Many things factor into how well a sport can be played. The equipment, the weather conditions, the type of field, are all factors. That’s why we wanted to discuss the difference between synthetic turf and natural grass field in youth sports and how each affects the way the youth players play the game.
The Benefits of Grass
Some would say that the main benefit of grass is that it’s natural and looks far better than synthetic turf. However, that’s mostly a matter of opinion. The more measurable benefits are certainly the facts that grass does not overheat, and it helps in improving the quality of the air the players breathe.
Unlike all synthetic grass, natural grass cannot overheat during the summer when there are more games, and the temperatures are much higher. When water runs through real grass, the moisture remains in it, which helps it stay cooler, something that is not the case with synthetic turf.
As for better air quality, grass, just like all other plants, breaks down pollutants from the air and produces oxygen. That’s useful for all of us anywhere, but it’s especially helpful if the field in question is in a larger city where pollution is on a much higher level than in other areas.
The Benefits of Turf
The main advantages of synthetic turfs or any type of artificial fields are the fact that they are easy to maintain and that they have a much longer life expectancy. It doesn’t matter how much playing happens on that turf; it is evident that this type of field lasts much longer than other types of fields, especially natural grass.
The synthetic grass used in turfs is not immune to problems as it’s not resistant to tears and rips that soccer shoes and other athletic equipment usually cause. However, these things still happen less often than with other fields. That’s also one of the main reasons why there’s less maintenance required in these fields. There is no mowing and watering to be done, and there’s no care and fertilizing needed as is the case with natural grass. There is only occasional rinsing and brushing.
Which is Better?
It’s not an easy question to answer all in all. It seems to depend on what you and the players require from the field and which benefits you feel are more desirable.
However, it’s also worth mentioning the injuries that can occur depending on the type of field the youth players are using. We’ve already written about it before, and it seems that all research points to the fact that artificial or synthetic turf can cause more injuries to players than natural grass can.
Now, for some, this might be enough of a reason not to use synthetic turf as the preferred type of fields on which the youth athletes are playing. However, it’s still evident that if we are going to care about the well-being of our children, we shouldn’t opt for turf instead of grass, even though there’s more maintenance involved.
What do you think?