AMERICAN TRACK & FIELD/Track Facilities

Vol15 No7

Special supplement to AMERICAN TRACK & FIELD

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The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA)was founded in 1965 as the U.S. Tennis Court &Track Builders Association (UST & CTBA) by agroup of contractors who recognized the need foran organization that could help them address theirmutual problems, set industry standards and keepthem informed on issues pertinent to their busi-ness. Its name was changed in 2004 to reflect thebroad range of work performed by its members.Today ASBA is a national organization for builders,

designers and suppliers of materials for tennis courts, running tracks, syn-thetic and natural turf fields, and indoor and outdoor synthetic sportssurfaces. With more than 340 member companies, ASBA supports thedrive for excellence in the industry by maintaining a commitment to qual-ity construction, and it is recognized as a centralized source for techni-cal information, including construction guidelines.

Headquartered in Maryland, ASBA works to raise professional standardsand to insure that consumers receive services of the highest quality. Aspart of its work to achieve this goal, the association sponsors a certifica-tion program that permits experienced tennis court and running trackbuilders to demonstrate their competency by completing an examinationon all areas of construction. In addition, ASBA offers an awards programto recognize excellence in design, construction and renovation.

Another priority is education of the industry. The Association sponsorsinformative meetings featuring a trade show, along with sessions on both

basic topics and advanced or newly developed technologies. ASBA pub-lishes newsletters, construction guidelines and other publications usefulto designers, builders, owners and operators.

ASBA’s educational efforts don’t stop with the industry. Recognizing thatthe well-informed consumer is more likely to make appropriate deci-sions, ASBA publishes Buyer’s Guides for track, tennis court, and indoorand synthetic turf field construction, which are available to anyone con-templating a project. These Buyer’s Guides provide information on theprocess of selecting a site, choosing a contractor, identifying a surface andso forth. More detailed publications, including Construction Guidelinesand technical manuals, also are available.

Finally, the Association offers a directory of members at no charge; the di-rectory helps consumers locate design professionals, builders and mate-rial suppliers, as well as consultants, trade publications and other industryresources. A publications order form, as well as many free publications,are available on the Association’s web site at www.sportsbuilders.org, asis a searchable database of members.

Like its publications, the ASBA is a resource not only for the profession-als who design, build and supply materials for top-flight sports facilities, butfor the owners, operators, players and others who enjoy them. The mem-bers of the Association recognize that the way to continue interest insports is to provide an environment that is conducive to enjoymentand/or performance.

All About the American Sports Builders Association

PUBLISHER’S NOTE 4

TRACK FACILITY REDESIGN 6

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD TRACK 7

SURFACING 9

DRAINAGE 11

INDOOR TRACKS 12

FIELD EVENTS 14

TRACK MAINTENANCE 16

TRACK MAINTENANCECHECKLIST 18

TURF MAINTENANCE 21

TURF MAINTENANCECHECKLIST 24

ASBA PRESS RELEASE 25

DIRECTORY 26All articles written by Mary Helen Sprecher, except Publication note, by Larry Eder. This publication was a cooperative effort between ASBA andAmerican Track & Field magazine

FEATURES

2 • AMERICAN TRACK & FIELD/Track Facilities 2008

Volume 15, Number 7Resource Guide 2008

Group PublisherLarry Eder, [email protected]

Group EditorChristine Johnson, [email protected]

AdvertisingLarry Eder, [email protected]

Writers/ContributorsMary Helen Sprecher

Circulation [email protected]

Layout/DesignAlex LarsenEditor

James [email protected]

512-261-8354Photographers

Courtesy of ASBA and PhotoRun.netPre-Press/Printer

W. D. Hoard & Sons Company, Fort Atkinson, WIPublisher’s Reps

Peter [email protected]

ph: 310-836-2642; fax: 310-836-7093Special ProjectsAdam Johnson-Eder

[email protected], 608-957-2159Special Thanks To

Penny Mepham, Tim Garant, Alex LarsenTom Mack, Mary Atwell, Julie Wells

In loving memory of Violet Robertson, 1913–2003

WWW.AMERICAN-TRACKANDFIELD.COM

ph: 608-239-3785; fax: [email protected]

AMERICAN TRACK & FIELD (ISSN 1098-64640) is produced,published andowned by Shooting Star Media, Inc.,PO Box 67, Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin53538-0067, Christine Johnson, Pres-ident, Larry Eder, Vice President.Copyright 2008 by Shooting StarMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Pub-lisher assumes no liability for mat-ter printed, and assumes no liabilityor responsibility for content of paidadvertising and reserves the right toreject paid advertising. Opinions ex-pressed are those of the authorsand not necessarily those of thePublisher. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced or stored in anyform without written permission ofthe Publisher. American Track & Fieldis not related to or endorsed by anyother entity or corporation with asimilar name and is solely owned byShooting Star Media, Inc.

Publisher recommends, as with allfitness and health issues, you con-sult with your physician before in-stituting any changes in your fitnessprogram

Mary Helen Sprecher

WWW.AMERICAN-TRACKANDFIELD.COM


Your one stopshop for allyour sports

constructionneeds!

www.TexasSportsBuilders.com • [email protected] • Toll free number 1-866-580-3578 • Local: 817-447-9988835 S.W. Alsbury Blvd., Suite K, Burleson, TX 76028

Running Tracks:• Full build track construction

• All weather plyurethane track surfaces

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Synthetic Turf Sports Fields• Football • Soccer

• Baseball • Softball

Servicing the Southwest Region.


Here are a few of our current projects: Univ. of Kentucky Mississippi State Univ. Penn State Univ. Univ.

of Miami Univ. of Iowa Univ. of Notre Dame George Mason Univ. St. Augustine’s College The Hotchkiss School Lyme-Old Lyme H.S.

This facilities resource guide shows 3 of our projects: Univ. of Arkansas - Hosting 2009 NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships College of San Mateo - State-of-the-Art Community College Syracuse University - Indoor 200m Flat Floor

Since 1985...that’s 23 years of planning & designing more than 300 College &

High School tracks across the country including the Univ. of Oregon for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials

Paige Design Group, Inc. Contact: Don Paige Work: (919) 620-0300 Cell: (919) 451-1641 [email protected]

www.TrackandFieldDesign.com

TTRACKRACK & F & FIELDIELD F FACILITIESACILITIES Planning Design

New Facility...Renovate Existing Facility...or Just Resurfacing


Publisher’s Note:Dear Readers,

This publication is an example of how media should work with associations. As a former track coach at high school,community college, college and club level, and publisher of ATF for almost two decades, I was always curious as towhat went into building the right track & field facility for your program. I have heard horror stories for years, bigschools, small schools, all with same horror stories. Or variations—the track just did not work. The goal of this pub-lication is to help decision makers understand the work involved in constructing a track and how to build the righttrack for your budget and facility requirements.

Nearly a decade ago, we began working with the ASBA on occasional articles. For the past 4 years, we’ve run, ineach and every issue of ATF, and in some issues of AMERICAN TRACK & FIELD and COACHING ATHLETICS QUARTERLY,pieces by the ASBA staffers on various topics.

The ASBA’s Mary Helen Sprecher is the person responsible for all the features in this issue. Mary Helen came tome with the idea last spring, and we jumped on it. Mary Helen is a superb resource, as has been the soon retiringCarol Hogan. Mary Helen’s picture is on page 2. Carol Hogan will be sorely missed at the ASBA.

I want to thank all the ASBA members who ran ads or directory listings. Your ad dollars made this issue a reality,for that I thank you. The 35,000 track coaches, ADs and facility managers who will receive this are the readers ofAMERICAN TRACK & FIELD and COACHING ATHLETICS QUARTERLY.

So, here is our suggestion: Get a walk or run in, grab a cup of coffee and take some time and go thru the 2008 AT&FTrack Facilities Resource Guide. Tell us what you like, tell us what you need for the future. We’ll start planning the2009 edition with the ASBA in December! See many of you at the ASBA meeting in December!

Have a great holiday!

Larry Eder



This is nothing that can be accom-plished with a trip to the home im-provement store and advice from theprofessionals in the aisles. You need apartner who can guide you through thesteps ahead and help you navigate themaze of questions, options and, yes, redtape that ultimately will lead you to agreat new facility.

That’s why your first contact needs tobe with a design professional – someonewho has been there, done that andknows the ropes. But how do you go

about finding someone? And what doyou ask?

Start by asking questions, say the pro-fessionals. Talk to colleagues who haveenlarged, added onto or had redesignwork done on similar athletic facilities.Ask them whom they used, what theperson was like to work with and howpleased they were with the results.

