also be used to calculate amaintenance budget for your fields.

The important thing to remember is tobe proactive; the F\VI should not be used asa replacement for walking your fields daily.On the contrary, the F\VI is more effectivewhen you do walk your fields daily. Use theindex as another tool in your turf manage-ment tool box .•

David Schlotthauerisathletic field man-ager for BrighamYoung University inProvo, UT He canbe reached at dbs4@b)'U.edu.

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