Welcome to the Future?!

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Jerad Minnick

As part of “ThinkDifferent”, I have repeatedly made the statement that “within 5 years, there WILL be a natural grass alternative to synthetic turf.” That is a statement that the natural grass industry is closer to than any of us realize. Through combining the best technologies and techniques with creative thinking… we are close! No one has any idea what the future holds!

During a recent visit to France, I got a peek into what the future does hold for natural grass fields and us as Grass Field Managers. For possibly the first time ever, two grass field agronomists (Mr. Chris Hague from Denmark and myself) spent several hours in a NeuroMusculoskeletal Biomechanics lab with some of France’s top research and medical specialists. Country and western singer Brad Paisley’s 2009 hit “Welcome to the Future” played in my mind as we were exposed to research on the interaction between players and the field surface from a scientific, biomechanics perspective. Or maybe the more proper song would have been the introduction to the “Twilight Zone“, as we truly were introduced to an entirely new dimension in which grass fields soon will be moving. Either song is fitting. And the opportunity Chris and I had to be introduced to some exciting new ideas technology for natural grass fields was game changing. Let’s take a quick look:

The group Natural Grass is responsible for the game changing ideas and research taking place in France. Their concept revolves around the use of granulated cork in a sand root zone for a natural grass sports field. The cork mixed in sand absorbs energy displaced into the sand from each step a player running takes. The energy is being absorbed, lowering the injury potential. The cork in the field gives, not the player’s ligaments or tendons. What a great idea yeah?!? Wow.

Granulated Cork Pieces

The agronomic benefit is similar. With the energy absorption, the compaction potential in the sand root zone is lowered/ eliminated. The result is an air-filled root zone in which strong, healthy grass roots can always exist. Strong, healthy roots allow the grass can always continue to grow and recover. And a grass sward that is always growing and recovering can take an increased amount of traffic without an increased amount of maintenance.

THE FUTURE!?!?

4″ Width x 8″ Profile Sample

The research behind the cork concept is being done at the George Charpak Institute for NeuroMusculoskeletal Biomechanics. The institute has 3 teams for research:

1) Musculoskeletal Modelling and Clinical Innovation: Oriented towards patient-specific biomechanical modelling of the musculoskeletal system, this research aims to improve the understanding of pathologies resulting from degenerative processes, traumatism or handicap, as well as develop computer aided diagnosis and therapeutic tools, or design implants and technical aids

2) Biomechanics and Nervous System: Motion Analysis and Restoration: This research is based in clinical site (CHU Henri Mondor Creteil). The aim is to better understand relationships existing between motion muscular actuators and their neurocontrol command. Analyzing and modelling motion disorders that happen subsequently to a neurological handicap, leads to design and objective evaluation of rehabilitation protocols.

3) Biomechanics: Sport, Health and Safety: This research, carried out in clinical site (CHU Avicenne-University Paris 13), copes with three issues: inter-relationships between sportive practice and musculoskeletal remodeling in order to optimize performance while reducing induced pathology; mechanisms of injury after impacts (road crashes, sports) to improve protection devices; tissues and structures characterization at various loading speeds

(*Information from the Institute information sheet provided us)

The Institute has completed 4 years of testing on different concepts for sports field and how they react to energy absorption and the human body. The work is amazing. And the results are eye-opening. There truly is a relationship between the shock from players legs and the field surface. Not only does the data expose the need for absorption in the soil, but also for we as grass field managers to embark on an aggressive surface testing program.

Again…. THE FUTURE!?!?

Will it become common for grass field managers to be communicating with fitness experts and biomechanical experts? I think YES! Outside experts becoming involved in research and innovation for natural grass create entirely new possibilities for the limits of natural grass fields. EXCITING!

Chris and I also had the opportunity to visit Aube Stadium in Troyes, France. Aude is the first stadium to install the “AirFibr” system on their field (summer of 2013). Thank you to Aube Head Grounds Manager Eric Robin for hosting us!