Don’t have any recommendations? Avoidjust opening the Yellow Pages and point-ing; take the time to find a person whohas the expertise you need. A track-savvy architect, professional engineer,landscape architect track consultant orCertified Track Builder (CTB) should beyour preference. To find a qualified ex-pert, you may contact professional as-

sociations such as the American SportsBuilders Association (ASBA), the Amer-ican Society of Landscape Architects(ASLA), the American Institute of Archi-tects (AIA) or the National Society of

Professional Engineers (NSPE).

Once you have a name (preferably morethan one), it’s time to do some inter-viewing, according to Devin Conway ofVerde Design, Inc. in Santa Clara, CA.

“There are a few key items that shouldbe addressed,” says Conway. “Ask, ‘Whatlevel of past experience do you havewith relatively similar work?’ ‘What isyour knowledge of this sport and typeof facility?’ ‘Can you provide names andnumbers of clients for similar projects?’At a minimum, these should the ques-tions asked in terms of validating quali-fications and past client satisfaction.”

In addition, Conway cautions, “Makesure you know who will be actually re-

sponsible for completing the work inthe design professional’s offices, not justthe name on the door. This is impor-tant. Are you going to get an entry-levelperson who does not know the site or

the sport, or someone who is setting upthe relationship with you and really un-derstands what is going on with your fa-cility?”

Check references on a prospective de-signer. Make sure the individual youchoose is someone with whom you feelcomfortable and confident, and who re-turns your phone calls and takes thetime to explain things to you. Once youhave selected the right partner for theproject, it’s time to get to work.

A number of factors must be consid-ered when getting ready to do a re-design or rehab of a facility, says KristiChavarria of Schrickel, Rollins and As-sociates in Arlington, TX. Remember,she adds, that making changes to your

Track Facility RedesignBy Mary Helen Sprecher

The redesign andupdating of yourtrack & field facility is going tobe a big job.

A facility that is being designed for college-level competition use, such as the John McDonnell Track Facility at the University of Arkansas, will have different design

needs from that of a recreational facility.

Photo courtesy of Mondo USA, Inc., Tega Cay, FL



Track Facilities 2008/AMERICAN TRACK & FIELD • 7

Track Facility Redesign

facility may have an unexpected dominoeffect, necessitating other work.

Chavarria says an owner should ask hisor her design partner an array of ques-tions. For example, “What kinds of healthrules and environmental compliance willbe required? Will there be hazardous ma-terials or hazardous waste involved? Howold are the existing facilities and howhave the building codes, electrical codes,etc., changed since the facilities were builtor last updated? Owners and operatorsmust realize that minor improvementscan require them to bring the entire fa-cility up to code. Accessibility require-ments continue to evolve and the extentto which they can affect an existing com-plex is often underestimated.” (Changingaccessibility requirements may affect restrooms, parking facilities, seating and even the paving of some of the walkwaysand other facilities, all of which can lead to unexpected costs and construc-tion delays).

Jack Kamrath of Tennis Planning Con-sultants, Inc. in Houston, TX recom-mends having a master plan to help mapout other changes that may be made tothe facility in the future. Chavarria alsonotes that facility owners should asktheir design partners for suggestions onthe current trends in athletic facility de-sign and what can be done now to getahead of the game.

It is essential, say the pros, to study theinfrastructure of the given facility — itswater, sewer, drainage and power ca-pacities, for example — and to decidewhether those can be re-used, given thelikelihood that the renovated facility willbring in more users. In addition, it isnecessary to find out whether the cur-rent parking facilities will be sufficient.

It’s a complex job, and making a successof it means coming to the tableequipped with all the information nec-essary. Make sure that you and your de-

sign professional do a walk-through ofyour facility together, then sit down andtalk. What changes do you envision andwhat would you like to see added? Hasanything become unnecessary or extra-neous? What would you like to play up?Make a complete set of notes, and as-certain that everything is written downfor future reference. Good communica-tion is essential to your partnership, aswell as to the final product.

“Remember that the design profes-sional should not be a glorified drafts-man who is just transferring your ideasto the computer, but they also shouldnot be wholesale telling you how yourathletic facility should be laid out andlook,” says Conway. “The design profes-sional’s true role is to provide profes-sional guidance, experience with otherfacilities, and to lead the process so anoutstanding design is developed.”

International Standard TrackBy Mary Helen Sprecher

With apologies to our founding fathers, notall 400-meter tracks are created equal.

Sure, two different facilities may be per-fectly acceptable for competition, but thatdoesn’t make them identical. Why? Be-cause depending upon the area available,the sports field(s) to be accommodatedand other factors, the track designer hasthe option of several different track con-figurations. These days, one of these de-signs has moved to the forefront in termsof preference according to the AmericanSports Builders Association.

That design, the non-equal quadranttrack, has two equal curves and twoequal straightaways that may be either

shorter or longer than the curves. TheInternational Amateur Athletic Federation(IAAF) specifies a type of this track (oftenreferred to as the “international standardtrack”) that has straightaways of 84.39meters and measure line radii of 36.80meters. This type of track is found in manycompetition facilities and, if the site per-mits, will be the track of choice in manycases, particularly for multi-use facilities.Why? It accommodates an Americanfootball field, an international soccer field(105m x 68m) and/or a high school orNCAA lacrosse field. As to track, itswider radius favors runners, enhancing

their performance.

Even though the non-equal quadranttrack is currently receiving a great deal ofattention, it is not the only choice in trackdesign.

With the initial growth of soccer, the

double bend track, formerly known asthe “broken-back track,” became popular.It has a compound radius curve at eachend (usually two small curves and a largecurve formed by three different radii andtogether forming one complex curve witha major bend not to exceed 60 degrees).



International Standard Track

This layout accommodates a soccer fieldand allows construction of a track on asite with length or width constraints, mak-ing it a useful choice in some cases. Withsix radius points, however, it is more diffi-cult to lay out and stripe, and its tightturns are a challenge for runners.

The equal quadrant track consists oftwo straightaways of 100 meters each and

two curves of 100 meters each. Previ-ously, this design was popular, so popularthat many considered it the only way tobuild a track. It has fallen out of favor,however, according to track professionals.

“The equal quadrant track is inferior forseveral reasons,” says Brett T. Long ofBrett T. Long Landscape Architecture inSouth Lake Tahoe, CA. “It doesn’t accom-modate a full soccer field and the longstraights and tight radius turns are notoptimal for track competition.”

The equal quadrant track also presentssafety concerns, claims Peter J. “Duffy”Mahoney of USA Track & Field in Indi-anapolis, IN, since “the narrow radius ofeach turn makes the turns/track slowerdue to centrifugal forces acting on therunner moving around the turn, as wellas contributing to possible injuries to thelegs of the runners due to forces actingon them as the runner moves aroundthe turn.”

In many schools, land once used for mul-tiple sports fields now holds academicbuildings, parking lots and more. Thatmeans that one field—often the onewithin the track oval—does double, tripleor even quadruple duty in terms of thesports it hosts.

“Obviously, the greatest driving force forthe overall field design is the multipur-pose use of a wider track,” says SamFisher of Fisher Tracks, Inc. in Boone, IA.“With the advent of lacrosse and fieldhockey hitting the high school market, aswell as soccer, the wider field becomes anecessity. Everyone’s goal is to host thatprestigious meet or game in any one ofthose sports and, again, the wider field

becomes paramount.”

According to PatrickMaguire of the Boston,Massachusetts–basedfirm Stantec, with theuse of a track with awider radius, “the en-tire track facility is im-proved. Not only doesit allow for a wider in-ternal field with morebreathing room on thesidelines—very im-portant for soccer andwomen's lacrosse—italso makes for a fastertrack as runners areable to maintaingreater speed aroundthe wider turns.”

The non-equal quadrant, therefore, ispreferred. But what about those whodon’t live in the perfect world?

“Our current public school system clientacknowledges that the equal quadranttrack does reduce the options on thetype of athletic fields that are possible,”notes Charles E. “Chuck” Williams ofKisinger, Campo & Associates Corp. inTampa, FL. “Their standard is the equal

quadrant track and they cannot changethe configuration since space to expandis a problem. As a result they treat all oftheir schools the same and place theevents in areas outside the track wherethey are better accommodated. They un-derstand the limitations very well due tothe limitation of available funds for thesetypes of changes.”

