The SMART GUIDE to SYNTHETIC SPORTS SURFACES Volume 1: Surfaces and Standards Issue: v1.01 Date: November 2019 The Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces Volume 1: Surfaces and Standards Acknowledgements The volumes of the Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces include: Smart Connection Consultancy is extremely grateful to • Volume 1: Surfaces and Standards (2019) the sport peak bodies, valued suppliers and • Volume 2: Football Turf – Synthetic and Hybrid manufacturers who have provided information, Technology (2019) photographs and case studies for this Smart Guide to • Volume 3: Environmental and Sustainability Considerations (2019) Synthetic Football Fields. • Volume 4: Challenges, Perceptions and Reality (2019) Without their support, we would not be able to achieve • Volume 5: Maintenance of Synthetic Long Pile our goal to enhance the knowledge of the industry on Turf (2019) synthetic sports turf fields. We would also like to thank About the Author our colleagues, clients and organisations that we have Martin Sheppard, M.D., Smart completed work for in the sports industry. It is your Connection Consultancy Martin has worked in the sport appetite for change and progress that makes our job so and active recreation industry rewarding. for 40 years, managing a diverse Copyright portfolio of facilities including leisure centres, sports Smart Connection Consultancy Pty Ltd. facilities, parks and open spaces, athletic tracks, All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be synthetic sports fields, golf courses and a specialist reproduced in any form or by any means without the sports and leisure consultancy practice. permission of Smart Connection Consultancy or the author. He clearly understands strategic and the political ISBN: TBC environment of sport, whilst also providing tactical and innovative solutions. Martin is an international speaker Disclaimer whose expertise is recognised for aligning synthetic Smart Connection Consultancy do not accept any liability surfaces and facility development, with player pathways, for the accuracy of the information provided. All supply and demand forecasting and participation material and information that is provided from the third strategies. parties is done so in good faith to assist organisations understand the key issues around synthetic sports Martin is the Technical Consultant for Australia’s leading surfaces. We will continually update the Smart Guide to football codes including: attempt to keep the industry updated. About the Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces Smart Connection Consultancy is committed to sharing knowledge and learnings with the industry and has produced a number of volumes of the Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces which can be downloaded PO Box 5247 free of charge from our website South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3205 www.smartconnection.net.au. t: +61 (0)3 9421 0133 e: [email protected] w: www.smartconnection.net.au © Smart Connection Consultancy – Nov 2019 Page 2 of 52 The Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces Volume 1: Surfaces and Standards Contents Hard Court – Tennis and Netball .................... 43 Welcome and Purpose ............................................ 4 5 Key Australian Contacts .................................. 47 1 Sport Surface Options ....................................... 5 Independent Advisory Services ...................... 47 Introduction ..................................................... 5 Key Sports ...................................................... 47 Overview and Context ..................................... 6 Suppliers and Agents ..................................... 48 Sports Adoption and Standards ..................... 10 Independent Testing Institutes ...................... 49 2 Sports Specific Standards................................ 12 About Smart Connection Consultancy ................... 50 Athletics ......................................................... 12 Australian Rules Football / Cricket ................ 12 Bowls .............................................................. 14 Football (Soccer) ............................................ 17 Gridiron / American Football ......................... 18 Hockey ........................................................... 19 Rugby League ................................................. 20 Rugby Union................................................... 22 Tennis ............................................................. 23 Multi-Sport and Multi Games Areas .......... 25 Conclusion .................................................. 26 3 Synthetic Sports Turf Surfaces ........................ 28 Synthetic Sports Turf System ......................... 28 Synthetic Turf Yarn ........................................ 28 Infill ................................................................ 31 Shockpad ........................................................ 35 Civil Engineering Pavement ........................... 37 Civil Engineered Drainage Solution ................ 38 Playing Capacity ............................................. 39 Opportunities and Recommendations .......... 40 4 Acrylic and Rubber Surfaces ........................... 41 Rubber Surfaces ............................................. 41 © Smart Connection Consultancy – Nov 2019 Page 3 of 52 The Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces Volume 1: Surfaces and Standards Welcome and Purpose The popularity of synthetic sports surfaces used by many sports, local governments and within the education sector in Australia has significantly grown in the last two decades to complement their natural turf fields. This enables the local community to participate in sport when the demand on natural fields cannot be accommodated. The key sports codes in Australia have all embraced synthetic sports surface technology for their community clubs and some for their elite Photo 1: Football (Soccer) Gosnells LGA - WA (ABS players. Their aim is simply to provide more opportunities for installation) communities to play sport and appreciate that the synthetic sports surfaces is one way of creating significant additional playing hours in many areas where fields are in short demand. The aim of this Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces – Surfaces and Standards is to provide guidance to organisations who are Photo 2: Multi-sport – Heathdale School (Source: interested in understanding the options available to them for Grassports Australia) adopting synthetic sports surface technology, the standards for the sport and an indicative costing appreciation. It also provides an overview of the key sports codes, the required global standards and their approaches in Australia. It is anticipated that this should guide community groups in understanding the benefits and use of such technology. Photo 3: Multi-sports facility ILLAM College Smart Connection Consultancy is passionate about working with (Source: Grassports Australia) organisations that are keen to encourage their community to be more active. Sport is one of the vehicles to achieve this and provides many physical, community and health benefits. Smart Connection Consultancy has embraced the use of sports surface technology, whether that be natural, hybrid, synthetic or alternative sports surfaces to complement natural fields as a vehicle to promote and provide the community with opportunities to be Photo 4: Football, AFL and Cricket - St Kevin’s College, Vic (installed by Tuff Turf) more active more often. The Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces Volume 1: Surfaces and Standards 1 Sport Surface Options To make the decision on the type of surface that will Introduction be needed for a specific project there are a number of 1.1.1 Growing Embracement of Synthetic Surface Technology variables that need to be considered. The challenges of a growing population who are In essence, a surface should be considered not only by wishing to recreate and play sport (socially, itself but as an element of the network it is part of, competitively and for training) together with those whether that be by sport or indeed by geographical who are keen to use sport as a means to stay fit, the region as many times re-working of the programming pressure on local community sports fields continues to of fields can allow teams to play on non-home fields to grow. With that pressure on natural turf the fields are rest them during the week so that matches can be having to cope with more people, many playing played at weekends. modified and adapted versions of the sport, such as 5- a-side Football, AFL 9’s, Touch Rugby, Viva Rugby, The most common decision-making points are based Hockey 5’s to name but a few, resulting in a greater around: intensity than a normal 22 players on a football field, • Playing capacity now having to cope with 80 plus playing 5-a-side. What are the needs of the community to satisfy demand? What type of synthetic or hybrid surface together with the current facilities should be planned for the future to meet the growing demand? • Standards of play Is there a specific standard for the level of sport that is linked to the International Sports Federation or National Sports Organisation that the sport or clients Photo 5: Multi-sport field designed for local parks to encourage play and wishes to have in place? (e.g. Hockey, Athletics and recreation (Source: Team SPORTS) 1.1.2 The Challenges Netball tend not to play on natural grass). In addition, with all levels of government encouraging • Economic considerations children to play sport