R to L: Chris Hague, Eric Robin, Jerad Minnick

(As you look through the Natural Grass website, yes there are a few more components/ parts to the first Natural Grass product, “AirFibr”. The additional of synthetic microfibers helps with stability of a weakened root zone for winter time play, and silica sand helps with superior drainage in the French market. And yes, some of the information Natural Grass has is commercial, as they believe in their product and want to sell it.

But let us focusing on the concept of the cork and the energy absorption. Let us see the creativity and importance of the Natural Grass relationship with some of France’s best researchers in the biomechanics field of study)

Here is another snap shot of the particular “Air Fibr” product:

Background on Organic Sand Amendments… and How Global Communication is Improving the Industry
During a tour of the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) last fall (October 2013) with Mr. Simon Gumbrill of Campey Turf Care, STRI’s Dr. Christian Spring lead us past an abandoned trial on sports field root zone mixtures involving coconuts husks. Seeing visible squares of live and dead grass, Simon’s inquisitive mind asked the question of what was happening. The plots containing coconut had survived the uncommon summer heat of 2013 better than the plots without, even with the trial abandoned.

That experience left me curious about the possibilities of organic soil amendments for sand to increase durability and decrease compaction potential without introducing something like peat. Peat is great for golf. Why do we always have to follow golf? For sports peat is expensive and can lead to compaction potential.

With those thoughts on my mind, later that week I was meeting with Premier Pitches Mr. Carl Pass and Mr. Russell Latham and discussing the topic of sand reinforcement and sustainability for high traffic fields. Carl and Russell had recently visited Paris, France to see a new reinforcement product with cork called “Air Fibr”. There and then the connection to France and the USA via England was made. Now our United States marketplace has another idea for innovation and natural grass durability for the future. Communication and sharing is changing our world… Thank you to everyone involved in sharing, communicating, and idea exchange. Together we are re-defining our FUTURE!

Md. turf guru makes history as keynote at top European groundskeepers seminar

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Jerad Minnick

Many thanks to Mr. Charles Boehm for this fantastic piece:

http://www.soccerwire.com/news/facilities/md-soccerplex-turf-guru-makes-history-as-keynote-speaker-at-top-european-groundskeepers-seminar/

Md. turf guru makes history as keynote at top European groundskeepers seminar

By Charles Boehm

WASHINGTON – The U.S. soccer community often looks east to Europe for information and inspiration, and the game’s leading groundskeepers tend to do the same.

But this week an American turfgrass guru will be the star speaker at one of Europe’s biggest meetings of professional groundskeepers, sharing the philosophies and skills he’s developed over 15 years of managing sports fields in this country’s heartland.

On Wednesday, Maryland SoccerPlex sports turf manager Jerad Minnick will deliver the keynote address at the European Stadium and Safety Management Association’s head grounds manager seminar in Porto, Portugal.

ESSMA is a partner organization of UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations) and Minnick can expect a warm welcome as he discusses the “grass field revolution” he sees unfolding across the sports world amid new technologies for growing, maintaining and regenerating natural surfaces.

“We need to keep growing innovation and spreading a positive message about the possibilities of grass fields,” Minnick told SoccerWire.com via email over the weekend. “The more idea-sharing and technology we employ, the bigger the possibilities become.

“My keynote is taking that a bit further to encourage and illustrate the importance to ‘think different.’”

While such appearances tend to suggest peak mastery in one’s field, Minnick approaches his work from a humble, curious perspective, regularly praising his European counterparts’ high levels of expertise and ingenuity. So he’s making practical use of his trans-Atlantic trip by visiting a long list of top stadiums and sports facilities in England and Spain over the course of two weeks.

Minnick visited with his colleagues at London’s colossal Wembley Stadium, home of the English national team, and attended the NFL game that took place there on Sept. 29, then hustled through an ambitious itinerary that included the homes and/or training facilities of the Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday football clubs as well as the Headingley Carnegie and Twickenham rugby stadiums, the Sports Turf Research Institute and St. George’s Park, the chief training center of the English Football Association.

And on his way to Portugal, he also stopped in at Real Madrid to visit Paul Burgess, a friend who serves as “chief of pitch maintenance” at the Spanish powerhouse.

