Author Biography

Zion Andreasen is a hard-working sophomore at Utah State University. He is the youngest in his family and loves them more than anything. Zion loves playing football for Utah State and plays multiple instruments, including the guitar, ukulele, and piano. He is currently going to school and playing football full-time. He wants to major in psychology and study how the brain works.

This essay was composed in April 2024 and uses MLA documentation.

Some of the most popular sports in the world are played on fields. Throughout the last few decades, the playing surfaces of these fields have varied between two main kinds: artificial turf and natural grass. As simple as it sounds, natural grass is what grows from the earth and, if kept under good maintenance, provides a good playing ground for field-oriented sports. On the other hand, we have artificial turf which is a man-made version of grass. Made up of plastic blades and ground-up bits of rubber, artificial turf has evolved over the years and become a popular surface to play on.

The football community widely debates whether grass or turf fields are safer and more reliable. The debate focuses on which surface has a higher injury rate and which one is more costly/harder to maintain.

Which is The Safest Bet?

A study conducted by Mark Cote, a sports medical researcher, assessed over 4,800 NFL foot and leg injuries during regular season games between 2012-2016. It found that, had every game been played on a grassy surface, at least 300 fewer foot and leg injuries would have been expected. He also concluded that “about 20% more non-contact injuries occurred per play on a turf surface than a grass surface” (Cote). Natural grass is much softer than artificial turf and acts more like a cushion for players. Conversely, players have compared landing on artificial turf to landing on cement. As anyone can imagine, that would hurt quite a bit more.

Although grass has a softer landing surface, it is not safe from causing injuries. Grass has a lot more “give” compared to turf and can be manipulated more. If conditions become hazardous and, let’s say, the grass gets wet, this causes the surface to become slippery, allowing athletes to slide and extend their muscles beyond their limits. Injuries like groin strains/tears occur more often on natural grass than they do on turf. Knee injuries such as ACL tears, along with ankle injuries, are more associated with artificial turf fields. All in all, athletes will always be prone to injuries no matter what surface they play on. However, data shows that grass fields might be the safer choice in the long run.

Which is More Budget Friendly and Reliable?

Both artificial turf and natural grass need to be kept in the best condition possible at the professional level. In recent years, we have seen a big switch in organizations’ choices of turf over grass fields. Why is this? According to Lawn Care Professionals, “The initial investment in artificial turf is higher than the cost to seed a lawn with natural grass, but – with a lifespan of 10 to 25 years and no lawn maintenance fees – a synthetic lawn might be a long-term savings” (Caayao). The reason many professional, collegiate, and even high school stadiums are switching to artificial turf is that it saves them quite a bit of money in the long run.

On top of that, artificial turf is much easier to maintain. Natural grass fields fall victim to much easier weathering, and players cause damage. This makes it harder to keep in good condition over a long period of time. Since artificial turf fields are made of plastic blades and rubber pellets, they take little to no damage from weathering and are much more durable against player-caused damages. An article posted by uhospitals.org has sports medicine researchers saying that the great thing about artificial turf is that it is easier to maintain, doesn’t require water or fertilizer, and can accommodate a variety of activities.

What Do Athletes Have to Say?

I play for the Utah State University football team and am around other student-athletes all day. Our facilities are, for the most part, well-kept and in good condition. However, there has been a recent conversation about discomfort in our fields. I decided to interview a couple of my teammates to get their opinions on the debate between grass and turf fields.

I asked the first athlete I interviewed, Player 1, which surface he preferred playing on. He said that he liked playing on natural grass more:

Oh, I would much rather play on natural grass! It hurts a lot less when I make tackles and land on the ground. (Personal Interview, Player 1)

He also mentioned that he has a strong dislike for artificial turf because he hates getting “turf burns” (Personal Interview, Player 1). Turf burns are small abrasions that occur when the skin slides across the turf. They are caused by sudden friction on rough materials such as plastic blades. Since grass is much softer, this type of minor injury rarely occurs.

In another interview, I asked the student-athlete Player 2 about his thoughts on the ongoing debate, and he said something I hadn’t heard yet.

I prefer playing on grass fields because it’s softer and stays cooler in the summer. However, I feel a lot faster on turf. (Personal Interview, Player 2)

Player 2’s response stood out amongst the other research and opinions because this was the only source that mentioned the temperature of the surfaces. Turf fields, due to having rubber pellets mixed in, can reach up to 120-180 degrees Fahrenheit. This can become very uncomfortable for players if played for too long. It is also worth mentioning how Player 2 felt faster on the turf. The additional leeway on grass when being pushed makes it slower for the foot to leave the ground. Since artificial turf doesn’t have as much give, it allows for a quicker bound off each step.

Conclusion

All in all, the debate between grass and turf fields is still tough. Many believe it is wise to go with the safer option and go all-natural, while others think the topic of maintenance costs outweighs the benefits of grass turf. Researchers are constantly working hard to make advancements in the artificial world and hopefully develop something safer for the players and cost-efficient for the workers. Maybe one day we will see something that can end the debate for good.

Work Cited

“Artificial Turf versus Natural Grass.” Www.uhhospitals.org, www.uhhospitals.org/for-clinicians/articles-and-news/articles/2019/08/artificial-turf-versus-natural-grass#:~:text=Artificial%20turf%20is%20easier%20to.

Caayao, Janine. “How Much Does Artificial Grass Cost in 2024?” Lawn Care Blog | Lawn Love, 20 Sept. 2022, lawnlove.com/blog/artificial-grass-cost/#:~:text=The%20initial%20investment%20in%20artificial. Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.

Dragoo, Jason L., et al. “The Effect of Playing Surface on the Incidence of ACL Injuries in National Collegiate Athletic Association American Football.” The Knee, vol. 20, no. 3, June 2013, pp. 191–195, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.knee.2012.07.006.

Johnson, Carla. “What Does the Science Say about the Grass vs. Turf Debate in Sports?” AP News, 9 Oct. 2023, apnews.com/article/nfl-aaron-rodgers-achilles-grass-artificial-turf-79212f5443cd2a0d30fe8c9d981b13c0.

“Turf vs. Grass Injuries | Mass General Brigham.” Www.massgeneralbrigham.org, www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/turf-vs-grass-fields-sports-injury-prevention#:~:text=A%202018%20study%20underscores%20the. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Personal interviews conducted on April 18th 2024