In athletics, a debate has emerged concerning outdoor playing surfaces — artificial turf versus natural grass. On one hand, turf is easier to manage and is usable in all weather conditions, but on the other, grass is better for player health.
For players, grass is often preferred for its lower impact and softer surface. These conditions are better for player health.
“I feel like grass has better traction for your foot,” Wick Courtney (11) said. “It’s easier to change directions [on grass], and when you fall on it, the artificial turf hurts more because you scratch yourself on it.”
Preserving player health is important, and athletes can be more prone to injuries based on field conditions. Playing surfaces can even influence the way a game is played, as athletes may be more reluctant to tackle or fall on turf because of the abrasive and high-impact surface.
“If you go in for a slide tackle or you get tripped and you fall down onto a turf field, it’s a lot more likely you might scrape a knee or hurt your hand or something like that,” Luke Meng (12) said. “In general, there’s just more friction on a turf surface if you’re sliding.”
According to a study conducted by Ortho J Sports Med involving the National Football League (NFL), of the 718 lower extremity injuries recorded in the 2021-2022 season, 327 occurred on natural grass, while 391 happened on artificial turf. These results were gathered form 13 turf-surface fields and 16 grass-surface fields. However, some claim that higher reported injury rates on turf can be attributed to the higher speeds achievable on turf surfaces and weather conditions altering turf conditions.
“What most injuries they would be looking at would be to the knee,” athletic director Mark McDonald said. “Knee injuries occur when you decelerate, when you’re stopping to make a cut. You’re going to have [higher speed] on the turf field always, even in the rain, as it’s slicker. You know you’re going to have that ability to go faster.”
Currently, Spartan sports teams play on both grass and turf, and practice mostly on grass surfaces. Turf is preferred by many coaches because of its versatility, as it can be used in all weather conditions. This usability in all weather conditions has caused Shelby County Schools to move towards making turf the standard for all football fields.
“The district is concerned with turfing the football fields; supposedly, within the next five years, all the football fields will be turfed,” McDonald said. “It’s just more of a type of surface that can be used year-round for many different sports in any kind of weather.”