The quality of an athletic field is largely defined by the effect on play safety, performance and ball response, according to Moore Landscapes, Northbrook, Ill.
The hardiness of a field is an obvious consideration: fields that are too hard can increase the severity of player falls, while soft or spongy fields create early fatigue in a player and may lead to various other injuries, the company pointed out.
"Uniformity is the characteristic you're looking for when it comes to ball response," Moore Landscapes explained. "Uneven or bumpy playing surfaces can cause bad ball bounces, and the roll will be erratic and unpredictable. A player's footing also can be affected."
Moore Landscapes is knowledgeable on this topic because they are in the process of renovating two athletic fields - OZ Park and Davis Square - for the Chicago Park District, which had the characteristic problems mentioned above.
Oz Park is a sand-based, multi-use field for soccer, football and baseball. It had an uneven surface and potholed turf, which was completely removed. The irrigation system was repaired and new sand was brought in to re-level the field prior to laying new sand-based sod.
Davis Square is a small little league field that suffered from a soggy outfield. To rectify this, Moore Landscapes installed 500 feet of 4-inch nylon-covered drainage pipe with 3 feet of gravel backfill.
The new, safer and more playable fields should be ready for games by fall, the company reported.
The author is managing editor, Lawn & Landscape, and can be reached at nwisniewski@landandlandscape.com.