Players experiences of artificial turf. Ties Joosten General Manager ISA Sport 7 March 2003

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Howard Bates
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1 Players experiences of artificial turf Ties Joosten General Manager ISA Sport 7 March 2003

2 ISA Sport (1) Independent institute, under control of NOC*NSF (established in 1959) Location: National Sports Centre Papendal Three departments: Research, Consultancy and Testing

3 ISA Sport (2) Number of staff: 40 Accreditated by many national and international sport organisations Certified by Lloyd s for ISO 9001:2000

4 Mission ISA Sport We provide high-quality expertise for the realization and preservation of qualitative good, long-lasting and safe sports facilities

5 Players experiences of synthetic turf Project in order of the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) Financial support: Ministry of Sport Members of the National Standardisation Committee for Artificial Turf

6 Aim of the study To provide a basis for policy decisions of KNVB for artificial turf in the Netherlands: which teams should be or should not be allowed to play on artificial turf?

7 The research Took place at six approved facilities all over the Netherlands (new type of artificial turf) Interview in person 800 football players of various abilities (60 questions) Technical quality During the season 2001/2002

8 Results interview Properties Assessment of the friction and grip Assessment of the contact with the ball Ball behaviour Artificial turf versus natural turf

9 Properties (1) 100% 92% 92% 80% 60% 40% Good Sufficient Bad No answer 20% 0% 7% 1% Evenness 7% 0% 0% 1% Uniformity

10 Properties (2) 60% 50% 52% 47% 47% 40% Soft 30% 20% 21% 26% Normal Hard No answer 10% 0% 5% 1% 1% Running on the pitch Hardness on falling

11 Properties (3) 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 43% 51% Light Normal Heavy 10% 6% 0% Playability

12 Assessment of the friction and grip 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 80% 72% 64% 61% 62% 30% 31% 29% 24% 18% 6% 1% 3% 6% 7% 1% 1% 0% 1% 3% Long sprint Setting of Turning Stopping Sliding/tackle Good Reasonable Bad No answer

13 Assessment of the contact with the ball 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 69% 26% Stopping / receiving 77% 21% 66% 30% 5% 2% 4% Low ball along the ground Low bal through the air 57% 34% Playing a high ball 61% 9% 10% 70% 29% 26% Ball rebound (keeper) 4% Goal kick (keeper) Good Nomal Bad

14 Ball behaviour (1) 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 15% 77% Ball speed 5% 3% Normal Quickly Slowly No answer

15 Ball behaviour (2) 100% 80% 84% 60% 40% Good Nomal Bad No answer 20% 0% 11% Ball roll 3% 2%

16 Ball behaviour (3) 80% 67% 60% 40% 20% 0% 25% 6% Ball's reaction 2% Predictable Precarious Unpredictable No answer

17 Ball behaviour (4) 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 53% 37% Vertical rebound 61% 29% 8% 8% 2% 2% Angled rebound Normal High Low No answer

18 Preference artificial turf versus natural turf 100% 80% 81% 60% 40% 38% 20% 0% For matches For training

19 General impression 100% 80% 60% 65% 40% 20% 0% 22% 9% 4% Positive Indifferent negative Unsure

20 Technical research Establish a link between the findings of the football players and the technical quality of the artificial turf

21 Research results Season Season Properties start end Dutch standard Vertical deformation (mm) Shock absorption (%) Energy restitution (%) Ball rebound, vertical (m) Ball rebound, angled (%) Ball roll capacity (m) Translateral friction Rotational friction (Nm) Evenness (mm) < 10 < 10 < 10

22 Conclusions, positive (1) The majority of players has formed a positive opinion of artificial turf (65%) For training, there is a strong preference for artificial turf Evenness, running on the pitch, uniformity, playability, friction and grip received a positive assessment, except the sliding tackle

23 Conclusions, positive (2) Ball contact was described as good Ball movement was generally considered to be normal, except ball speed The findings from the technical research correspond with the players perceptions

24 Conclusions, negative 47% of the football players experienced the pitch as hard when diving or falling; shock absorption: low 77% of the football players experienced the ball speed as high; ball roll capacity: high 62% of the football players experienced that artificial turf is unsuitable for making sliding tackles

25 Recommendations Give permission to extend the use of artificial turf pitches in the Netherlands (policy of the KNVB) Artificial turf needs further development for shock absorption, ball speed and sliding tackle Adjust the Dutch standards for: shock absorption (upwards) ball roll capacity (downwards) Develop a method of measurement in order to define a sliding tackle

Standards for football surfaces why different tests?

Standards for football surfaces why different tests? By Alastair L Cox Standards for football surfaces FIFA s Quality Concept February 2001 UEFA Manual for Artificial Turf in UEFA Competitions CEN TC 217