Is Artificial Turf Dangerous?

[gblowfish]

Interesting....
If it is a health hazard, a lot of fields are going to have to be ripped up!
http://gmy.news.yahoo.com/v/13803826

[Sully]

All I can compare is local high school fields...

Would I rather play on LIberty High School's grass (at the HS, where the JV and Freshmen play) or Truman's FieldTurf?

Liberty's grass...no question. Mowed and kept up like a Fairway.


Would I rather play on FieldTurf, like at Truman, or grass like they have at Lee's Summit. FieldTurf, in a second.


I have actually read that there are some growing injury concerns on FieldTurf vs grass. I don't know how or why, but there have been a few studies.


However, as a coach, I'd MUCH rather have FieldTurf. You can practice on it daily, no matter the weather. Only downside for me is I can't chew sunflower seeds on it.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by Sully

All I can compare is local high school fields...

Would I rather play on LIberty High School's grass (at the HS, where the JV and Freshmen play) or Truman's FieldTurf?

Liberty's grass...no question. Mowed and kept up like a Fairway.


Would I rather play on FieldTurf, like at Truman, or grass like they have at Lee's Summit. FieldTurf, in a second.


I have actually read that there are some growing injury concerns on FieldTurf vs grass. I don't know how or why, but there have been a few studies.


However, as a coach, I'd MUCH rather have FieldTurf. You can practice on it daily, no matter the weather. Only downside for me is I can't chew sunflower seeds on it.

Sounds like an install/maintenance issue then.

If not properly installed and maintained it will turn to crap quickly just like a natural field will die and become hard as a rock.

[Spicy McHaggis]

Only in Estadio Saprissa.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by penguinz

Soccer. A properly installed FT surface is much more forgiving than a natural field.

Where is your experience? Please do not say All American.

The training complex.

I HATE HATE HATE field turf.

I'll take a properly manicured natural grass field over it all day long, every day.

PS - I don't know how you can stand playing soccer on it. The ball moves unnaturally.

[stlchiefs]

Originally Posted by Sully

I can see how it would hold bacteria, but I don't see how it would be any more than dirt.

With grass people spit, bleed, blow snot, etc. and it grows out is cut and eventually gone. The turf never goes anywhere, yet players are still spitting on it, etc. and I've yet to know one place that washed down or disinfected their fields. I think this is where bacteria growth can occur more on a turf field.

[stlchiefs]

I think a comparison of a perfect grass field v. field turf is unfair. Very few schools could afford to install and maintain a perfect grass field all the time the way they can install field turf and leave it. The real comparison for most places is an overused field with bare spots and weeds or field turf. With those options, most rightly choose field turf.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by stlchiefs

I think a comparison of a perfect grass field v. field turf is unfair. Very few schools could afford to install and maintain a perfect grass field all the time the way they can install field turf and leave it. The real comparison for most places is an overused field with bare spots and weeds or field turf. With those options, most rightly choose field turf.

I can agree with that.

[stlchiefs]

Originally Posted by Silock

I can agree with that.

Now Premier League, MLS, national teams, etc. playing on artificial turf is bs and just wrong, like Costa Rica last night.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by stlchiefs

I think a comparison of a perfect grass field v. field turf is unfair. Very few schools could afford to install and maintain a perfect grass field all the time the way they can install field turf and leave it. The real comparison for most places is an overused field with bare spots and weeds or field turf. With those options, most rightly choose field turf.

Most can not afford to properly take care of a FT field either. You can not just leave it.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by stlchiefs

With grass people spit, bleed, blow snot, etc. and it grows out is cut and eventually gone. The turf never goes anywhere, yet players are still spitting on it, etc. and I've yet to know one place that washed down or disinfected their fields. I think this is where bacteria growth can occur more on a turf field.

I would think the UV rays would help kill a bunch of it.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by stlchiefs

Now Premier League, MLS, national teams, etc. playing on artificial turf is bs and just wrong, like Costa Rica last night.

The BS part is only getting one extra day to practice on the field before playing the game. It does play quite a bit faster so it does take some getting used to.

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Hard to tell when the video that is linked is about a tornado-proof car.

Sorry bout that, they keep rotating out the video stories at that link. Try this:
http://tinyurl.com/n6c4vg

[The_Doctor10]

Originally Posted by stlchiefs

Now Premier League, MLS, national teams, etc. playing on artificial turf is bs and just wrong, like Costa Rica last night.

Show me a team in the Premiership that plays on field turf. Such a thing does not exist.

[stlchiefs]

Originally Posted by Unleash_the_Phury

Show me a team in the Premiership that plays on field turf. Such a thing does not exist.

You're a little late to the game and entirely missing the point of the conversation. I didn't state as a fact that a premiership team plays on the stuff, but rather stated that the fact that high level soccer is played on it is crap.