The preferred configuration is not with-out its drawbacks. Wider fields requirestronger lighting, but reduce visibility forspectators. “Wider fields mean thatmany of the sports fields are well into theoval,” adds Fisher. “This leaves little D-area for event areas, especially when fac-toring in the safety zone. Anothernegative to the wider track with ashorter straight is that the start of the300s can sometimes actually be into thecurve and therefore it is necessary to

Track and playing field configurations,showing measurements needed from thetrack center line to the raised curb, with

regard to various sports fields that may bebuilt inside the oval.

Reprinted from Running Tracks: A Construction and Maintenance Manual, by the American Sports Builders Association


box out the starts with dashedlines to keep everyone startingon the straight.”

A facility must fit the athletes’needs, as well as the spaceavailable. According to SteveHersom of Sports Turf Com-pany, Inc. in Whitesburg, GA,“An equal quadrant trackcould certainly be the size thatfits into a stadium or on a lot.Although the internationaltrack may be preferred, thereare limitless other configura-tions that would provide afunctional, legal facility.”

“There is no incorrect track configura-tion as long as it meets the requirementsof the association whose rules will gov-ern its use,” says Ron Nemeth, a retiredtrack builder and former athletic direc-tor. “Is the equal quadrant track wrong?No—it is simply outdated. Is the IAAFtrack more correct? No—it is simplymore important to the development ofnot only facilities to meet the needs ofowners of multipurpose sports venues,but also the development of its athletesin meeting their full potential. Will changeoccur again? Most likely, but don't let thatinfluence your decision today.”

International Standard Track


Reprinted from Running Tracks: A Construction and Maintenance Manual, by the American Sports Builders Association

The 400-meter standard IAAF track can enclosean American football field, as well as an

international soccer field, and still have room forseveral field events on or in the facility itself.

SurfacingBy Mary Helen Sprecher

It finally happened. Your school has the fundingin place for the track you’ve always wanted.Now what?You know you want a 400-meter tracksuitable for training and competition. Be-yond that, there may be some confusion.The following is a primer designed tohelp you understand the materialschoices available. Ultimately, various fac-tors such as your site, budget and in-tended use will influence the decisionsyou make.

An experienced, reputable design profes-sional, consultant or track builder canhelp you sort through your options andcome up with the best plan. However, itis good to go into your first meeting with

an understanding of the choices to bemade. The following is an overview ofthe essentials, including the componentsof a track and how they come together.For the sake of simplicity, this article as-sumes that a site has been decided uponand that the track orientation and designare complete.

What’s in a track?According to the American SportsBuilders Association’s (ASBA) publica-tion, “Running Tracks: A Construction andMaintenance Manual,” construction of atrack begins with site preparation—grad-

ing, compaction and drainage. (For moreinformation on drainage, see following ar-ticle.) Next comes the installation of abase of crushed aggregate (limestone orgravel), or of processed or recycled as-phalt or concrete.

Paving commences once a base has beenlaid. Asphalt is the most frequently usedpaving material. Asphalt is a flexible pave-ment; it is able to “give” slightly to com-pensate for the ground’s movement dueto settling, to the action of water and tofreeze/thaw activity. However, as it getsolder, asphalt shrinks and hardens and is


prone to cracking. Asphalt used can beeither regular highway asphalt, or a per-meable asphalt which allows water todrain down through the track. (A con-sultant or track builder can provide guid-ance as to which pavement will workbest in a given situation.)

Reinforced concrete, which is harder andmore expensive than asphalt, is lessprone to cracking; however, it is more dif-ficult to repair. In a limited number of cir-cumstances, reinforced concrete may beused for the track itself, but it is popularfor use in the construction of field events,as well as for curbs, drainage structures,walkways, and foundations for fenceposts, light poles and more. Occasionally,post-tensioned concrete may be pre-ferred.

Once the base is laid, it is time to studythe choices available with regard to sur-facing. As previously mentioned, tracksurfacing systems are classified as eitherpermeable or impermeable. Trackbuilders are frequently asked which is the“right” choice. The answer depends upon

the site, weather conditions, geographicconditions and other factors.

On the surfaceThe surface (the part visible to the user)is installed over the pavement. Generally,track surfaces fall into two categories:permeable (or porous), meaning waterdrains through the surface; and imper-meable (or non-porous) in which waterdrains and/or evaporates off the surface.

A variety of products are used in theconstruction of a track surface. They in-clude primers (latex or polyurethaneprimers), binders (SBR [Styrene-Butadi-ene-Rubber] latex or polyurethane

binders), and coatings (water-based coat-ings or various polyurethane coatings).Beyond these, the major componentused in the construction of a track sur-face is rubber (black rubber particles, col-ored rubber particles and pre-manufactured rubber products are used).Track surfaces are systems, which may in-clude some or all of these products.

Generally, systems are divided into threecategories, any of which may be suitablefor a given installation.

1. Latex systems (which consist ofrubber particles bound together by awater-based latex binder) can be broken

down into black mat systems, coloredbinder systems, colored sandwich sys-tems and full-depth color systems.

2. Polyurethane systems (which canbe broken down into polyurethane base mat surfacing systems-permeable,polyurethane base mat structural spraysurface-permeable, polyurethane sealedbase mat structural spray surface-imper-meable, polyurethane base mat sandwichsystem-impermeable and polyurethanefull pour surfaces-impermeable).3. Premanufactured tracks (whichcan be broken down into a premanufac-tured base mat with a seal and apolyurethane structural spray top coating,

When it comes to all-weather tracks, the choice of color is a personal one. While redand black are often seen, surfacing can reflect school colors as well. In the track

facility at San Mateo College, for example, the surface is blue.

Photo courtesy of Robert A. Bothman, Inc., San Jose, CA

Surfacing



Surfacing

a premanufactured base mat with a sealand polyurethane coating applied to thebase mat with embedded colored EPDMrubber granules, and a premanufactured,vulcanized rubber product that is in-stalled in a single layer and does not re-quire any further finishing for use).

As a side note, some uncoated asphalttracks or unbound natural surface tracks,such as cinder, clay, expanded shale or decomposed granite, are still in use; how-ever, current guidelines and recommen-dations are no longer developed orissued for such surfaces.

Future track owners can choose amonga wide array of construction and surfac-ing products on the market. The best ad-vice is to get advice. Talk to managers andathletic directors who have recently built,rehabbed or added on to their facilities.Find out whom they worked with and

whether they were satisfied. Visit the fa-cilities, ask questions and take notes. Getrecommendations and insights. Most ofall, learn everything you can. An informedconsumer makes the best owner.

The track facility at San Mateo College uses a blue surface with clear markings in contrasting colors.

DrainageBy Mary Helen Sprecher

The drainage system for your track & fieldfacility is one of the most important as-pects of its design. The selection of a sitethat drains adequately—in other words,an area that is a fairly level plane and ishigher than the surrounding area—is apositive step toward optimal drainage.Often, however, an ideal site is not avail-able. In that case, the drainage system de-sign becomes critical.

According to the American SportsBuilders Association’s publication, “Run-ning Tracks: A Construction and Mainte-nance Manual,” good drainage is not onlyimportant; it is absolutely essential to thesuccess of a track project. The problemsa substandard drainage system can causewill become apparent quickly, and willcontinue to haunt the facility throughoutits useful life, or until they are cor-rected—a proposition which will costmore than installing the correct systemin the first place.

But enough doom and gloom. The bestway to make the right decisions aboutdrainage is to become familiar with theoptions out there. An informed con-sumer makes the best customer, accord-ing to track design and constructionprofessionals.

Track Construction and DrainageMost running tracks are designed so thatwater moves off them in three ways. First,some track systems are porous (perme-able). Water drains through the surfaceuntil it meets the asphalt, where by virtueof the cross slope on the pavement, itruns off either to the inside or to the out-side of the track. Slope, therefore, is thesecond method by which tracks drain. Innon-porous (impermeable) systems, thewater drains off the surface itself. Finally,water within porous surfacing material, oron an impermeable surface, evaporates.

If there is a problem which does not allowthe water to run off (for example, if the

If you’re lucky,you’ll never haveto think aboutdrainage. But ifyou overlook it, orworse, skimp andtry to cut cornerswhen you put it in,you’ll be thinkingabout it all thetime—mostly withgreat regret.


Photo courtesy of Robert A. Bothman, Inc., San Jose, CA


It permits year-round training and compe-tition for athletes, promotes overall well-ness and adds to the opportunities forcross-training.

