Turf V Grass

[bigdaddyg]

I guess the bottom line is how many leg injuries have we had in our program over the past 10 years or so that might be attributed to turf? It's probably really hard to determine. Has App had more serious lower body injuries than other programs? Have peer programs whose team plays a majority of their games on grass had less serious injuries?

[appdaze]

I guess the bottom line is how many leg injuries have we had in our program over the past 10 years or so that might be attributed to turf? It's probably really hard to determine. Has App had more serious lower body injuries than other programs? Have peer programs whose team plays a majority of their games on grass had less serious injuries?

The general idea of all of this isn't to look at any one particular program or field, but all programs and all fields. Just trying to look at App isn't a significant enough amount of data. Statistically we could get lucky and our players have never had an injury solely due to our turf field. If you widen the data to include all SBC or all ACC or all of the NCAA then you can get a clearer picture of the impact. The article they reference in the beginning said that turf was causing 28% more lower injuries of what looked like all NFL teams, (that could be wrong but that was my take). I think there is enough data over the last couple decades now to prove that turf causes more injuries than grass. Like others have said though, it comes down to money, and we all know money wins in the end. Donate to Yosef.

We could have a grass field at App, but yes it would take a lot of work and would mean that no one uses that field unless its the football team on game days or walk-throughs.

Here is a good breakdown of the synthetic turf system. Pictures included for any stink fans reading.
https://themotzgroup.com/sport_blog/syn ... %20granite.

[CornCobPipes]

I haven't read all the comments so yet to see if anyone posted a link or any sort of statiscal breakdowns on this. But my first thought is very few venues have grass anymore for a thorough comparison. Even many high schools are using some form of field turf these days.

[appdaze]

It doesn't take much searching to find the numbers don't look good. Again though, safety doesn't matter, money does.


https://www.uhhospitals.org/for-clinici ... ural-grass
They found athletes were 58 percent more likely to sustain an injury during athletic activity on artificial turf.

https://nflpa.com/posts/only-natural-gr ... ying-field
Of those non-contact injuries, players have a 32% higher rate of non-contact knee injuries on turf and a staggering 69% higher rate of non-contact foot/ankle injuries on turf compared to grass.

https://globalsportmatters.com/health/2 ... e-is-best/

[NewApp]

I haven't read all the comments so yet to see if anyone posted a link or any sort of statiscal breakdowns on this. But my first thought is very few venues have grass anymore for a thorough comparison. Even many high schools are using some form of field turf these days.

In Knoxville, TN, a large majority of football fields, soccer fields, as well as baseball fields are artificial turf. That's high school, middle school as well as recreational fields.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

AppStateNews...and I might add, tons of cheap labor available year round and I hope we don't have that.

Should we seek out the most expensive labor, or are you trying to say something else?

Trying to say everyone, even college students need a living wage. Just don't feel we could afford that. Now if all we had to pay was college students' beer money and let Mom and Dad, scholarships, and college loans pay all the other expenses, then yes.

I probably would have helped maintain the grounds for beer money and unlimited swipes at Trivette while I was in school haha.

And how straight would the lines have been after using your beer money?

Depends on when you ask me. If it were after using the beer money I would swear up and down they're professional grade lines. Next day, I'd be more than questioning my abilities.

[NewApp]

AppStateNews...and I might add, tons of cheap labor available year round and I hope we don't have that.

Should we seek out the most expensive labor, or are you trying to say something else?

The paid grounds crew at Bowman-Grey back in the day painted a 60 yard line. You trust the average college student to count to 50 and back 5 months a year?

Sober or not? j/k

[Cro-Magnon App]

Our high school field here in upstate SC is an excellent field. Most all of the fields of the opponents that we play on are well-kept. All of our fields are in excellent shape and we keep up 4 fields (football stadium, baseball, softball and soccer - the soccer field doubles as a football practice field) on a $20,000 budget. The field manager is the teacher of a field turf class and the class helps maintain the fields. Irrigation is not included in the budget (the district pays that bill) and most of the equipment was purchased with grants. Budget covers fertilize, chemicals, paint, small equipment, blade sharpening on reel mowers. It’s not that difficult. Some equipment we only need every couple of years we borrow from two local golf courses.

We don’t want turf and our climate is good for grass. The cost and maintenance of turf is higher than most people think. The initial cost is prohibitive for some high schools unless you can manage to get a grant for some of the costs.

