Fannon Field in "great shape" after 8 years of heavy use

Sabrina, of Thomas Testing from Scotts, Michigan, examined the conditions on Fannon Field recently and pronounced the surface in "great condition".

Summer is a busy time for school officials as they recover from one academic year and simultaneously prepare for the next one. For the athletic department and specifically assistant athletic director Kwinten Brown, that means Fannon Field, Sagar track, Magnussen wrestling room, Godley Gym as well as the fitness center and weight room.

“Often coaches see my role as only reserving time at our various facilities, but I also need to make sure the facilities are working correctly, they are clean, and they are safe. This evaluation of the AstroTurf is part of doing that,” said the second year athletic facilities and transportation director. Brown oversaw the turf evaluation as well as power washing of the field seating area and track.

The “GMax” testing is a standard measure of the safety of the field. The evaluation gauges the shock absorbing properties of the playing surface and compares it to the artificial turf industry standards. Those standards, set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), give field owners a metric to judge their field’s safety.

The harder the surface the more of the impact of players landing on the field will be absorbed by the player and not the field. Not surprisingly, that impact can lead to increased injury, including concussion. The higher the GMax rating, the harder the surface and likelihood of increased injury.

ASTM suggests that scores over 200 are considered dangerous while reading in the 120 – 150 are the preferred range of safe readings. Preliminary results indicated the field remains in exceptional condition with readings ranging from 116 to 124 on the field. The highest initial reading was a 132. The Thomas Testing representative assured Ireton officials that Fannon Field is one of the best she has seen.

The use of a pad beneath the turf carpet is a great safety feature experts now suggest. And, the AstroPlay 2000 surface remains one of the highest quality products in use worldwide.

“Ed Kearney, Fr. Matt Hillyard, and former athletic director Mark Heiser really did their homework back in 2003 and made a great purchase. ” said Bishop Ireton’s AD, Bill Simmons. “We have the oldest artificially turfed field in the WCAC and it would appear it remains one of the best as well as safest around. There may be fields that are used as much as ours, but few could see more use.”

With 8 years of wear behind it, Fannon Field is projected to see between 7 and 12 years of additional service before the manufacturer suggests it will have reached the end of its useful life. “We will continue to do these types of projects to maintain our field and ensure its safety for our athletes. A contracted grooming to vacuum out the infill, clean away debris packed into the fibers, and rejuvenating the fibers is our next scheduled project. That will ensure our field continues to serve us as well as it has.” added

: Computer equipment enables technicians to measure the shock absorbing ability of field surfaces

: Computer testing of turf fields aids athletic facility managers in addressing safety and injury reduction

: Sabrina, of Thomas Testing from Scotts, Michigan, examined the conditions on Fannon Field recently and pronounced the surface in “great condition”.