It’s a turf pilgrimage of sorts that’s become an annual practice for Minnick, who routinely works wonders on the SoccerPlex’s showcase stadium, Maureen Hendricks Field (home of the NWSL’s Washington Spirit), as well as the 21 high-quality fields that surround it.

“The best part of visiting colleagues is how warm and open they are,” he wrote to SoccerWire.com. “It’s just a lot to have an American come in and want to talk and share when they are in the heart of the season and winter preparation is taking place. For example: Mr. [Anthony] Stones at Wembley had just hosted American football the night before. Mr. [Paul] Ashcroft at Emirates [Stadium] was hosting training for the Italian team [Napoli] Arsenal was playing the next night in Champions League.

“Every training ground was either hosting training or preparing for training. The Leeds Rugby guys were preparing for a big game that night. Etc, etc. And for me, that’s what is most helpful; everyone being open and sharing ideas when under the highest demands. Every field I saw was in immaculate shape. And every head grounds manager had a positive and driven attitude.”

Though three of his his facility’s fields feature artificial turf, Minnick is a devoted advocate of natural surfaces and urges his industry to put aside old ideas about the levels of traffic and use that grass can bear.

“Several head grounds managers around the world are proving that so much more is possible, many times at LESS expense!!” Minnick explained.

“Ultimately, my keynote is about the bright future for our industry…Soon the answer to the questions about grass fields will turn from ‘Grass can’t take it’ to the question instead being, ‘How many more events can we manage this year?’”

With the phrase “Evolution is changing the answer. A revolution is changing the question,” as his mantra, Minnick hails the work of several European companies who are designing specialized new methods and equipment to maintain top-quality grass fields that allow for more hours of play – and under more demanding conditions – than ever.

“Any industry improves by sharing ideas and communicating,” he said. “Our industry is the same. And the field quality across the UK illustrates that.

“[Apple co-founder] Steve Jobs talked about how important it is for people to collect new experiences and learn other perspectives in order to create innovation. Well, when these guys open their time and share and show me around, it hopefully leads to more innovation for SoccerPlex and for American grass fields.”

Day 5: Final Day in the UK, Manchester!

Posted on October 5, 2013 by Jerad Minnick

Day 5 in the UK was in the city of Manchester, home of 2 EPL powers. Mr. Simon Gumbrill was kind enough to return as the tour guide, thank you to him for the continued hospitality and kindness!!

Our 1st stop of the day was to see Mr. Lee Jackson at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium. Mr. Jackson, one of expert group member on pitch management for ESSMA, was gracious with his time and communication. Many thanks to Mr. Jackson for that. And even after a heavy stretch of use, the pitch was absolutely fantastic. Kudos to him and his staff for the hard work!

Mr. Lee Jackson

Leaving the Etihad, we traveled over to the training ground of the other team in Manchester, Manchester United. Great to see Mr. Joe Pemberton at his own facility after he dropped in to say hello on holiday when we were fraze mowing bermudagrass for the 1st time ever this spring at FC Dallas Park. Mr. Pemberton and his staff have the ground looking fantastic. When we visited last spring, much of the facility was still under construction. Wow the results are impressive! Thank you to Joe for taking the time to show us around and to share some of his thinking around large facility management and pitch maintenance.

Mr. Simon Gumbrill and Mr. Joe Pemberton

As the week in the UK closes, I can’t thank Simon Gumbrill enough for his time and guidance around the country. As I mentioned in a previous post, Simon’s personable nature and British charm is single-handedly drawing the worlds of US and UK groundsmanship together. THANK YOU Simon for putting up with my questions all week.

And THANK YOU to all the UK Head Grounds Managers who took time out of their day to talk with me. I commented to someone earlier today, the warmth and openness of the UK Grounds Managers is amazing. My last trip over the pond left me thinking the same thing. Steve Jobs, in an award speech to the Academy of Achievement in 1982, stressed the need for different experiences in life to make new connections with reality to feed innovation. The Grounds Managers that spent time with me discussing even the most basic of issues are laying the ground work for innovation, with both themselves and with us in the US. THANK YOU to them for allowing me to be a part of their experiences!