Building the perfect facility will dependupon individual needs. A facility may bedesigned and constructed for track & fieldonly; many such tracks are constructed forhigher levels of competition, including eliteamateur and international competition.Alternatively, an indoor track may be partof a multi-purpose gymnasium or fieldhouse which also includes a weight room,courts for tennis, racquetball, volleyball,basketball or squash, studios for yoga oraerobics, a wrestling room, weight room,multipurpose rooms or offices.

The building must be large enough to holdall sports areas, as well as all athletes, offi-

cials, personnel, spectators and others,with individual safety as the paramountconcern. The National Collegiate AthleticAssociation (NCAA) recommends an un-obstructed 30’ overhead clearance andIAAF recommends an obstacle-free zoneon the inside and outside of the track atleast one meter in width.

For a single-purpose venue, a permanenttrack will be installed. In cases where thefacility will be used for many sports or ac-tivities, however, a fully portable indoortrack or a track which is a combination offixed and movable portions may be used.

The Indoor TrackGenerally, an indoor track facility will in-clude a 200m oval, a straight track, runwaysand landing areas for the high jump, longjump, triple jump and pole vault, and a cir-

cle and landing sector for the shot put.

While the 200-meter oval is standard (infact, the IAAF has developed a 200m pre-ferred track design called the Standard In-door Track), tracks up to 300m are legalfor collegiate competition. Regardless ofits size, the oval track will consist of equalparallel straightaways and equal turnswhich may be banked up to 18 degrees. Afour-lane track is adequate for all but com-petition at the highest levels.

In most facilities, a straight track will beplaced along the longitudinal center of theoval, and will be used for sprints and hur-dles. It will allow for 60-meter races to berun with additional clearance at the startand finish lines. If necessary, padding maybe placed for the athletes’ protection. Thestraight track should have a minimum of

Indoor TracksBy Mary Helen Sprecher

Drainage

pavement doesn’t slope adequately toallow for drainage or if the water is pre-vented from draining because of a barriersuch as an improperly designed curb), thewater becomes trapped on or under thesurface. Bubbling and delamination of thesurface will be the result.

Drainage SystemsIn addition to proper drainage design forthe track itself, most facilities will requirea system to control water and move itaway from the track. Ultimately, the de-cision of which type or types of systemsto use will rest with the owner, but inmaking that decision, the owner shouldbe guided by factors including site to-pography, geography, weather and more.A track expert (design professional,track consultant, Certified Track Builderor experienced builder) can help anowner learn what is available, sortthrough the options and determine what

is required by local building codes. Op-tions may include:

• Swales, which are natural drainagechannels covered by vegetation;• A French drain, which interceptswater that otherwise would accumulatebeneath the track and that redirects it toa storm sewer or other disposal area;• An underground barrier be-tween the facility and any subsurfacewater; one common type is a trencharound the perimeter filled with cleanstone. In this option, the water is allowedto percolate down into the ground inplace rather than being redirected to astorm sewer. • Multiple catch basins, which actlike shower drains, around the insideedges of the track intercepting waterand directing it to a storm sewer;• An open pan drain (also known as

a curb and valley gutter), usually

18”–36” wide, installed along the insideedge of the track and containing multi-ple catch basins.• An integral curb drain, made ofpolymeric materials, around the insideedge of the track surface with severaloutlets to a storm drainage system.

Regardless of the type or types ofdrainage systems employed, wheneverpossible it’s advisable to harveststormwater for irrigation or for otheruses on site or to allow it to percolateinto the soil to recharge the aquiferrather than dispose of it in a stormsewer. In fact, in many jurisdictions,stormwater management and dispersalis heavily regulated. Stormwater may befiltered through plantings, spread overporous surfaces, including lawns, or col-lected and stored in ponds for futureuse.

For all-weather surfaces that truly are all-weather, there’s nothing like an indoor facility.




Indoor Tracks

six and a maximum of eight lanes.

Placement of the high jump may be suchthat the athlete will start his or her run-upon the banking of the oval track, providedthat the last 5 meters of the run-up areon the level approach to the high jump bar.Often, to ensure that the entire run-up islevel, the take-off area is placed up againstthe straight track.

A single facility for the long jump andtriple jump is generally placed beside thestraight track, with the pole vault next toit on the outside.

The shot put should have a landing areaprotected by a stop barrier. The landingsector may be covered by any suitable ma-terial on which the shot will make an im-pact but will not bounce.

Multi-Sport Facilities

Often an indoor track, whether for com-petition, training or recreation, will be in-cluded in a multi-sport facility such as afield house.

In the case of a multi-sport arena, makesure all track facilities are built accordingto the guidelines of the relevant govern-

ing bodies. Even in a multipurpose build-ing, a track used for competition mustconform to the rules.

According to Robin Traum of TaraflexSports Flooring by Gerflor in Tarare,France, a well-built facility starts with thecorrect surface for each individual sport.

“Flooring ranks as the most critical partof an indoor athletic facility,” says Traum.“It gets the most use—everyone enteringand leaving the room walks and plays onthe floor. The floor is the only part of a fa-cility that stays visible everywhere theusers go. Its appearance, comfort and per-formance create impressions that athletes,coaches, spectators and visitors take withthem. The right flooring creates a positiveimage and can be a strong reason for peo-

ple returning while poorly-selected, im-properly-maintained and uncomfortablefloors lead to negative perceptions anddiscourage people from coming back.”

Surfaces are manufactured for a specificuse: track, basketball, tennis, dance and

more. For example, the optimum surfacefor track has a high level of surface friction,which would limit its suitability for othersports. Indoor track surfaces may allowthe use of spikes or may be spikeless.

According to Erika Marcoux of MondoUSA in Tega Cay, SC, it is essential to knowwhich sports and what non-athletic activ-ities the facility will hold, and to recognizethat there is not one surface that willserve all needs.

“Carefully choose products that meetthe requirements needed and that willaddress the purpose you have intended,”says Marcoux. “Choosing an inappropri-ate product can lead to disappointmentin performance.”

Factors that must be evaluated whenchoosing flooring include the types ofsports that will be played and how ofteneach will be played, the age and skill levelof the players, any non-athletic usesplanned (graduations, proms, concerts),the construction, maintenance and oper-

ating budgets, how the flooring will re-spond to temperature and humidityfluctuations, and more.

“Look into the initial cost versus the life-cycle costs of the flooring types,” addsTraum. “Owners tend to see only the ini-tial savings instead of the long-term sav-ings potential. Investing a little moremoney at the outset usually leads to hugesavings in upkeep, energy usage and down-time in the long run.”

The pros are adamant about not cuttingcorners by installing inferior sports sur-faces. They also recommend the installa-tion of a top-quality air-handling system.According to Marcoux, “Proper air qualityand ventilation are essential for optimal

This indoor facility, the Indiana Wesleyan New Indoor Sport Complex, providestrack & field athletes an opportunity to train in a variety of disciplines.

Photo courtesy of Kiefer Specialty Flooring, Inc., Lindenhurst, IL



Indoor Tracks

Lucky for the ancient Greeks, space limi-tations weren’t a problem. Neither wasathlete/spectator liability or the possibil-ity that the javelin or hammer might dam-

age the synthetic turf.

But times change, and while the events en-dure, figuring out the best, most efficient

and safest placement for them has be-come nothing less than an art form.Those whose facilities which includesome or all of the long jump, triple jump,pole vault, discus, shot, hammer andjavelin need to take special care in plan-ning the layout of all events for the safetyand convenience of meet managers, ath-letes, coaches and spectators.

When a facility is designated specifically

comfort and athletic performance. Havingan effective HVAC unit and utilizing prod-ucts that provide for a safe breathing en-vironment are key.”

Other Factors for Indoor FacilitiesSpeaking of HVAC, whether planning adedicated indoor track venue or a multi-purpose field house, there are many issuesto be considered which are not involvedwhen building an outdoor track, HVACbeing one of them. Others include:

• Walls and ceilings—Walls and ceilingsin sports halls often receive strong me-chanical impacts and should be designedto withstand them. Walls to at least 2mabove the floor should be smooth and, ifnecessary, padded to protect athletes.

• Lighting—Lighting must be adequatefor players and spectators. Natural light-ing in the form of windows and skylightscan enhance aesthetics, but care shouldbe taken to avoid glare or excessive mot-tling. The IAAF recommends specific lev-els of lighting varying from 75 lux forrecreation and training up to 500 lux fornational and international competition,

even more if the competition will be tel-evised.

• Color—Various colors reflect vari-ous quantities of the light that falls onthem. For example, white reflects 70–80%of that light, while dark green reflects only15–20%. The IAAF recommends specificvalues of reflection for track competition:70% for ceilings, 30–60% for walls and 25%for flooring.

