Key Challenges and Solutions
The outdoor A-Turf Titan S-50 field at Stow-Munroe Falls High School (SMFHS) is 15 years old and still going strong! Bob McKeiver, A-Turf sales representative, who stays in regular contact with the school’s Athletic Director, Cyle Feldman, says the school is extremely happy with their investment. “I’ve been in the business for 35 years, and the shape of this field after 15 years is incredible,” said McKeiver.
A-Turf Titan RS is comprised of blended, parallel-long slit film and premium monofilament polyethylene fibers in the same stitch. The infill should be rubber and sand or rubber-only, but alternative infills featuring fully tested EN-71 EPDM are also options. The benefits of specifying Titan S-50 include having a surface with the world’s strongest woven fabric primary backing, the most advanced urethane backing, and the industry’s best in durability and aesthetics.
The SMFHS field hosts field hockey, lacrosse, boys and girls soccer, and football games. As such, the field also features five inlaid sports lines. “Most fields that are 9 to 10-years-old show lines or wear on the inlay,” said McKeiver. “But these lines are holding up really well, especially in the high-wear areas.” When it comes to lacrosse, the crease area takes a beating; and, for soccer, the goal areas see a lot of traffic. However, both of these sections of the field are continuing to wear well.
“Our 15-year-old synthetic A-Turf has stood the test of time thanks to the exceptional maintenance by our crew at SMFHS, and the guidance and services provided by Sports Turf Care,” said Cyle Feldman, SMFHS Athletic Director. “Through years of football, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, band, and field hockey competitions and practices, the field has continued to perform at a high level for our student-athletes and the Stow community.”
Prior to A-Turf Titan RS being installed, the SMFHS field was grass. “With five varsity sports playing on it, you can imagine what that grass would have turned into,” said McKeiver. “There is no way a grass field could have handled that many sports well.”
In addition to looking good, the A-Turf Titan RS turf is still performing well too. The school has a G-Max test performed each year to ensure the field’s playability and to ensure the protection of the school’s athletes. Monitoring a synthetic turf field throughout its life is key to ensuring that it is performing the way it should.
“It’s incredible the way this field is holding up for its age,” said McKeiver. “The field is still testing safe, and the school does a really good job of maintaining it.” As a result, Stow-Munroe Falls High School is going to reevaluate next year whether to replace in 2027. The industry standard for field replacement is 8-12 years. The average life span of an A-Turf field is 4 years longer than the industry average.
“I have worked for four different turf companies in my career,” said McKeiver. “I have had to take some fields up after 8 years. That is not the case with A-Turf.” In addition to being durable, A-Turf also offers dependability. “The lines are always straight,” said McKeiver.