Off to Madrid, Spain for the weekend before Porto, Portugal next week for the ESSMA Head Grounds Managers seminar. Cheers to all of you for a fantastic weekend!

TurfNet Sports: Aggressive Tactics Key to Managing Soccer Complex

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Jerad Minnick

From TurfNet Sports, Sept. 7, 2013

http://www.turfnetsports.com/page/news.html/_/aggressive-tactics-key-to-managing-soccer-complex-r152

Aggressive Tactics Key to Managing Soccer Complex

Sep 07 2013 08:00 AM | John Reitman

Jerad Minnick discusses turf management during a demo day at Maryland SoccerPlex.

Jerad Minnick has never calculated the point of diminishing returns as it relates to the cost of seed at the Maryland SoccerPlex, but he knows he hasn’t come close to reaching it yet.

Minnick, head groundskeeper at the 22-field complex in Boyds, Md., since 2009, renovated the facility’s main stadium field last year, with Barenbrug’s Turf Blue Kentucky bluegrass that is enhanced with HGT technology. At $4 per pound, the seed, he says, is worth every penny.

The selection of HGT, which stands for Healthy Grass Technology, along with Jump Start Kentucky bluegrass and a regimen of agronomic practices that he learned overseas, have helped Minnick, 34, produce mid-season playing conditions that he didn’t realize were possible on cool-season turf.

“Grass can take a lot more traffic than we give it credit for,” Minnick said.

“We’ve played 120 events on the stadium field, and you can’t tell it’s been played on.”

Barenbrug’s HGT (Healthy Grass Technology), which entered the market in 2011, was developed from naturally stress-tolerant plants. Its traits include improved heat and wear tolerance, rapid establishment and quick recovery.

The stadium field at the Maryland SoccerPlex was ready for play 35 days after seeding. Thanks to a program of aggressive agronomic practices, he’s been able to keep it in like-new condition.

Within 60 days of seeding, the complex had hosted several tournaments, including the Atlantic Coast Conference men’s championship that was decided on the stadium field 75 days after seeding. Minnick now uses HGT on the other cool-season fields at the complex as well.

Hundreds of games each year are played at the 160-acre complex that includes 10 cool-season turfgrass fields, nine Bermudagrass fields and three that are carpeted with synthetic turf. The complex near Washington, D.C., is open every day except New Year’s, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and keeping the fields ready for play at all times is critical.

“If it snows in December, January or February, we have to clear it immediately and get it open,” said Minnick, who has managed the fields at the Maryland SoccerPlex since 2009.

Producing championship conditions is as much about agronomic practices as it is turf selection.

“Aggressive cultivation is the key,” Minnick said. “Each field has something done to it every two weeks. We have an aerifier and a verticutter running all the time. That is how we keep grass on our fields.”

Minnick earned a bachelor’s degree in turfgrass science at the University Missouri and was in his last semester of graduate school in 2002 when he accepted a job with the Kansas City Royals. He spent 2007-09 across town prepping with Sporting KC, Kansas City’s Major League Soccer franchise.

Since heading the soccer complex, Minnick has visited dozens of European soccer facilities. While overseas, he met people like Simon Gumbrill from Campey Turfcare and Barclays Premier League groundskeepers Paul Burgess of Real Madrid and Steve Braddock of Arsenal. Each taught him various things about the European way to manage turf, which includes regular agronomic practices throughout the playing season.

For example, Braddock said he runs a deep tine aerifier over Arsenal’s practice fields on a monthly basis, alternating between depths of 6 inches to 10 to 12 inches throughout the playing season. When the season is over, he scrapes the field clean of its cover using the Imants Koro Field Topmaker in a process called Fraze mowing and establishes a new field for the next season.

This process removes all organic matter from the surface and each year results in improved drainage at the surface, Braddock said. It’s a philosophy that is not taught at U.S. turf schools, but it is something that is widely used by turf managers in other parts of the world.

“All my practices have been self taught using what I believe is common sense over the years.” Braddock said.

