(BRYAN, Texas) - Bryan
and Rudder High School have now joined the trend of schools converting to
AstroTurf sports fields.
Bryan High School, in addition to a new track, has added an
all new AstroTurf field at Merrill Green Stadium. Rudder High School, which is also in the
Bryan Independent School District (ISD) has added a 65-yard AstroTurf practice
field.
“We were one of the last to convert from natural grass,”
said Bryan ISD Athletic Director Harry Francis.
“With AstroTurf, we will get more bang for our buck because we will be
able to accommodate more kids and more activities. We will also be in line to host more playoff
games in football.”
The decision to convert was made after a great deal of
research, according to Francis.
Burnside Construction strongly recommended AstroTurf.
“We’ve done a lot of work with Burnside,” said Francis. “They are very reputable and with us they
have always on-task when it comes to project management and they don’t cut
corners. They’ve done a number of high
school and collegiate fields, so when they recommended AstroTurf, that meant a
lot.”
Francis also cited AstroTurf installations at Texas A&M,
Allen Academy, and Brenham High School as playing a role in the decision-making
process.
Francis cited a multitude of positives resulting from
installation of the two fields.
“We can be on the field every day,” he said. “This is Texas, and when you consider the
weather, your time on a field can be affected.
It’s not always heat. We’ve had a
lot of rain this year.”
Francis said sports teams at the school would benefit, both
during the season and in the off-season as a training tool. He also said the band and other fine arts
groups would benefit from use of the fields.
“These fields have created an edge of excitement,” he
said. “It provides momentum for our
programs and the possibility to generate additional revenue. This jumps us back up in the playoff business
because we have an 11,000 seat stadium and we’re a mid-point for smaller school
districts and communities such as Austin and Houston.”
“There is nothing like Texas when it comes to high school
sports,” said Chad Feris, AstroTurf Regional Sales Manager. “These are great facilities and we are
looking forward to watching the programs at Bryan and Rudder grow over these
next few years.”
The make-up
of the AstroTurf system stands out. This
surface features the Horseshoe fiber.
This fiber is enjoying unprecedented success in the sports field
marketplace, due to factors such as its unique shape. The fiber’s horseshoe shape features two end
columns with a thicker diameter. The
design imparts mechanical memory so that the fiber remains upright longer,
unlike other fields whose fibers quickly flatten and split or shred at the
spine. The Horseshoe fiber continues to
spring back to its original configuration, even after years of heavy foot
traffic or exposure to ultra-violet radiation.
The
Horseshoe fiber is in use on fields in Texas at places like Brenham and
Muleshoe. It’s also featured prominently
at Kansas State University and with the Tampa Bay Rays. Boston College is set to unveil its new
field, made from the Horseshoe fiber, this fall.
The field
also a face weight of 60 ounces of fiber per square yard, the highest in the
industry. This adds to the durability
provided by the fiber shape.
The
Horseshoe fiber’s shape also allows it to reflect light and heat away from the
surface. That, in combination with
AstroFlect heat reduction technology, can lower surface temperatures by as much
as 18%.
The field
also has RootZone, a thatch layer which holds the sand and rubber infill in
place for less splash and migration, making for a more consistent playing
surface.
From a
maintenance standpoint, the field will require periodic grooming, but
maintenance efforts are greatly reduced.
This will be vitally important as it related to the amount of use the
new field will get, but will not require the maintenance required by a grass
field to accommodate this level of use.
Francis has
estimated annual field upkeep costs for grass fields in the district at
$25,000. He figures maintenance on the
new AstroTurf surfaces to be around $3,000.
Regarding safety, a study at Michigan State University, funded
by NFL Charities, found that AstroTurf GameDay Grass systems had performance
values more like natural grass than any other synthetic product measured,
making it the safest option. In extensive
testing, the Horseshoe fiber performs most like natural grass from ball roll,
to slide resistance, to the biomechanical function of cleats penetrating and
releasing properly.
From an
aesthetics standpoint, the fields look amazing.
Making it even better is the fact that the football lines and logos are
prefabricated and manufactured as part of the field, so the look is consistent.
There are
a couple of added benefits. One is the environment. In 2010, BASF did a study comparing AstroTurf
fields to natural grass fields. In 11
environmental categories, AstroTurf had a lower environmental footprint than
natural grass. Factors contributing to
this include reduced maintenance and mowing, which cause a variety of
emissions. Other factors include
elimination of fertilizers and pesticides, as well as the need for water. AstroTurf fields also use soy-based polyols
in the backing of products, reducing their dependence on foreign oil.
From an
economic standpoint, over 20 years, AstroTurf fields are, on average, 15% less
expensive than natural grass fields, even when the cost of turf replacement is
considered.
Finally,
the biggest benefit seen by the most people will be the performance of the teams
at Bryan and Rudder.
