SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/26719
piece of the puzzle before material selection of the other playing sur- faces. Barkshire Laser Leveling laser graded the USGA spec 95% sand composition amended with 5% peat, before West Coast Turf sodded the 45 acres of playing surface. The infield and warning track material selection was a one-of-a- kind process. In keeping with the theme of “firsts,” Razum and Trenbeath collaborated with Stabilizer Solutions, Inc. to engineer brand new infield and warning track mixes specifically for the com- plex. “We wanted something that would set us apart from the other Spring Training complexes, so the first criterion in designing the mix was an eye-catching color. We wanted something that would match the overall color scheme with the brickwork and reflect the tribes’ preferences,” said Razum. Outfitted with boots and hard hats, the two groundskeepers made the expedition with the Stabilizer team and lead designer Anthony Stevenson of Lloyd Civil and Sports En- gineering, out into the Arizona desert to the company’s quarry. “It was amazing to look around at the surrounding hills and see the var- ious layers of natural color. Beyond the natural wonder, it was an eye opening experience to see the science and engineering that goes on behind making the mixes,” said Trenbeath. After narrowing down their top color choices, the decision mak- ing process moved into the lab. With particle size analysis in hand, different combinations of silt and clay were added to the crushed and screened raw materials. For the professional infield mix, the team agreed upon 40% of silt and clay content, with a silt-to-clay ratio (SCR) right around 1. For the warning track mix, the motiva- tion was to make it as coarse as possible without reaching too large of gravel, and a lower clay content than the infield mix to reduce compaction from utility vehicles. The Stabilizer product was blended with both mixes to stabilize the mixes and help increase moisture management during the intense weather swings from dry to wet that the area experiences. Next the mix moved from the lab to the playing field. Razum and Trenbeath left nothing to chance; the pair had the new mix in- stalled at Seton Catholic High School, just minutes from the Tren- beath residence. After weeks of intense scrutiny, the pair finally approved the new mix after D’backs legend Matt Williams took grounders from Trenbeath on the field, ultimately giving it his bless- ing. Razum remembered Williams as “a connoisseur of infield mix during his playing days, so his opinion meant a lot.” AN EYE ON MAINTENANCE Professional elements do not always mean increased mainte- nance. “We kept maintenance in mind throughout the process,” said Trenbeath. Razum added, “We have a combined 50 years of experi- ence, so every selection had the grounds crew in mind.” A major focus was to reduce maintenance and time spent on less important components. Warning track heads were installed on all of the practice fields, and Hilltopper Waterless Warning Track Mix was installed at the main stadium to eliminate manpower on watering the warning tracks under Arizona’s intense sun. The warning track heads serve a dual purpose, not only to reduce watering time on the warning tracks, but to water the grass edges that are first to go under the Arizona sun. The area is susceptible to high winds, so two extra infield sprinkler zones were added to help with additional coverage www.stma.org SportsTurf 37