“My belief is that practical experience is more beneficial as the person can see what tasks they are carrying out will have a positive impact on the surface and learning about how important timing can be when conducting tasks.”

Fraze mowing Bermudagrass at Maryland SoccerPlex.

Minnick wasn’t a believer at first, but he is now. His program in Maryland includes aggressive agronomic practices throughout the playing season, including almost constant aerification except during the most extreme summer conditions. He renovates the stadium field each year and uses the Fraze mowing method on actively growing Bermudagrass. The process removes thatch, ryegrass, Poa annua and leaves Bermudagrass stolons exposed. Scarifying in two directions promotes better lateral growth of the Bermudagrass. Minnick rotates through the other cool-season and warm-season fields, renovating several each year. He doesn’t yet renovate all every year, but, as he says, “we are moving in that direction.”

“I didn’t think it was possible either seven or eight years ago,” he said. “The fields we do the most to always look the best.

“To me, the biggest mistakes people make are too much water, too much nitrogen and not enough aerification. Granted, I’m not going to do it if it is 105 degrees outside. We were still solid tining to open the organic layer when we broke a record for most consecutive hours above 80 degrees.”

It has come as no surprise to Erik Ervin, Ph.D., who was a professor at Missouri when Minnick was a student there, that his former pupil has adopted such revolutionary tactics.

“Jerad was not your usual undergrad,” said Ervin, who is now a professor at Virginia Tech. “He was a polite young man who introduced himself right away and asked insightful questions. He was a leader in our turf club, and I was not surprised to follow his success as we both moved from Missouri to the East Coast for promotions. Jerad is willing to try new things, but reads, discusses and experiments before going all in with his unique turf care practices.”

Minnick maintains the stadium field at nine-sixteenths of an inch and the other cool-season surfaces at heights of 1 to 1.75 inches.

“I like to manipulate the turf,” he said. “If you add a quarter inch, that’s 25 percent more photosynthetic surface.

“I try not to mow as much, but I don’t shy away from cultural practices.”

The Bermuda fields at the complex, which include Patriot, are overseeded with a mix of Barenbrug’s SOS and RPR ryegrasses, are maintained at a height of about one-half inch during the summer when they subjected to 40 hours of play per week.

“We load them up in the summer,” Minnick said. “Summer camps are big for us. Kids are on those fields from 9 to 5, and the Bermuda is perfect. It doesn’t wear out.”

Adopting new methods of doing things is nothing new for Minnick. He currently is evaluating HGT Kentucky bluegrass as an overseed option, and also is evaluating performance characteristics of several vareities of Bermudagrass, including Patriot, Latitude 36, NorthBridge and Riveria. He believes looking for better ways to produce healthy, stress-tolerant playing surfaces quickly should be the norm, not the exception.

“Why are we still talking about all of these old ideas? We need to get rid of them. If we continue to learn new things, thinking like this will be the norm in five years.

“Some people say it is far-fetched, but others in other parts of the world have been doing it this way for a long time. In Europe, it’s been mostly on ryegrass. In Australia it’s been on Bermuda. When we take it to bluegrass, yes, we’re setting new trends. I like to think of the day when people will look back and think of when they thought grass couldn’t take a lot of traffic.”

SPECIAL FEATURE: Mr. Casey Montomery “An All Star Effort; Preparation for the 2013 MLS All Star Game”

Posted on August 14, 2013 by Jerad Minnick

SPECIAL FEATURE: This blog is privileged to have a guest share with us on the recent experience of the Major League Soccer All Star Game in Kansas City, KS at Sporting Park. Mr. Casey Montgomery is the Assistant Sports Turf Manager for Sporting Kansas City tasked with managing day-t0-day maintenance at Sporting Park. Directed by Mr. Justin Bland, Sporting Kansas City’s sports field management program sets an entirely new standard for high traffic, professional field quality in the United States. Sporting Park is the jewel of not only soccer stadiums in the Western Hemisphere, but for all sports venues in the United States. The playing field is a reflection of the quality that Sporting Park was built too. THANK YOU to Mr. Montgomery for sharing about his experience!

