U of T moves toward becoming nation's top sports field research center
7 Jul, 2010 By: Ron Hall Athletic Turf NewsKNOXVILLE, TN — The University of Tennessee took a bold step toward becoming the preeminent sports field research facility in the United States this past June 18. The University in partnership 
with AstroTurf broke ground on the new Center for Athletic Field Safety at the UT Institute of Agriculture’s East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center.
“With this center in place, our goal is to become the top sports turf research program in the country,” adds Dr. Jim Brosnan, assistant professor of Plant Sciences and research co-investigator. “AstroTurf has essentially provided us funding to start the Center and the campaign to grow is ongoing.”
"This has been a lifelong dream for both me and my colleague Dr. Jim Brosnan," says Dr. John Sorochan, associate professor of Plant Sciences at the UT Institute of Agriculture and research co-investigator. "Both of us as graduate students focused our research on improving athletic fields for all levels of play.”
(Buddy Mitchell, Associate Vice President of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee discusses the importance of research at the Center for Safer Athletic Fields)
Located just two hours apart via car on I-75, the University and AstroTurf, headquartered in Dalton, GA, signed an initial 10-year agreement to study the long term performacne and safety of synthetic and natural turfgrass sports field surfaces.
Sports field surfaces to be tested range from professional-level to those typically found at schools, public parks and recreation fields.
One of the first tasks of the new research effort will be to establish 15 ft. X 30 ft. synthetic turf and natural turfgrass plots at the Center, says Brosnan. The plots containing natural turfgrass are divided into cool-season and warm-season trials. They are being constructed using different rootzones (everything from native soil to USGA sand to sand-cap) so that researchers can compare their performance and safety side by side.
There will also be six “innovation” plots that AstroTurf will use to test some of its new ideas and products. These are not a part of the longer-term trials, says Brosnan.
"Possessing all facets of synthetic turf manufacturing from polymer development to field installation, AstroTurf is an integral research partner," says Brosnan. "It’s our hope that comparing natural and synthetic turf surfaces to this scale will allow for fields to be safer at all levels of play."
(Andy Belles, AstroTurf brand manager, left, with Dr. Jim Brosnan)
Bryan Peeples, president of AstroTurf, is just as excited about the $1.5 million research partnership with the University. "We’re a small, family-owned company that was started by my father 40 years ago. It’s just me, my brother Tom and my father Shelby,” he says.
“We were the first people to process the AstroTurf product when Monsanto owned it back then and we purchased the brand in 2004. Our goal is to continue making the product better and better. Ensuring the highest standards for athletic field safety and outstanding performance is our top priority," Peebles adds.
Peebles stresses that whatever the Center’s research shows in terms of performance and safety, be it synthetic or natural grass, will be independent and public.
“We want to know the bad and the good. You can fix the bad, and the good things will never hurt you. Obviously, we feel better synthetic products will come out of this research, but also better natural grass fields,” he adds.
Says Brosnan, “The preference is always going to be for a natural, perfect turfgrass field and they (AstroTurf) want to make their surfaces as close to natural turf as they possibly can. To do that you need side-by-side comparisons over time."
Once the plots are installed and the turfgrass is mature, testing will begin under the guidance of an as-yet-to-be-hired research leader. Initially, the focus will be on issues such as traffic tolerance, surface hardness and shoe traction, and eventually include biomechanical testing using real humans to gauge the forces that athletes experience while running, jumping and cutting.
Brosnan and Sorochan will serve as co-directors of the Center. Says Brosan: “Having John involved will take this Center to another level. His energy and experience are unparalleled. Having two researchers with years of experience in sports turf research is one ofthe Center's greatest strengths.”
The UT Center for Safer Athletic Fields will also further education for University of Tennessee students, enabling UT Plant Sciences faculty to add another level to the curriculum to train and educate future sports turf practitioners.
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