Many players dream of the perfect playing field: green, flat, smooth, and dense. Soccer fields should be easy on players’ feet during games to reduce the likelihood of injuries. But these types of fields don’t come into existence on their own. Natural soil field management requires careful planning and hard work.
Maintaining a quality sports field is about more than upkeeping luscious greenery for spectators. Here are several natural grass soccer field maintenance and care tips to keep in mind.
Have a Plan To Maintain Field Health Year Round
Year-round maintenance is not a luxury in sports field management. Consistent upkeep is a necessary tool often overlooked in real practice. Regular inspection—even during the off-season—is essential to keep a natural athletic field performing at its best for players.
For natural soil athletic fields, ensuring best care practices will help keep the grass healthy throughout the seasons. Establish and follow an active maintenance plan that considers the latest industry knowledge and science to provide a safe and well-manicured playing surface. This plan should include overseeding, fertilization, irrigation, aeration, weed control, and mowing.
Follow the One-Third Rule for Mowing
Proper mowing techniques are critical to optimize field performance and avoid excessive stress on key playing surfaces. Grass that is too long or short can negatively impact the safety, pace, and movement of play during a match. Ergo, aim to maintain the recommended blade height for the facility’s grass species and do not adjust that height up or down during the year.
One core maintenance tip for natural grass soccer fields is to follow the one-third mowing rule. A natural grass field needs frequent mowing that avoids removing over one-third of the existing leaf blade during one operation. Staying within this optimal range prevents weakening or tearing the grass.
Pay Attention to Detail When Field Marking
Line-marking is a core part of seasonal field maintenance that is not as simple as it may seem. Many maintenance directors, field managers, and athletic coaches find this process involves a number of complex steps. A soccer field especially has a range of diverse lines and playing areas—including touchlines, goal lines, centerlines, and penalty areas—that need careful and precise marking. Fortunately, automatic field striping machines can make all the difference in getting the necessary details right the first time.
Are you searching for a top-quality field marking machine for athletic field maintenance? Look no further than Trusco Manufacturing. Our line of Trueline Stripers is known for its innovative design features. User-friendly and built to last, you can’t go wrong with our grass striper models for professional lines every time.