Also an FYI: Major League Soccer does their All Star Game different from many other sports. Instead of splitting the league into two teams, the All Stars of MLS match up again a major International club. The 2013 opponent was AS Roma, an Italian power club from Rome.

“Preparing for the 2013 MLS All Star Game” provided by Casey Montgomery

2013 MLS All Star Game

Background:
In 2012 when all of us at Sporting Kansas City were first told Kansas City would host the MLS All Star game, everyone in the organization was thrilled. There was no better way to show off Sporting Park and Kansas City, the city that we feel is the greatest soccer city in America, than to host the biggest match of the year! During the 12 months leading up to the All Star Game, everyone in the entire organization worked extremely hard to make sure the match was first class. However the overall preparation of the stadium and the pitch for the big match wasn’t much different from preparing for any match. We strive to have the best game experience possible, and with that comes the best playing surface possible game in and game out.

On the pitch we worked with MLS to add some extra classic touches to commemorate the uniqueness of the All Star Game. MLS All Star Game logos were painted off both touchlines and 7 stars were added in the grass going through the middle of the pitch. 6 of the starts were 30 feet point to point and the 7^th star was in the center circle measuring 60 feet from point to point:

Adding Stars For the MLS All Star Game

Spraying On Boundaries for MLS All Star Game (Note MLS All Star Logos Behind)

Mowing Pattern Attempted to Turn Attention Towards Stars

Water Hose Was Also Used to "Blast" in Stars... But 3" of Rain During 2 Days Prior to Game Limited Effectiveness

Water Hose Was Also Used to “Blast” in Stars… But 3″ of Rain During 2 Days Prior to All Star Match Limited Its Effectiveness

Game Day Prior to Pre Game Half Time Rehearsal; All Star Touch Coming Together

Adding the stars was an exciting addition, but it ultimately turned into a major challenge! It became apparent after the first lay out and mowing on Saturday morning prior to the game on Wednesday that we would have to work on the stars daily to get them to stand out for the match. Our maintenance and plant feeding regiments encourage our Kentucky bluegrass mowed at 7/8″ to be very rigid and upright in order to be more durable and strong under high traffic. Trying to get the grass to lay down to lay down to illuminate the stars was completely opposite of that approach. We received much needed assistance from Mr. Trevor Vance, Head Groundskeeper of the Kansas City Royals. Mr. Vance was gracious to let us borrow an 80 lbs tile roller that we used instead of brooms. The roller was great help, and was less abrasive on the grass than continual brushing.

Chronicling Game Week:

Monday
Rain! Sporting Park received 1″ of rain on Monday, keeping us from accomplishing many tasks prior to Wednesday’s match. Our crew waited out the rains to paint the pitch boundaries at 8pm for Tuesday when both the MLS All Stars and AC Roma would train

Tuesday (Training Day)
Rain! Sporting Park received 1.9″ of rain Monday night into Tuesday mid-morning, bringing the total rainfall over the 2 days to nearly 3″. We didn’t let that dampen our excitement though! Tuesday morning prior to the first training session at 9:30am, we mowed the pitch and rolled in the 7 stars. Both teams then proceeded with their training sessions followed with a 7.5 hour pre-game ceremony rehearsal. When the rehearsal ended around 10pm, we again mowed the pitch and rolled in the stars again.

Wednesday (Game Day)
Sunshine! Sporting Park was blessed with a gorgeous day for the 2013 MLS All Star Game. Our staff mowed and re-painted the boundary lines and MLS All Star logos, then rolled the stars to brighten them up. At 3pm, another rehearsal for the pre-game ceremony was held for 3 hours. That allowed us about 45 mins to touch up the stars on the pitch before the gates opened and warmups began for both teams followed by the pre-match ceremonies. An exciting match saw the MLS All Stars fall to AC Roma 3-1. But it absolutely was a match full of excitement from start to finish!

Roma remained after the match for a 30 minute training session for their players that did not see action. Being that their team was in pre-season competition, it was important for all of their players to get work in even if it added a few more hours to our day.