My apologies for putting up too much information.

[NewApp]

Please my post about Knoxville TN. They are almost all artificial turf.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Catawba Valley Community College has a turf management program. App does not. We should. We could focus on cold weather turf management and have people from all over the place coming to our program for that specialty.

I assume NCSU and A&T would have something if anyone did in the state. App does have enough of a different winter so putting a program here would be a good fit, just like having something dealing with sandy soils of the coastal plain would be a good program on the east side of the state, especially as a way to attract enrollment at one of the Promise schools like UNC-P or ECSU. I mostly hear of these degree programs at the associate degree level so I don't really know what is out there at the BS or higher level.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

My apologies for putting up too much information.

On a message board there should be a pretty high threshold to require an apology for what seems to be factual information.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

There are some environmental positives from less water usage and less chemicals on the ground but there is a huge environmental impact from disposal of the turf material after it is removed. Disposal impacts should not trump safety but disposal is a point that should be considered.

[BeauFoster]

Catawba Valley Community College has a turf management program. App does not. We should. We could focus on cold weather turf management and have people from all over the place coming to our program for that specialty.

I assume NCSU and A&T would have something if anyone did in the state. App does have enough of a different winter so putting a program here would be a good fit, just like having something dealing with sandy soils of the coastal plain would be a good program on the east side of the state, especially as a way to attract enrollment at one of the Promise schools like UNC-P or ECSU. I mostly hear of these degree programs at the associate degree level so I don't really know what is out there at the BS or higher level.

For sure NCSU does. Years ago at an NCSU-WFU game, I was seated beside some State fans. I asked one of them “Why does State have a natural grass field?” He responded, quite proudly, “we’re a turf management school!” I told him that was not the reason. It was so the NCSU cheerleaders have something to eat during the games.

[NewApp]

Catawba Valley Community College has a turf management program. App does not. We should. We could focus on cold weather turf management and have people from all over the place coming to our program for that specialty.

I assume NCSU and A&T would have something if anyone did in the state. App does have enough of a different winter so putting a program here would be a good fit, just like having something dealing with sandy soils of the coastal plain would be a good program on the east side of the state, especially as a way to attract enrollment at one of the Promise schools like UNC-P or ECSU. I mostly hear of these degree programs at the associate degree level so I don't really know what is out there at the BS or higher level.

For sure NCSU does. Years ago at an NCSU-WFU game, I was seated beside some State fans. I asked one of them “Why does State have a natural grass field?” He responded, quite proudly, “we’re a turf management school!” I told him that was not the reason. It was so the NCSU cheerleaders have something to eat during the games.

There is an advantage in grazing. Don't have to mow, BF.

[Cro-Magnon App]

NC State developed the fertilize for the interstate flower program by creating a process to turn lagoon wastes from hog farms into pelletized fertilizer. Give ‘em credit for that.

[mike87]

Biggest problem with grass at app is the hippies will smoke it all by mid-season leaving only dirt.

[NewApp]

There are some environmental positives from less water usage and less chemicals on the ground but there is a huge environmental impact from disposal of the turf material after it is removed. Disposal impacts should not trump safety but disposal is a point that should be considered.

It may be ground up and recycled. It's basically plastic.

[appdaze]

There are some environmental positives from less water usage and less chemicals on the ground but there is a huge environmental impact from disposal of the turf material after it is removed. Disposal impacts should not trump safety but disposal is a point that should be considered.

It may be ground up and recycled. It's basically plastic.

Almost no plastic is actually recycled at this point.

https://www.npr.org/2022/10/24/11311310 ... ting-worse

[AppWyo]

Kidd Brewer stadium is one of the most utilized fields in the country. Most college football stadiums are only used on game day. Appalachian uses their stadium as their practice field and the marching band practices there too. Remember when Watauga High School played their games there as well as the soccer teams, field hockey, club football, as well as practice as well. Remember when track and field used the stadium too. Remember the pickup games of football played there too.
Artificial turf at app is here to stay, because we utilize our football stadium more that most.

[goapps93]

There are some environmental positives from less water usage and less chemicals on the ground but there is a huge environmental impact from disposal of the turf material after it is removed. Disposal impacts should not trump safety but disposal is a point that should be considered.

It may be ground up and recycled. It's basically plastic.

Almost no plastic is actually recycled at this point.

https://www.npr.org/2022/10/24/11311310 ... ting-worse

“Big Oil” strikes again.