• Sound attenuation: Excessive noisecan impair hearing and may stress theheart and circulatory system. Therefore,to maximize athletic performance, careshould be taken to moderate soundwithin a sports hall. There are three prin-

cipal means of sound attenuation: soundbarriers, sound absorbers and vibrationdampers. Any or all of these may be used.

There is no question that creating an op-timum athletic facility indoors is a com-plex undertaking, especially if that facilitywill be used for more than one sport. Butwhen the cold wind blows or the snowflies, or when the sweltering summer sunbeats down on the outdoor track surface,

there is no question that having an indoortrack for practice or competition is a realadvantage for any program, making the re-sources devoted to the effort well worth-while.

This indoor facility showsgood use of space; facilities include basketball as well as various track andfield events.

Photo courtesy of Beynon Sports Surfaces, Belcamp, MD

Field EventsBy Mary Helen Sprecher

Field events, the competitions involvingjumping and throwing, date back to theancient Greek Olympic contests.


for track and field, and not for multi-pur-pose use, says Sam Fisher of FisherTracks, Inc. in Boone, IA, it makes thingseasier. “Obviously the stand-alone trackfacility is a whole different issue versusthe multi-purpose field,” he notes. “Thestand-alone facility can really accommo-date all of the events within the oval in-cluding discus, javelin, and hammer.”

But multi-tasking isn’t just for the work-

place any more. It now applies to track &field facilities, where one field may dodouble, triple or quadruple duty, hostingevents such as football, soccer, lacrosse,field hockey and more. And that meansfitting in as much as possible, safely andefficiently.

“When designing field events, such as polevault, long/triple jump and high jump areas,many times the school has limited spaceavailable. We also consider safety and easeof maintenance and best viewing for thespectators,” says Bob Zerull of AthleticField Services, Inc. in Genesee Depot, WI.

“The common scenario is how much canwe pack into a small space to accommo-date track, football, soccer, lacrosse, etc.,”

agrees Fisher. “This basically eliminates theoption of having any event areas down theinterior sidelines. Some schools are optingto put their runways on the outside of thestraightaways for purposes of keeping theevents within the viewing area of thestands. Shot put can frequently fit into a D-zone, as well, with the high jump in the op-posing D. This completely eliminates anyD-zone use for warm-ups for football play-ers, etc.”

Creativity in design, say the pros,can be the saving grace of many afacility. Zerull has worked with afacility that has a combination polevault and long/triple jump design.“When vaulting left to right, thecenter runway on the left is used,while at the same time thelong/triple jump events can begoing, with the jumpers using theouter runways on the right,” henotes. “Also, when possible, we liketo design the jumping areas nearthe center of the field so that theyare easily visible from the stands.By connecting the events to thetrack with asphalt, grass is elimi-nated for ease of maintenance.”

Numerous configurations are pos-sible, he adds. “If the infield is usedfor soccer/football, and the track

configuration is an equal quadrant, or nar-rower, it is best to place the long/triplejump outside the track. Placing the eventnear the bleachers makes it more visiblefor the spectators. By building thelong/triple jump runways on a single pave-ment, more than one runway can be uti-lized. The pole vault runway can usually beplaced behind the goal post, which is a verygood spot for viewing from the stands. If atall possible, it should not be placed on thesame end near the common start/finish, asthis can cause some congestion.”

With the increasing use of synthetic turfcomes concern over whether throwingevents can cause damage to the athleticsurface. It is important to consult themanufacturer of the specific synthetic

turf system; failure to follow a manufac-turer’s recommendations can void itswarranty.“There has been a lot of discussion latelyabout the placement of jumping pits in-side the oval when synthetic turf is in-volved,” notes Fisher. “The sandoftentimes is out on the turf and the endresult over time is a very sloppy lookingarea. The real problem I have found is notthe sand getting out of the pit duringevents but the sand being taken out ofthe pit by children (using it as a sandbox)as their parents are using the track forexercise. I recommend sand catchers ofsome type. The less expensive modelsare very easy to take on and off andserve notice basically that this is not aplay area or sandbox. With maintenanceand upkeep, I don’t think the sand is re-ally a problem nor should the smallamount of rubber in the sandpit fromthe synthetic turf field be a problem ei-ther.”

In cases where not all events can be ac-commodated within the facility itself,some institutions have elected to buildancillary facilities to hold the additionalevents. However, say builders, certainsteps should be taken.

“With the advent of the field eventsbeing moved outside of the oval comes

the concern of people wandering aroundand, more importantly, wanderingthrough a performance area,” says SamFisher. “These areas ideally should befenced off and a small set of bleachersset up for viewing.”

In the final analysis, the choice ofwhether to place some (or even all) ofthe jumping and throwing events outsidethe track oval must be made by theowner who will be hosting the meets. Inall cases, refer to the guidelines set foreach event by the appropriate governingbody for that level of competition. Re-member that standards exist for the pur-poses of athlete safety, which alwaysshould be the foremost concern.


Field event layouts as shown on a 400-meter non-equal quadrant track.

Field Events

Reprinted from Running Tracks: A Construction and Maintenance Manual by the American Sports Builders Association.


Two hints: It’s not expensive and youprobably already have one in your office.

Give up? It’s a notebook. That and a penwill help you develop a checklist tokeep your track & field facility lookingand performing at its best.

According to the professionals who de-sign, build and supply materials forthose facilities, scheduled maintenanceand constant vigilance are the keys that,year after year, result in a great experi-ence for athletes and coaches alike.

“It’s the small maintenance items thatturn into big headaches when neg-lected,” says Sam Fisher of Fisher Tracks,Inc. in Boone, IA.

One of the big mistakes, say track pro-fessionals, is assuming that an all-weather facility, particularly a new one,requires no attention whatsoever. Andwhile it’s true that there isn’t much tobe done, that doesn’t absolve the owneror manager of being proactive.

“Most track surfaces are maintenance-

free, meaning that the owner cannot doany real maintenance other than wash-ing the track during the dry season andtouching up numbers and triangleswhen the paint is worn out,” says LucaReinaudo of Mondo USA in Tega Cay,SC. “But in our opinion, the emphasisshould be on preventive maintenance.”

Preventive maintenance should be doneon a daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal andannual basis. A suggested checklist hasbeen included with this article, butreaders are encouraged to personalizeit for their facilities. Not all items on thelist will need to be checked off each day;however, as long as the track is in use,someone should be looking at it. Car-rying a digital camera when inspectingthe facility will allow photos to be sentto the track installer if there is anyquestion about whether somethingneeds to be addressed right away, orwhether it can wait.

Problems with a track might be occur-ring underneath, but the first placeyou’ll see them is the surface. Profes-sionals recommend a regular walk-through of the facility with a specialemphasis on the track itself.

“Every attempt should be made to keepthe surface clean,” says Lee Murray ofCompetition Athletic Surfaces, Inc. inChattanooga, TN.

The surface should stay free of grass

clippings, dirt, gravel and other debris. Itmight not hurt to have such materialsresting on the track, but once athletesbegin working out, the debris starts get-ting ground in.

According to Fisher, another culprit insurface damage is a gate that hangs toolow and does not clear the track surface.

“Numerous tracks are damaged bygates that swing out into the track and,due to neglect or abuse, start draggingon the rubber. I see owners go out andlift gates so that they can open them.Why don’t they just fix the thing? Overtime, the gate is dragged over the rub-ber surface again and again and damageoccurs. Most of these gates unfortu-nately are on the straightaway and mostof the damage occurs during footballseason.”

Another common source of damage tothe track surface is water. Tracks aredesigned to drain; they can shed thewater that comes in the form of rain.But, they are not designed to handle ex-cess water. Check and make sure sprin-klers for the field or surroundinglandscaping are not spraying onto thetrack and overloading it with water.

“A super-saturated subbase is rottingthe asphalt, creating a great deal ofvapor pressure on the underside of therubber surface causing bubbling and de-lamination,” says Fisher. “In addition, wehave asphalt stripping. Lastly, there is thesheer cosmetics of the discolorationdue to the hardness and mineral con-tent of the water itself.”

Ensure that bleachers and other adja-cent areas do not drain onto the track.Also, be certain that grass and dirt arenot allowed to build up on the edge ofthe track, preventing water from drain-ing. Clean out drains; keep them freeof grass clippings, leaves, dirt, litter andother debris that can clog them and

Track MaintenanceBy Mary Helen Sprecher

What’s the best investment you canmake with regardto track upkeep?



keep them from working effectively. Ifyou see water ponding on the track,alert the installer, as repairs may beneeded.