Challenges of the Week Equal Reward
With an event like the MLS All Star Game, we began brain storming and preparing for the challenges months before the match. So the biggest challenge of the week was the one most out of our control: The Rain. We were well prepared to have 2 trainings as well as 2 days of rehearsals. And the heavy rainfall is something that can be expected from the unpredictable Kansas City climate. The rain on Monday just came on the day that was most important for our preparation. Fortunately at Sporting Park we are provide with excellent tools do deal with such conditions. Our Sub-Air system works wonderfully in vacuum mode to pull rain water out of the sand profile of the pitch. Yet water still holds around our sod layer, causing the surface to compact quickly from excessive foot traffic like that came from the 500 people on the field for the 10 hours of the pre-match ceremony rehearsals. Aeration will be our most popular practice through the end of the season in preparation for what is hopefully an even bigger match at the end of the season, the MLS Cup!

Hosting the 2013 MLS All Star Game in Kansas City was an exciting time for our city and especially the fans and employees of Sporting Kansas City. Being able to show off the finest soccer stadium in the country not only to AS Roma but to the world was very rewarding. I was glad to be part of such a historic match! Kudos to our grounds staff lead by Justin Bland, along with Ryan Lock, Chad Homan, and Shane Montgomery on the tremendous effort to overcome the challenges to create a successful experience for all!

Join the Revolution

Posted on August 10, 2013 by Jerad Minnick

From Mr. Waldo Terrell of Harrell’s “Front Porch Blog on August 1, 2013:

http://www.harrells.com/blog/jtgr

Every month or so it seems Sports Turf Managers are being inundated with information regarding the viability and cost effectiveness of artificial turf. This information is often disseminated by those who have the most to gain from such information, the artificial turf manufacturers themselves. There is a growing group of Sports Turf Managers led by Jerad Minnick at the Maryland Soccer Plex who are proving time and again that “Grass Fields CAN Take More Traffic”. Jerad maintains a blog Growing Green Grass that chronicles the innovation going on in our industry. The latest and most intriguing of them is the concept of Fraze Mowing.

Below are a handful of practices that if implemented will allow grass fields to take more traffic.

Aerification/ Cultivation. I’m already on the record as being a huge proponent of aerification (see the Harrell’s May 2013 Front Porch Blog) but there is a lot more to it than just core aerification. Slicing, spiking, solid tine or even fraze mowing, which I’ve never actually done, but the pictures I’ve seen speak for themselves, as often as possible will also help a field hold up to heavy traffic.
Nutrient Management including the use of controlled release fertilizers, like Polyon, and plant growth regulators. These tools when used properly will maximize the turf’s ability to take up nutrients and use those nutrients to synthesize the carbohydrates needed to withstand traffic.
Field Rotation. Moving or resizing fields to spread wear will greatly increase a grass field’s ability to withstand heavy traffic. Manage the wear, don’t let me manage you.

Sports Turf Managers are doing revolutionary things to insure that their grass fields CAN take more. Is it time for you to join the revolution?

Innovation Announcement: Bermudagrass Performance Test

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Jerad Minnick

Innovation Announcement

Bermudagrass Performance Test SoccerPlex to Administer Real Time Performance Test of Four Bermudagrass Varieties

Details: Maryland SoccerPlex to test four varieties of bermudagrass on two re-constructed sand base fields. NorthBridge and Patriot on Field 14. Latitude 36 and Riviera on Field 17.

Read more of the announcement: Innovation Announcement: Bermudagrass Performance Test.

UPDATED: IMPRESSIVE RESULTS: Fraze Mowing Bermudagrass

Posted on July 30, 2013 by Jerad Minnick

UPDATED: IMPRESSIVE RESULTS: Fraze Mowing Bermudagrass.

Support of Wimbledon; A New Standard?

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Jerad Minnick

The grass tennis courts at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, or better known as Wimbledon, were in the sports headlines last week. Some players exiting early to defeat took some parting shots at the slickness of the courts. The rebuttal, support, and the education about grass that followed those negative headlines reached a standard never seen before in grass sports surface maintenance.

