PHS Wildcats
02-04-2009, 08:57 PM
http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/longhorns/02/05/0205texfield_web.html
Artificial turf field to return to Royal-Memorial
After more than a decade, Texas plans to pull out grass
By John Maher
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
When Texas played Texas A&M at Royal-Memorial Stadium this past November, players from both football teams slipped on the grass field, which also started flying up in clumps.
Now, after a dozen years, it looks as though grass will be getting the boot from UT's home field.
At a meeting of UT's men's athletics council on Wednesday, men's athletics director DeLoss Dodds said the $27 million south end zone construction project will include the replacement of the stadium's natural grass field with a synthetic turf.
Dodds acknowledged that some considered a grass field an advantage in recruiting, but said there were problems with growing the Bermuda grass and that an artificial field could withstand more use.
Of the change, UT athletics spokesperson Nick Voinis said, "I can't tell you when, where or what ... it hasn't been firmed up yet."
Although Voinis did not say whether the change would take place before the 2009 season, he did acknowledge that it would take place.
After decades of using artificial turf, UT switched to natural grass in 1996. A sophisticated drainage and watering system was supposed to make the field able to withstand the extremes of Texas weather.
Artificial turf fields are no longer as hard and unforgiving as the original versions. Many varieties now use rubber pellets from ground-up tires as a filler in the synthetic grass.
Artificial turf field to return to Royal-Memorial
After more than a decade, Texas plans to pull out grass
By John Maher
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
When Texas played Texas A&M at Royal-Memorial Stadium this past November, players from both football teams slipped on the grass field, which also started flying up in clumps.
Now, after a dozen years, it looks as though grass will be getting the boot from UT's home field.
At a meeting of UT's men's athletics council on Wednesday, men's athletics director DeLoss Dodds said the $27 million south end zone construction project will include the replacement of the stadium's natural grass field with a synthetic turf.
Dodds acknowledged that some considered a grass field an advantage in recruiting, but said there were problems with growing the Bermuda grass and that an artificial field could withstand more use.
Of the change, UT athletics spokesperson Nick Voinis said, "I can't tell you when, where or what ... it hasn't been firmed up yet."
Although Voinis did not say whether the change would take place before the 2009 season, he did acknowledge that it would take place.
After decades of using artificial turf, UT switched to natural grass in 1996. A sophisticated drainage and watering system was supposed to make the field able to withstand the extremes of Texas weather.
Artificial turf fields are no longer as hard and unforgiving as the original versions. Many varieties now use rubber pellets from ground-up tires as a filler in the synthetic grass.