DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

All photos courtesy of HNP Landscape Architecture .

By Mary Helen Sprecher

The organization where you work has decided to add a new field . That ’ s a great thing . What comes next ? Often , the answer is confusion . You have an extensive knowledge of fields and their management and a great understanding of the care and maintenance of the different varieties and cultivars — but when it comes to the actual design and construction phase , getting off the starting block can be difficult .

Compounding the confusion is the fact that you may be dealing with multiple user groups — coaches , athletes , officials , school administrators , trainers , managers of travel tournaments , maybe even community members and parents — and they all want their opinions taken into consideration .

The best place to start is at the beginning . Compile a list of what you know about the upcoming project . You can accomplish that by creating an outline that answers these questions : How much land is available ? Is that land likely to be turned into one sports field or several ? If so , for which sport ( s )? What level of play will it host , or will that vary ? Will it host practices , games or both ? Will the field be used only during one or two seasons , or do you expect it to be hosting sports year-round ? Has the organization decided upon a specific type of grass or turf , or is there some flexibility ?

18 SportsField Management | June 2023 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com