Wimbledon’s CEO immediately issued a statement about the courts:

STATEMENT FROM RICHARD LEWIS, CEO, ON PLAYER WITHDRAWALS

London, UK: “There has been a high number of withdrawals at The Championships today and we sympathise with all the players affected. The withdrawals have occurred for a variety of reasons, but there has been some suggestion that the court surface is to blame. We have no reason to think this is the case. Indeed, many players have complimented us on the very good condition of the courts.

“The court preparation has been to exactly the same meticulous standard as in previous years and it is well known that grass surfaces tend to be more lush at the start of an event. The factual evidence, which is independently checked, is that the courts are almost identical to last year, as dry and firm as they should be, and we expect them to continue to play to their usual high quality.”

Richard Lewis, Chief Executive
The All England Club

The “factual evidence” that Mr. Lewis is referencing comes from a strict and regular testing program that the Wimbledon Grounds Department is on in conjunction with the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI). The testing data allows the Wimbledon to ensure the courts are consistent and prepared every day for their own players and for the players at the Championship.

Then following the Wimbledon CEO statement, the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) also issued a statement.

WIMBLEDON PLAYING SURFACES: STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE INSTITUTE OF GROUNDSMANSHIP FROM CHIEF EXECUTIVE GEOFF WEBB

“The highly-professional and experienced All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) grounds management team works year-round preparing the world-renowned Wimbledon grass courts with the Championships very much in mind – as the annual showcase of playing surfaces that represent the ultimate in top-class playability as well as appearance.

“The considerable expertise of the AELTC grounds management team is underpinned by a multi-million pound turf care industry where companies spend many years developing high-performance turf grass seed specifically for sport. Alongside this, the very best in turfcare machinery and equipment is also on hand to ensure that by the time the tournament starts the courts are in the very best condition possible.

“Independent scientific testing on the courts is regularly carried out and the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is in no doubt that this year’s playing surfaces at Wimbledon are of the same usual high standards, as evident at last year’s Olympic and 2012 Championships”

END

Then in what has to be a completely unprecedented move by Mr. Geoff Webb, IOG CEO, Mr. Webb. went on CNN News to discuss the facts with the general public about what was happening at Wimbledon. Mr. Webb also reiterated the professionalism, the specialization, and the meticulous nature of the Wimbledon Grounds team (and all grass sports surface managers for that matter).

WATCH: Why is Wimbledon so slippery?

The Wimbledon Grounds team received much and well deserved credit last year as they set a new standard for quality with keeping the courts immaculate through the Championships followed by the Olympics only 16 days later. As the Wimbledon Championships wrap up this weekend for this year, they have done yet another miraculous job of proving that grass CAN take more. And inadvertently they have created yet another new standard of support and education about the specialization of the natural grass sports surface industry. Kudos to them for another job WELL DONE… and kudos to all those who supported them with facts and education about the possibilities of natural grass.

MORE SUCCESS: Fraze Mowing Bermudagrass In North Carolina

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Jerad Minnick

On Tuesday of last week, KORO Universe® fraze mowing was introduced to bermudagrass in northeast eastern North Carolina. The results of the process continue to be amazing:

Celebration Bermudagrass Cleaning w/ KORO Universe at Shallowest Depth

Celebration Bermudagrass Cleaned Out 2 w/ KORO Universe

Celebration Bermudagrass Cleaned Out Deeper w/ KORO Universe

Mat of Thatch & Organic on 419 Removed to Expose Stolons & Rhizomes

Mr. Sam Green, Director of Business Development at Aqua Aid, set up the demonstration in North Carolina. Mr. Simon Gumbrill of Campey Turf Care (Manchester, UK) and Mr. Hans DeKort of Imants (Reusel, Netherlands) were both in attendance, along with Mr. Andrew Green from McDonald Design Group to evaluate the potential of the process. The potential for the golf market is very big, for de-thatching/ durability/ and for cleaning up to prepare for overseeding.

More updates to come on the re-establishment of the bermudagrass!

Growing Green Grass #GrassCanTakeMore®

Innovative Discussions and Solutions For Managing High-Use Natural Grass

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