Hamilton Southeastern’s Girls Soccer team is making headlines not just for what’s happening on the field, but for what the field is made of.
Recently, HSE’s undefeated girls soccer team started competing on this new turf field. Instead of regular rubber pallets, coconut husk is used for the base, making it softer, cooler, and environmentally friendly. The organic materials retain water and helps to cool the field through evaporation, providing several benefits for players.
While the field’s renovation has been widely enjoyed, it’s also raising some important questions, particularly around player safety.
One of those questions is injuries. Turf and artificial grass cause higher ball speeds, quicker actions, and more required agility. This combination of quick movements and sudden shifts can easily twist joints and tear ligaments. Blaming a certain component can be quite tricky because of the number of variables such as weather, pre-existing injuries, and other complex factors. According to a study published by American Journal of Sports Medicine (2019), there were “1.54 injuries per game on artificial turf and 1.49 injuries per game on natural grass. Within injury subgroups, overall ankle injury, Achilles injury, and ankle fracture were found to have a statistically higher incidence on artificial turf” (Sports Field Management Association).
Girls Varsity Soccer player Addison McClain thinks that it’s already making a impact because it’s “a lot easier to quickly distribute and possess the ball, giving us a big home field advantage.” She also thinks that “the best part about our field though, is its ability to reject heat unlike other turf fields.”
Another Girls Varsity Soccer player Sophie Reising, shares her positive experience: “I have really enjoyed the new turf this season!” She adds that “some of the team has had problems with slipping and getting a consistent grip on the field which has been a setback, but the turf itself is very high quality!”
While the new turf has come with negatives and positives, McClain “overall, the turf will definitely help our team improve throughout the season.”