Mark Snider from Columbus Dispatch is curious about Columbus High school in Ohio. Worthington Christian past years has had great success in athletics. Their sports team has played in the state tournament 12 times, winning championships in 2006, '09 and '11 and finishing second three times. Now the school is ready for renovating their sports field with artificial grass.
Columbus school is trying to build a foundation that no one else has done; this project is new to the county, and everyone is excited to start a new sports season. The city and the school's administrators is supporting the renovation of the field and the installation of artificial grass. The projects were suggested by senior runner back and linebacker student, after his injury that cause the parents worry about the fields structure.
Athletic director Kevin Weakley, who was a Columbus basketball player at the school, said that football increased their enrollment that brought the community together. The stadium, which seats only hundreds, is probably too small for football and their increasing student enrolment requires new sports field to play on. The master plan currently includes such improvements as new bleachers, more seating opportunities and improved turf conditions. Because the final plans are still being debated if the artificial grass is the right solution for the field, the Columbus directors will consider player's behavior during the fall semester and incorporate any poignant observations into the master plan.
Artificial grass has been in use for over 40 years that use nylon and other synthetic materials to create a surface that was simple to maintain and could be used for indoor stadiums. Since the beginning, it is praised for durability and minimal expense for upkeep, and artificial turf companies, such as Global Syn-Turf, Inc. have made significant steps to simulate natural grass. Specifically, modern turfs are typical "infill" surfaces. The infill is composed of rubber (crumb rubber) or silica pellets and can be mixed with sand. Mixing in the sand into the infill will simulate the dirt in between the blades of natural grass. This gives the field a more "grass-like" feel than traditional artificial turf. Examples include Trainers Turf, Emerald Series, and Putting Greens and Tee Lines fields have monofilament or fibrillated fibers that attempt to replicate blades of grass. They have different weights and heights, depending on the manufacturer and specific surface for which the turf was designed.
There are a couple of reasons why sports industry turns attention into synthetic turf solutions. Many schools know that maintaining sports fields are costly, but it is not just about excessive maintenance. Sports protection programs for teams or leagues can be overwhelming making the safety of athletes a number one priority in the sport's industry. Despite modern advancements, the effect of the artificial grass on injury rates is still debatable. But sports players appreciate differences in texture and playability of artificial turf and natural grass fields are not free from players' injuries either. Studies have shown that playing on a grass surface that is not well maintained may also increase injury risks. But companies such as Global-Syn Turf, Inc. are continuously renovating their products' technology that technologies guarantee the safety of the players as well as the life-span of the initial investment.