Murray is able to tick off a number ofadditional proactive measures.

“Track surfaces are intended for ath-letes participating in running, walking orfield events,” he notes. “The track sur-face should be restricted to vehiculartraffic of any kind. Mowing and serviceequipment on the track should be lim-ited. Where access is necessary, protec-tion should be put in place. This can berubber matting, artificial turf, plywood,etc. Protective matting should be usedwhere athletes other than track andfield cross the track, including football,

soccer and cheerleaders. Place protec-tive mats under temporary bleachers,tables, platforms, etc. Remove matswhen not in use.”

Track installers recommend athletesuse soft spikes, or spikes of limitedlength (1/8” maximum, and pyramid-shaped, say many) in order to preventdamage. A sign stating this rule shouldbe prominently posted.

“Seventy-five percent of damage that wesee on tracks is due to misuse of the fa-cility, and could be avoided if appropriatesigns were posted,” says Reinaudo.

Don’t overlook the field events. Checkall equipment and make sure it is ingood repair. Look at everything, includ-

ing the sand pits, in which the sandshould be level with the top of the syn-thetic surface.

What else? Fields should be kept ingood repair. Natural grass should bekept mowed and edged (without dam-age to the track edges or surface). Syn-thetic turf, too, should be inspected andmaintained. (For information on syn-thetic turf maintenance, see the articleelsewhere in this issue).

Overall, maintenance is not a lot of workall at once but a series of small steps tokeep things moving in the right direction.And as always, planning ahead and beingcareful are the most important things,and the most likely to have a long-termpositive effect on the facility.

Track Maintenance



Track MaintenanceTrack Maintenance ChecklistDate Inspected: _________________________Signature: _________________________Note: This document can be modified for individual facilities; separate checklists can be designed for maintenance to be

carried out on a daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal, or annual basis. It may be advisable to check with the installer of the facility for additional suggestions.

Fencing

_____ Check fencing surrounding entire track; look for sagging rails, damage, bulging fence fabric, etc.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ NoNotes:

_____ Check gates to make sure they are not dragging the surface of the track.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ NoNotes:

Drainage

_____ Check drains and remove leaves, debris, etc. Look for blockages that require professional assistance.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ NoNotes:

_____ Irrigation systems should spray fields and landscaping; no overspray should be hitting the track.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ NoNotes:

Track Surface

_____ Walk around entire track and look for areas of wear, delamination, bubbling, peeling, damage, etc.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ NoNotes:

_____ Check surface for low or high spots; look for water to collect in these areas and not drain off after the rest of the track has dried.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ NoNotes:

_____ Check surface for discoloration.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ NoNotes:

_____ Check surface for rock, gravel, grass clippings, dirt or other debris; remove as necessary.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ NoNotes:

_____ Check lane lines and markings; make sure they are clear and that there is no fading, blurring or other damage.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ NoNotes:

Field Events/Equipment/Facilities

_____ Check all field events as applicable; look for damaged or worn equipment, proper amounts of sand, make sure all runways are in good repair. Note on the back of this sheet any specific concerns:

18 • AMERICAN TRACK & FIELD/Track Facilities 2008Continued on page 20


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Track Maintenance

_____ Long jump Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No_____ Triple jump Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No_____ High jump Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No_____ Steeplechase Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No_____ Pole vault Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No_____ Javelin Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No_____ Hammer throw Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No_____ Shot put Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No_____ Discus Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No_____ Hurdles Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No_____ Track curbing Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No_____ Other Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

Athletic fields

_____ Check all fields; if complex repairs are needed, note on a separate sheet.

Note: At all times, protective coverings should be placed over the track prior to drivingmowers or other maintenance equipment of any kind into the area. Under no circumstancesshould wheeled vehicles or other field maintenance equipment come into contact with thetrack surface.

_____ Areas of wear or damage.

Note: Artificial turf fields should be checked for surface damage or wear; natural grass surfaces should be checked for bare, muddy or rutted spots where areas may need to be leveled, or have sod or seed added.

Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Markings; look for clear, readable markings across an entire athletic field.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Sports equipment including goal posts, nets, etc; look for all equipment to be kept in good repair with no visible areas of damage.

Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Additional concerns:

Amenities and Accessories

_____ Check all the following; if complex repairs are needed, note on a separate sheet.

_____ Bleachers/spectator seatingRepairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Athlete benches/seatingRepairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Timing systemsRepairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

Track Maintenance Checklist

20 • AMERICAN TRACK & FIELD/Track Facilities 2008Continued on page 28


Wrong. There are many advantages to asynthetic turf field, but no sports surfaceis maintenance-free. To reap the maxi-mum benefits and keep your syntheticturf field looking and performing at itsbest, you need a maintenance plan.

A suggested checklist has been includedwith this article; individual managers cantailor it to their needs. The manufacturerof the specific turf system also can pro-vide maintenance recommendations. Ac-cording to the American Sports BuildersAssociation’s publication, Synthetic TurfSports Fields: A Construction and Mainte-nance Manual, any maintenance planshould include routine cleaning and

grooming as well as periodic inspection,repair of minor irregularities, testing andtop dressing.

In general, being proactive need not becomplex. Darby McCamy of EvergreenSynthetic Turf in Dalton, GA recom-mends that field managers, athletic di-rectors and others use the ‘CPR’approach—clean, protect and repair—for best results.

CleaningStart with cleaning, McCamy advises.“Regular maintenance is designed tokeep your field clean and allows you tomonitor and inspect the field for anynecessary repairs.”

The fewer contaminants are allowed onyour surface, the cleaner it will stay. Pro-hibit smoking, food and beverages, gum,chewing tobacco and other substanceslikely to soil your field or to leave debris.Keep pets, deer, geese and other animalsoff the surface as well.

Remove debris immediately, before it hasthe chance to decompose and filter intothe turf and down through the infill. Thisincludes all trash such as food wrappers,pompon shreds and tape, as well as envi-ronmental materials such as leaves, birddroppings, seeds, etc). Leaf blowers maybe used to remove dry debris; however,care should be taken not to hold the noz-zle too close to the surface since doing

so may cause damage. Additionally, do apost-game inspection and clean any spillsor stains off the turf using warm waterand a mild soap.

Unlike natural grass, synthetic turf doesnot contain the beneficial organisms thatbreak down organic contaminants suchas blood, urine, sweat and vomit. For thisreason, such contaminants should becleaned using an organic or enzymaticcleaning agent approved for use on syn-thetic turf fields. Mix up a fresh batch ofcleaner for each use and apply the solu-tion with a low pressure sprayer. Allowit to remain wet for at least 10 minutesbefore rinsing thoroughly. The goal is towash any cleaner and contaminants com-

Turf MaintenanceBy Mary Helen Sprecher

It’s synthetic turf. It needs no maintenance, right?

Synthetic turf is used in installations including facilities designated for field events,as well as for multiple sports, or even for a single sport. This, the Clyde AbshierStadium, has been lined for football usage. In all cases, turf should be regularly

inspected and maintained for best results.

Photo courtesy of Hellas Construction, Inc., Austin, TX




Turf Maintenance

pletely through the turf. With concernover the transmission of infections in-cluding Methicillin-resistant Staphylococ-cus aureus (MRSA), good hygienethroughout an athletic program is a keyto preventing the spread of disease. Ad-ditionally, organic materials and foodspills left in place may host mold or algae,which if established can be difficult to re-move. Just as wrestling programs regu-larly disinfect their mats, some syntheticturf owners regularly disinfect theirfields, especially the sideline areas wherecontamination concentrates.

To prolong the useful life of a turf sur-face and to keep it looking and perform-ing its best, installers and manufacturers

recommend regular grooming.

“Light grooming helps keep the fibersfrom embedding below the infill mix, andmaintains a fresh look by picking the de-bris off the field,” notes McCamy.

The frequency and type of grooming willvary according to recommendations fromthe manufacturer. One form of groomingis dragging, in which a piece of syntheticturf or a soft brush is dragged behind autility vehicle. Power-grooming equipmentis also available, and has rotary-actionbrushes that are mounted on a motorizedunit. A third form of grooming, scarifica-tion, involves the use of a sweeper orgreens groomer. In all grooming, the goal

is the same: preventing or remedyingcompaction of the surface, redistributingand re-leveling the infill and bringing fibersupright again.

ProtectingBecause a synthetic turf field can not re-generate itself the way natural grass can,says McCamy, “protection starts with lim-iting access to unauthorized equipmentand potential vandals. Fencing and fieldguideline signage is recommended.”

