Indoor Athletic Complex to install new FieldTurf
CMU sports teams will get an upgrade to their experience in the near future at the Indoor Athletic Complex.
With an Oct. 1 target date, the old turf will be replaced with the same turf used on the Kelly/Shorts Stadium field — by FieldTurf.
“It’s the newest generation of artificial surface that’s a very forgiving, more grass-like surface,” said Athletics Director Dave Heeke.
The project will cost between $400,000 and $500,000.
The old turf, mistakenly called Astroturf, a brand name, causes more abrasions and wear and tear on joints.
“For training and the constant pounding on bodies and ankles, knees, legs, this surface is much superior to our old surface,” Heeke said.
Every CMU team has access to the practice field for training needs.
Club sports teams have access to the field after the other teams are finished.
Heeke said it was time to replace the old turf, installed in 1999 when the Indoor Athletic Complex was built.
More than football
The teams Heeke said would benefit the most are the “weather-sensitive” teams such as baseball and softball, which start their seasons in cold weather.
Baseball coach Steve Jaksa said he will not change how often the team uses the facility, but how it uses it.
“We’ll still spend the same amount of time in there,” he said. “The difference is the field turf will play better for baseball.”
Commonly, the harder turf elevates the speed of ground balls through the infield and creates bounces more difficult to handle when compared to natural grass or the new turf.
Soccer coach Tom Anagnost said the health of his players will benefit. “For our program, it’s going to benefit us big time in the injury prevention,” he said. “It’s less impactful on their bodies.”
Anagnost said he was grateful for the facility already.
“We’re lucky to have what we had,” he said. “Many schools don’t have that.”
