Turf

[JasperCountyNative]

For those teams that have turf on their home fields.

How do they  keep from slipping?

Are there different cleats available/allowed for better traction or do they just get used to the field?

[Rulesman]

Slipping is not a problem. In all honesty, it's usually quite the opposite. Short, rubber-studded "cleats" seem to be the shoe of choice. But... the trade off also seems to be an increase in knee and ankle injuries.

[JasperCountyNative]

In my somewhat limited observation, teams not used to the turf seem to have a lot of trouble keeping their footing when visiting fields with artificial grass.  I remember particularly, during the Prairie Grove game against Pea Ridge, there were many plays ended with a slip.

[OB11]

I saw 3 non-contact ACL injuries this year. All on turf. It doesn't give like natural grass and creates more stress on knees and ankles when trying to cut and change direction in my opinion.

[Rugman15]

Turf sucks on baseball fields that is for sure (Shiloh Christian), but in football I think natural grass is still the safer option even though it looks bad come November when the grass dies.

[Gray lizard]

I get my son turf shoes he can wear to the away games.  Grass cleats do not work as well on the turf.  A lot of the schools with grass fields have turf practice facilities. 

[incogneto]

You better have a good strength and conditioning program if you have turf or you are going to see a lot of non contact injuries.

[Blue Bayou]

Turf sucks on baseball fields that is for sure (Shiloh Christian), but in football I think natural grass is still the safer option even though it looks bad come November when the grass dies.

turf sucks for baseball? You sir are completely wrong. Ever played infield on turf vs a poorly kept infield? I'm guessing not or you would think otherwise. You just have to learn the turf and what reactions it causes vs real grass.
Same with football, you just have to learn to play on the turf.
I agree with you on a natural field is safer for football or other sports where quick changes in run direction are needed. Sometimes that extra give from the natural field could save you a knee injury.

[Rugman15]

turf sucks for baseball? You sir are completely wrong. Ever played infield on turf vs a poorly kept infield? I'm guessing not or you would think otherwise. You just have to learn the turf and what reactions it causes vs real grass.
Same with football, you just have to learn to play on the turf.
I agree with you on a natural field is safer for football or other sports where quick changes in run direction are needed. Sometimes that extra give from the natural field could save you a knee injury.

Yes I have played on both for baseball and I swear I thought I was going to break my leg at Shiloh.  When you slide you go about 20 extra feet and go right after th base with that leg extended.  One of our players slid into home and ran into the backstop behind the plate.  Phillips park has given me plenty of opportunities to play on poorly kept infields as well 😂

[Blue Bayou]

Yes I have played on both for baseball and I swear I thought I was going to break my leg at Shiloh.  When you slide you go about 20 extra feet and go right after th base with that leg extended.  One of our players slid into home and ran into the backstop behind the plate.  Phillips park has given me plenty of opportunities to play on poorly kept infields as well 😂

What are you talking about man.... Phillips has the best fields in NWA! Who wouldn't want a 3 inch lip to help the ball pop into their glove.... or face...
Like i said, with the turf you have to learn the reactions. I bet your infield prefers the turf.  you cant learn how the ball is going to react on a poor infield.
Enough baseball on the football boards. good luck Friday!

[LeftyLongcox]

Yes I have played on both for baseball and I swear I thought I was going to break my leg at Shiloh.  When you slide you go about 20 extra feet and go right after th base with that leg extended.  One of our players slid into home and ran into the backstop behind the plate.  Phillips park has given me plenty of opportunities to play on poorly kept infields as well 😂

Is the "dirt" fake? Like it's actually brown turf on the baseball field there? It just seems like real dirt would stain the fake grass and get it all messy.

[beach bum]

We know that turf is not better long term.... Ask soccer players who have to log 6 to 10 miles a day in training/practice or games why they do not have turf fields in Europe which has even worse weather conditions than here in the United States. Real grass is so much better on your ligaments and joints.

[Rugman15]

Is the "dirt" fake? Like it's actually brown turf on the baseball field there? It just seems like real dirt would stain the fake grass and get it all messy.

It's fake dirt.  It's just turf that looks like dirt.  The outfield is natural grass...

[LeftyLongcox]

It's fake dirt.  It's just turf that looks like dirt.  The outfield is natural grass...

That's crazy. I have never seen an all turf baseball infield. I'm going to pull up some pictures of it. Thanks.

[LeftyLongcox]

http://www.arpreps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Landon-Brown.jpg

All turf infield like you said Rugman. Shiloh would always have a clear advantage on that field

[youhavenoidea]

Can't believe this is an actual post on here....wait you're trying to turn it into a Bauxite Miners post, good one!  I was like there is no way in 2017 people are using a forum to ask about what turf is like, almost got me!

[Rugman15]

http://www.arpreps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Landon-Brown.jpg

All turf infield like you said Rugman. Shiloh would always have a clear advantage on that field

Yep.  And you have to be careful when you slide because you can easily go over the bases.  When it's wet it's nearly impossible. 

[LeftyLongcox]

Can't believe this is an actual post on here....wait you're trying to turn it into a Bauxite Miners post, good one!  I was like there is no way in 2017 people are using a forum to ask about what turf is like, almost got me!

Some of us with grey bushes never played on turf before. Back in our day in the 1-AAA we played on Gravettes field looked like an off road rally when it rained, Pea Ridge you stepped in cow manure running down the field, Lincoln you could lose the ball because the grass was a foot high, Farmington you would be standing in a foot of water when it rained because the drain was on the team boundary line, Prairie Grove had holes all over the endzone filled with sand, Green Forrest lockerooms smelled like a cat litter box, You could lift weights before you kicked the crap out of Hunstville, You couldn't see the home sideline at Berryville because the field was so uneven. Gentry had a blind man mowing the field as well as painting it geez and we couldn't fit the whole team in the visitor locker room.

[justafan33]

Turf plays well, but it comes in different heights and blades.  Some fields are short and slicker, then some have longer grass for ones that like a soccer ball to stand up better.  You wear normal grass cleats on modern turf and it plays better in a heavy rain than grass, due to drainage under the surface.

[BM22]

Some of us with grey bushes never played on turf before. Back in our day in the 1-AAA we played on Gravettes field looked like an off road rally when it rained, Pea Ridge you stepped in cow manure running down the field, Lincoln you could lose the ball because the grass was a foot high, Farmington you would be standing in a foot of water when it rained because the drain was on the team boundary line, Prairie Grove had holes all over the endzone filled with sand, Green Forrest lockerooms smelled like a cat litter box, You could lift weights before you kicked the crap out of Hunstville, You couldn't see the home sideline at Berryville because the field was so uneven. Gentry had a blind man mowing the field as well as painting it geez and we couldn't fit the whole team in the visitor locker room.

Wow, some awesome memories ...lol.... really good stuff there!  I guess the only artificial turf I remember was way back in 1983-85, playing LR Catholic at WMS. That old astroturf mess was as hard as the pavement and the logo and lettering on the field was like abrasive concrete sand paper. If you did not have elbow pads, the hide from your elbows was staying at WMS.

[JasperCountyNative]

What, if anything, can football teams do to "level the playing field" when visiting an opponent with a field that never turns brown?  Looking to diminish that home field advantage as much as possible.

[beach bum]

There is a little bit of a turf debacle going on in the Big Ten game right now....

[bulldoghistorian]

There is a little bit of a turf debacle going on in the Big Ten game right now....

That was crazy, don't know if I've ever seen that happen in a game before.