According to the ASBA’s manual, it is es-sential to keep any machinery used onor near the turf in good repair so that itdoes not leak oil or other fluids ontothe sport surface. Such equipment alsoshould feature wide soft tires, some-times referred to as “turf tires,” andshould be driven slowly with wide turnsso as to avoid disturbing the aggregatebase of the turf. No machinery should

ever be parked or allowed to stand onthe surface.

Heavy equipment of any kind should beprohibited from coming onto the turf. Inaddition, the surface should always beprotected from damage that mightoccur during alternate uses. If, for ex-ample, the field is to be used to host anoutdoor graduation, chairs should be seton plywood, mats or plastic tiles to dis-tribute the weight and prevent divots.

At least once a year, the field should beprofessionally inspected and tested tomake sure its playing qualities remainstable.

Synthetic turf fields are carefully constructed, and should be maintained with the sameamount of care and attention to detail. Regular maintenance will help keep fields looking

fresh and can help head off problems before they require significant work.

Photo courtesy of Sports Turf Company, Whitesburg, GA


RepairNobody likes to talk about it, but overtime, some damage to the surface is un-avoidable. “Constant monitoring of yourfield can catch problems like looseseams, which are easier to repair whennoticed early,” says McCamy. “High traf-fic areas also require special attention.Most goal boxes, batter’s boxes and mid-fields need extra infill added on a regularbasis to keep the field safe and level.”

Do a walk-through of your facility andlook for damaged areas. Although an ex-perienced maintenance professional maybe able to repair problems, it is recom-

mended that an installer be contactedfor advice. Note that if the field is usedfor band practice, multiple sports orrecreational activities, it receives morewear and should be checked more often.Vandalism and flooding can also causedamage.

While you can’t head off every problem,you can stay on top of new develop-ments and, by doing so, assure that minorflaws don’t become major catastrophes.Using a combination of common senseand proper planning can mean the grassstays greener inside your field’s fence.

Creating a field that feels seamless to athletes, and looks perfect to spectators, callsfor exacting work on the part of the installer

—and vigilance on the part of the facility owner and manager.

Keep lines on turf fresh by renewing the markings on aregular basis. Check two ways: do a walk-through of the facility and look at the lines up close, and then climb the

bleachers to see how they look from further off.




Turf Maintenance



Turf Maintenance

Date Inspected: _________________________Signature: _________________________Note: These schedules are presented only for informationas typical examples. Maintenance schedules depend upon sys-tem, climate, use and other factors. Failure to follow yourmanufacturer’s guidelines may void your warranty.

Daily Maintenance:

_____ Remove leaves and trash.Notes:

_____ Hand-pull any weeds from seeds that have begun to germinate.Notes:

_____ Spot-clean spills with mild detergent and warm water.Notes:

_____ Set up events _____ Marking_____ Moving benches_____ Setting up goalsNotes:

Weekly Maintenance:

_____ Check seams and inlaid markings; report any failures to installerNotes:

_____ Groom the surface to redistribute infill and maintain vertical fibers.Notes:

Monthly Maintenance:

_____ Treat weed infestation, moss, mold or algaeNotes:

_____ Check for over-compaction and groom as necessaryNotes:

Annual Maintenance:

_____ Inspect and test the surface (call in a professional installer for advice here).Notes:

_____ Top-dress with infill as required by owners and maintenance manual.Notes:

Typical Monthly Maintenance ScheduleNote: May vary according to geographic area and use

March: _____ Inspect field_____ Sweep_____ Groom

April: _____ Brush lightly_____ Sweep_____ Paint for spring sports (if markings are not

sewn in).

May: _____ Brush lightly_____ Sweep

June: _____ Brush heavily_____ Sweep_____ Groom

July: _____ Sweep_____ Test

August: _____ Inspect_____ Brush lightly_____ Sweep_____ Paint for fall sports (if markings are not

sewn in).

September: _____ Brush lightly_____ Sweep

October: _____ Brush lightly_____ Sweep

November: _____ Brush heavily_____ Sweep_____ Groom

December: _____ Inspect field

This document is reproduced with permission from SyntheticTurf Sports Fields: A Construction and Maintenance Manual, pub-lished by the American Sports Builders Association.

Field Maintenance Checklist



Track Industry News

American Sports Builders Association

8480 Baltimore National Pike • Suite 307Ellicott City, MD 21043 • 866-501-ASBA • 410-730-9595 • Fax: 410-730-8833

www.sportsbuilders.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDate: August 28, 2008Contact: Fred Stringfellow, CAE

866-501-ASBA, Fax: [email protected]

ASBA Certified Builder Designation UpheldIn Bid Requirement Dispute

Ellicott City, MD – The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA), the national organization for builders and suppliers of materials for athletic facilities, has scoreda major victory in a recent decision by the Attorney General of Massachusetts. In the ruling, the Office of the AG upheld the right of a local school district to restrictbidding for a running track project to companies which employ an ASBA Certified Track Builder.

“This is a victory, not only for our association and its certification program,” said George Todd, Jr., CTCB, Chairman of ASBA, “but for all those who are having facili-ties built or renovated, and who want the best for the athletes who will be using those facilities. This ruling illustrates the fact that authorities are upholding buyers’rights to have knowledgeable professionals working for them.”

In requesting bids for an upcoming track resurfacing project, the Masconomet Regional School District in Topsfield, MA set as one of its conditions that bidders forthe job employ an ASBA Certified Track Builder. The low bidder was not awarded the job because it did not have such an individual on staff. As a result, it protestedthe award of the job to a company that did employ a certified builder. Massachusetts law requires that public construction be awarded to the “lowest responsibleand eligible bidder,” defined as the bidder “whose bid is the lowest of those bidders possessing the skill, ability and integrity necessary to faithfully perform the work.”A company protesting the award of a bid must prove that the awarding authority’s decision was arbitrary.

In defending its decision to require that the bidder employ a Certified Track Builder, the school district argued that it had encountered serious problems regardingthe workmanship in prior track installations, which justified the use of the certification requirement as a means of identifying qualified contractors.

The school district’s procurement officer learned of the existence of ASBA while searching for industry standards for track construction. In addition to requiringthat the bidder for the job employ a Certified Track Builder, the school district’s bidding documents also required that the “Installer of track surfacing shall be amember in good standing with the American Sports Builders Association with specific qualifications in building and constructing tennis courts and running tracks.” Inaddition to not employing a Certified Track Builder, the company protesting the bid award was not a member of ASBA.

After review, the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General found that the district’s decision was not arbitrary because the certification requirement “formed arational basis for concluding that [the non-member company] was not a responsible bidder. It further found that the requirement is not overly restrictive because“certification is open to anyone who meets the ASBA’s standards.”

The certified builder program was developed by ASBA in order to help raise professional standards and improve the practice of sports facility construction. Two cer-tification designations are offered: that of Certified Tennis Court Builder (CTCB), and that of Certified Track Builder (CTB). In order to become a certified builder, anindividual must meet specific criteria set forth by ASBA; he or she must complete an application that shows he or she has sufficient experience in the constructionof either tennis courts or running tracks, and then must pass a comprehensive exam on either tennis court or running track construction. In order to retain thedesignation, an individual must recertify every three years by providing documentation showing continued experience and education in the industry.

According to ASBA officials, the decision is an important precedent supporting the argument that having a certified builder on staff is an appropriate qualification todetermine eligibility for bidding.

“We are very pleased with the decision of the Attorney General of Massachusetts,” said Todd, “and we are even more pleased with the ramifications of this decision—it will help owners of facilities across the country require excellence in their construction or renovation projects.”

Copies of the decision, as well as information on the certification program, can be obtained free of charge from the ASBA headquarters.

The ASBA is a non-profit association helping designers, builders, owners, operators and users understand quality sports facility construction. The ASBA sponsors in-formative meetings, publishes newsletters, books and construction guidelines for tennis courts, running tracks, artificial turf fields and more, and keeps its membersabreast of the latest developments in the industry. Available at no charge is a listing of all publications offered by the Association, as well as the ASBA’s MembershipDirectory, its publications, activities and upcoming meetings, please contact the Association at 8480 Baltimore National Pike, Suite 307, Ellicott City, MD 21043. Thetoll-free phone number is 866-501-ASBA, the local number is 410-730-9595, and the fax number is 410-730-8833. The ASBA also may be reached electronically at itswebsite, at www.sportsbuilders.org, or via e-mail at [email protected].


