Artificial Turf For Soccer In India Not Yet Accepted

The first soccer stadium in India to be covered with artificial turf is in use in Kolkata at the Salt Lake Stadium and while this kind of surface is being enjoyed across Europe and the US as a preferred covering there is debate over the suitability of the turf in India. The first match was completed between Churchill Brothers and Air India during the last week and the response from players and coach was less than glowing.

Churchill’s Gourmangi Singh felt that the pace off the pitch was a bit of a problem for the players. “The balls were moving too fast for us to be comfortable. Judging the balls off the ground was a definite problem. It was hard to anticipate the speed,” he said.

There were also some concerns over the reflex pressure that the turf allows for players when they accidently kick the ground saying that the surface doesn’t react like the normal grounds.

Further complaints were avoided because there was heavy rain during the match which some players felt was a blessing, saying that had the sun been out it would have been unplayable due to the heat from the ground. One player commented on the possible heat and smell from the rubber granules would have made play extremely difficult.

It appears that there is some more testing to be done before artificial turf for soccer in India is going to be given the tick of approval. But if the artificial turf that was installed at Salt Lake Stadium contains rubber granules then the “new” turf is old technology. These days, with all of the newer, more improved infill products available, no new artificial turf installation should be using rubber granules for infill.

School Stadiums In Oklahoma and California To Go To Artificial Turf

The usual round of news about the various stadiums in the country that are converting from grass to artificial turf continues to hit the airwaves. However the transition isn’t taking place quickly enough for some schools.

A $1 million project has been delayed at D. Bruce Shelby Stadium in Oklahoma and this has left the Enid Plainsmen as one of the few large school teams to still be playing on grass. As the Enid coach Tommy Parker admits, artificial grass is not an absolute necessity but the fact is that there were missed practice days because the fields were not fit to play on. This is sure to affect the team again in the upcoming season.

Another benefit cited with the artificial turf fields is that the lines are permanently marked on these fields and so, when practicing passing and defending the lines are clearly visible at all times.

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In California there is anticipation in the air as Ramona High School’s stadium is going to be revamped with artificial turf that will be ready for 2010. Not only is the field going to be returfed but there is going to be a change on the sideline with bleachers, press box, elevator, ticket booth, concession stands and restrooms also being made.

The new bleachers will be able to seat a crowd of 2,500 and work is going to get underway immediately after this year’s football season is over. This means that it will be ready by September 2010.

What this means for both Ramona High School and nearby Arlington High which shares the stadium with Ramona is that they will be able to play on a good playing surface all season. In the past the grass would wear out completely well before the season was over.

It also means that Pop Warner and Jr. All-American youth football leagues will be able to use the field on the weekends when it’s not in use by the high schools. This is something that would not have been possible before.