THE NATURAL CHOICE FOR A PLAYING SURFACE

The multi-million dollar Reliant stadium which opened last year in Texas was built with a natural turf playing surface – and one of the key reasons for the choice of ground was player preference.

While controversy has been raging for years about the relative merits of natural turf versus artificial surfaces, a recent poll by the American National Football League Players Association showed that 88% of professional players preferred to play on a grass surface, while 95.7% thought that an artificial surface was more likely to contribute to injury than natural turf.

The reinforced turf surface in the Reliant stadium was supplied and installed by Melbourne-based StrathAyr, a leading manufacturer of reinforced turf systems for sports stadia.

“This is the reaction we get all the way down the line,” said Frank Casimaty of StrathAyr. “Players definitely prefer natural grass surfaces, and they suffer fewer serious injuries when playing on good quality natural turf.”

StrathAyr's reinforced turf systems consist of a rootzone of ReFlex® mesh elements from Blackburn-based Netlon combined with sand and peat moss to provide load bearing and impact absorption benefits, as well as a greatly improved environment for grass growth.

The ReFlex® mesh elements in the rootzone enhance field stability, aid in water and air management, and provide a safe and forgiving surface for the athletes. The reinforced turf system does not compact, and the drainage system is so efficient that no game scheduled to be played on a StrathAyr surface has ever been rained off. >

Netlon's ReFlex® mesh elements are 2” x 4” piece of flexible polypropylene mesh. When blended uniformly within a rootzone profile the mesh elements reinforce three dimensionally, acting like thousands of springs to improve load bearing ability and resistance to compaction. The spring back action also creates a cushioning effect on impact.

StrathAyr's system has been developed in a number of forms so that it is now available as a permanent and durable installation, on a roll, or even in a modular form which can be removed as and when required to create multi-purpose stadia such as the Reliant Stadium.

For literature about Netlon’s turf protection solutions contact Janet Gudgeon on 01254 266833 or email turf.systems@conwedplastics.com.