AT&F Track Facilities Directory

ProfessionalName of company: Paige Design Group, Inc.Address: 5 Pearse Wynd Road, Bahama, NC 27503Phone: 919-620-0300Fax: 919-620-0091Mobile phone: 919-451-1641Contacts: Don PaigeWhat does your company do? Track & Field Facility Planning and DesignWhat projects have you recently done? University ofOregon, Haward Field for the 2008 U.S. Olympic TrialsWebsite: www.TrackAndFieldDesign.com orwww.PaigeDesignGroup.comEmail: [email protected] region do you cover? United StatesFor more information? Contact Don Paige

ProfessionalName of company: Beals AllianceAddress: 53400 Bradshaw Road, Suite BSacramento, CA 95827Phone: 916-366-8350Fax: 916-366-8354Mobile phone: 916-832-9006Contacts: Tony Wood, RLAWhat does your company do? Landscape architecturewith a specialized sports studio focused exclusively on plan-ning and design of high performance sports facilities.What projects have you recently done? - DeltaCollege for San Joaquin Delta Community College ,Armijo,Fairfield and Rodriguez High Schools for Fairfield-Suisun Uni-fied School District, Inderkum and Natomas High Schools forNatomas Unified School District, Luther Burbank High Schoolfor Sacramento City Unified School DistrictWebsite: www.bealsalliance.comEmail: [email protected] region do you cover? Worldwide with a Western US focusFor more information? Tony Wood, RLA, [email protected]

ProfessionalName of company: Everlast Sports SurfacingAddress: 715 Fountain Ave., Lancaster, PA 17601Phone: 717-295-3400Fax: 717-295-3414Contacts: Robert Dougherty, General Surfacing ManagerWhat does your company do? Everlast Sports Surfacingmanufactures Sports Flooring, Sports Underlayment and TurfUnderlayment in the USA. Our products are made from recy-cled rubber and are extremely durable and easy to install andmaintain. Our products are shock and sound absorbent, provideless stress on athletes and are highly resilient indoor or out.Website: www.everlastflooring.comEmail: [email protected] region do you cover? USA/InternationalFor more information?Visit everlastflooring.com or call our office at 717-295-3400.

ProfessionalName of company: Labosport INC.Address: 5661 rue de Lanaudière, H2G 3A5, MontrealQuebec, CanadaPhone: 514-277-9111Fax: 514-277-9112Contacts: Guillaume Loubersac, Technical Manager - Kata-rina Dear, Export Manager - Nicolas Aumonier - Lab & On-site Test ManagerWhat does your company do? If a line can be for the de-scription of the acticity: Testing laboratory for sports andrecreational surfaces. Certification, diagnostics, expertise, con-trol on site, etc.Website: www.labosport.comEmail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] more information? Guillaume Loubersac, KatarinaDear, Nicolas Aumonier

ProfessionalName of company:Verde Design, Inc.Address: 2455 The Alameda, Ste. 200, Santa Clara, CA 95050Phone: 408-985-7200Fax: 408-985-7260Contacts: Derek McKee, LA, Principal, Devin Conway, PE,Principal, Vicki Vickers, Marketing ManagerWhat does your company do? Landscape architecture,civil engineering, sports planning and design. Our clients in-clude municipal and county public agencies, K-12 schools, col-leges and universities.What projects have you recently done? Chabot College,Athletic Facilities improvements, Hayward, CA, JeffersonUnion High School District, Track and Field Improvements at4 High Schools, Daly City, CA, Palo Alto Unified School Dis-trict, Track and Field Improvements at 2 High Schools, PaloAlto, CA, San José Unified School District, Field Improve-ments at 4 High Schools, San José, CA, San José State Univer-sity, Spartan Stadium Field Improvements, San José, SantaClara University, Buck Shaw Stadium and Stanton Field Im-provements, Santa Clara, CA, Westmont College, Track andField Improvements, Santa Barbara, CAWebsite: www.VerdeDesignInc.comEmail: [email protected] region do you cover? CaliforniaFor more information? [email protected]

BuilderName of company: Fisher Tracks, Inc.Address: 1192 235th Street, Boone, IA 50036Phone: 800-432-3191Fax: 515-432-3193Contacts: Midwest office – Sam Fisher, Jordan Fisher, BruceMiller, Texas Office – Victor QuirogaWhat does your company do? Installation and refurbish-ment of synthetic running track surfacesWhat projects have you recently done? Adkins Stadium,Jefferson City, MO, North Scott High School, Eldridge, IAHolcomb High School, Holcomb, KSWhat region do you cover? Greater Midwest and Southern United StatesFor more information? Please call 800-432-3191

Professional, Supplier, Builders



BuilderName of company: MondoAddress: 1100 East Hector Street, Suite 160, Conshohocken, PA 19428Phone: 610-834-3835 Toll free: 888-553-0002What does your company do? With sport flooring aswith commercial flooring we focus our research on creatingproducts that are biomechanically correct for the humanbody. The result is the world leading track: fastest, most com-fortable, longest lasting. Athletes need a comfortable, consis-tent track surface for long training sessions, and a fast surfaceon which to achieve outstanding performance results. Noother track system can match Mondo’s Performance.website: www.mondousa.com

BuilderName of company: General Acrylics, Inc.Address: 22222 North 22 ave., Phoenix, AZ 85027Phone: 800-436-2279Fax: 623-298-1310Mobile phone: 602-571-7710Contacts: Chris Nastasi, Joe Matoskey, Jonnie DeremoWhat does your company do? Construct, surface andstripe running tracks and install synthetic turf fields.What projects have you recently done? Clark CountySchool District, Las Vegas Nevada, San Tan foothills HighSchool, Coolidge, Arizona, Dysart High School #4, Surprise,ArizonaWebsite: http://www.generalacrylics.com/Email: [email protected] region do you cover? Western US

Supplier/BuilderName of company: Beynon Sports Surfaces, Inc.Address: 16 Alt Road, Hunt Valley, MD 21030Phone: 410-771-9473Fax: 410-771-9479

Contacts: Drew BeynonWhat does your company do? The Beynon Sports Sur-faces team has been manufacturing and installing premier syn-thetic surfaces for indoor and outdoor use for overthirty-five years. We have an unparalleled reputation in thesports surfacing arena as the contractor of choice for supe-rior quality, unmatched service and the ability to meet themost stringent deadlines. We have been selected repeatedlyfor constructing the most prestigious athletic venues in theUnited States. What projects have you recently done? Hayward Fieldat the University of Oregon, Class 1 IAAF Certified Facility,Site of the 2008 Olympic Trials, Auburn University, AuburnUniversity, Class 1 IAAF Certified Facility, Tad Gormley Sta-dium, New Orleans, Louisiana, University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, Wisconsin, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, SaintMary’s University, Winona, Minnesota, Towson University, Tow-son, Maryland, Villanova University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Website: www.beynonsports.comEmail: [email protected] region do you cover? GlobalFor more information? Please call 888-240-3670

BuilderName of company: California Track & Engineering, Inc.Address: 4668 N. Sonora Ave. #101, Fresno, CA 93722Phone: 559-237-2590Fax: 559-237-2431Contacts: Jeb Burgess, Mark DuystWhat does your company do? Polyurethane track surfac-ing and track constructionWhat projects have you recently done? MontereyPeninsula, Mt. Sac Field Events, Wilcox High School, PalosVerdes High School. We do over 40 polyurethane track sur-face per year in California and the Western United States.Website: www.californiatrack.com

AT&F Track Facilities Directory



Track MaintenanceTrack Maintenance Checklist

_____ Sound systemsRepairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ LightingRepairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Drinking fountainsRepairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Storage/maintenance facilitiesRepairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Rest roomsRepairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Locker rooms/shower facilitiesRepairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Parking lots/walkways:Look for cracking, low or high spots, etc.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ LandscapingRepairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Signage regarding rules, hours, proper footwear, etc.Repairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Garbage cans/Recycle containersRepairs needed? _____ Yes _____ No

_____ Other (note specifically below):


TRACK FACILITY:TF 11/5/08 4:05 PM Page IBC1

No sweat, I’m a beynon.

You molded me into exactly

what you wanted, put me

through hell for 20 years,

and now you want more?

Longest-lasting. Fully customizable. Easy to resurface. Class I Certifi ed.

Beynon’s Polyurethane, full-pour surfaces have an average lifespan of 15-20 years before

resurfacing. They retain their original properties in even the harshest climates and under the most

punishing conditions. And unlike prefab sheet tracks, each one is made to your unique specs.

www.beynonsports.com 410.771.9473

TRACK FACILITY:TF 11/5/08 4:05 PM Page BC1

Documents

AMERICAN TRACK & FIELD/Track Facilities