(PRINCETON, New Jersey)
- The Princeton Tigers field hockey team is getting an all-new,
custom-designed synthetic turf surface from AstroTurf.
The previous AstroTurf surface, which served the field
hockey team, as well as the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, is due to be replaced. The lacrosse teams have their own dedicated
infilled field and, through the generosity of Princeton alumni, the field
hockey team will have a dedicated AstroTurf surface designed specifically for
the unique needs of high level field hockey.
The Bedford Field construction is the first step of a phased
construction project which includes new lighting, grandstands for 1,500
spectators, new team rooms, and improved concessions.
“Working with the fiber, coatings, urethane technical team
at AstroTurf, we have created a system which we believe will become the product
that meets the challenge set by the FIH (International Hockey Federation) to
retain water while providing the most consistent surface for play anywhere,”
said Jeff Graydon, Princeton’s Associate Athletic Director for Facilities. “We considered alternate systems and compared
the AstroTurf 12JG with other systems. Our 17-year relationship with AstroTurf convinced
us that they don’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach. They were willing to work with us to meet our
specific needs. This willingness,
coupled with our experience, made AstroTurf the obvious choice for an improved
product at Princeton."
AstroTurf is the preferred system for field hockey teams
around the world. AstroTurf 12 systems were first used in an international field
hockey event in 1975 in Montreal. The
same field hosted the Olympics in 1976.
AstroTurf
surfaces were also used in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and 2008 Olympics in
Beijing. The AstroTurf
12 system has also seen play in the Pan Am games, World Cup and numerous other field
hockey events. The U.S. National team
trains on AstroTurf in Chula Vista, California, and Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Princeton’s
Bedford Field will be lined with metric lines, making Bedford one of the few
fields in the U.S. meeting the FIH metric line standard. This allows Princeton
to host international events of any level.
At the NCAA
level, since AstroTurf was first used for competition, there has never been an
NCAA Division I Championship that was not played on the surface. At the 2011 NCAA Championships, 15 of 16
teams in the field play their home games on AstroTurf.
The Princeton
system, which is tentatively being called AstroTurf 12JG, offers a few
differences designed to maximize performance and playability.
“We wanted to
create a consistent surface that gives the team with the highest skill level the
best opportunity to win,” said Graydon.
“A poor surface is a great equalizer, and a great field provides high
level play with an advantage. That’s
what this new AstroTurf system gives us.”
The biggest
difference in the new system is drainage designed to hold a consistent amount
of water over a longer period while providing fast enough surface drainage to
prevent puddles. Vertical drainage is a
major component of synthetic turf systems, but there is a need to balance that
drainage with a field hockey surface’s need to retain some water as a
hydrophilic system, a key to top-level performance in the sport. In addition, the water retention and drainage
issues must be carefully balanced with sustainability issues.
Graydon worked with
AstroTurf engineers and selected a system with a 3mm urethane backing created
with a uniform pattern of drainage holes.
This allows the field to retain the right amount of water for the best
hydrophilic properties, while still allowing the field to drain.
“I spent time in
the AstroTurf lab with the chemists and manufacturing engineers,” said Graydon. “AstroTurf was extremely responsive in this
effort. Further testing at Princeton defined our retention and drainage goals.”
Princeton worked
with Clark Companies for the installation and base system. The base measures 210’ x 330’ with a clean
stone retaining area of up to 7’ deep, whereas most base systems are 9”-12”
deep. The under drain system and volume
of stone allows 100% of rainwater to be collected by the field, vertically drain
through the turf and elastic layer, and into the stone base. The deep section of the stone base allows
the water to infiltrate back, recharging ground water and eliminating runoff
into the storm water system. The system is designed to retain 100% of the water
of a 100-year rainstorm, exceeding Princeton’s sustainability goal for storm
water management.
The field is also
going to be outfitted with an Underhill water cannon system consisting of eight
heads providing uniform water distribution over the entire playing surface. The cannons will be able to do one pass of
the field in six minutes. In the past,
the water cannon system used as much as 12,000 gallons of water to wet the
field. Now, a single pass of the field
will only use about 1200 gallons. In a
worst-case scenario on a hot day requiring two passes, the cannons will use
less than 2,000 gallons. The cannons also offer a unique control feature. Coach Kristen Holmes-Winn will have a smart
phone application which will allow her to control the water cannons remotely,
without the necessity of being onsite. This is another new technology developed
during the Princeton project. The
Princeton project also saw development of a method of turf placement at the
irrigation heads that will eliminate the tearing often seen with high pressure
retracting sprinklers.
“The new field at
Princeton is a great venue,” said Pam Hixon, hall of fame field hockey coach and
Field Hockey Ambassador for AstroTurf.
“This will be one of the premier fields in the world and Coach
Holmes-Winn will be able to continue to build a championship program on the
finest playing surface available in the sport.”
“Jeff (Graydon)
set up test plots with different turf products” said Holmes-Winn. “Our coaches
and players aggressively evaluated each surface without knowing which was
which. We unanimously chose one product,
which we later learned to be AstroTurf.
It was a totally blind test. The
commitment from Princeton has been awesome.
Jeff Graydon, Gary Walters, team members, and AstroTurf created an
extraordinary combination, all working together to develop a stellar system.”
“We believe this
facility will have the best playing surface, as well as be the most
environmentally friendly venue anywhere,” said Graydon.
Construction of
the new field will be completed prior to the start of the 2012 season.
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