Date posted: 4-10-01

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FieldTurf is coming to Huskie Stadium

By Juan Marquez

DeKalb News Service

DEKALB-- Astroturf has been the playing surface at Huskie Stadium for 32 years. But a change is coming.

On Wednesday [April 11], grounds crews will begin removing the Astroturf so it can be replaced with FieldTurf, a synthetic grass system composed of polyethylene-blended fibers, sand and rubber. The job should take six weeks.

FieldTurf has existed for four years. Its well-known users include the universities of Nebraska and Washington.

The Astroturf was due to be replaced this year because its 10-year life expectancy has expired. And since it can be a safety hazard, the athletic department looked into any and all alternatives, said Robert Collins, NIU associate athletics director.

Natural grass was ruled out due to the $1.6 million cost to install it and the yearly maintenance costs. Also, its delicacy would limit its use substantially.

Astroplay, a substance similar to FieldTurf, also was considered, but NIU officials thought FieldTurf was faster and firmer and therefore opted for it.

"After many of months of investigating and where injury, where teams, where programs were going, we felt that this FieldTurf would be best for us," Collins said. "You can practice on it probably a little bit more than we could a regular grass field. A grass field is too hard to maintain and the field and the texture (of FieldTurf) is very good on the football player itself: knees, ankles, impact."

The main problem with Astroturf is the impact it has on football players due to its nature. Running on it puts more stress on the knee and ankle joints, leaving them vulnerable to sprains and ligament ruptures. In the past, grass was the better option because it's softer and reduces the risk of such injuries.

Norm Jenkins, NIU's Assistant Athletics Director in charge of facilities and events, was assigned to research the matter. He found that FieldTurf, made by Turf U.S.A., functions like grass and is more cost-efficient than it or Astroturf. The estimated cost of putting in new Astroturf would have been similar to that of grass. Although the NIU Board of Trustees approved $1.1 million for the project, Jenkins expects the final cost to be less. Other advantages include better drainage and durability in the rain.

NIU Football Coach Joe Novak, whose team practices and plays in Huskie Stadium, also participated in the process. He is glad that his team will no longer have to play on the Astroturf.

"As coaches, at least in my perspective, I've always hated it," he said. "It's like playing on a carpet. That's what you're doing. It's hard, it's fast, but it's not like playing on grass certainly. The game was originated on grass and I've always believed in that."

Novak also recalled his first experience with the new material.

"When I first saw a sample of FieldTurf last year, it looks like real grass," he said. "It has synthetic stems coming up that looks like grass. I played a little bit in the dirt --what I thought was dirt -- and when the particles didn't break up, that's when I realized it was chopped-up rubber."

Novak also said his players had a chance to be on it and liked it as well.

FieldTurf will make its NIU debut for the football home opener Aug. 30 against South Florida.

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Source list:
· Joe Novak, Office# 753-1825
· Robert Collins, Office# 753-9531
· Norm Jenkins, Office#753-9544
· Clayton Corless, Office#753-1418
· www.niu.edu
· www.fieldturf.com