What Goes Into a High-Quality Soccer Field?

Soccer fields often require more work and maintenance than any other athletic field. If players are to compete at the highest possible level, the grass, lines and soil have to be in tip-top shape. If the field is overgrown, wet and uneven, players will fight the entire game just to keep their footing. A high-quality soccer field is non-negotiable.

That said, good turf doesn't just happen. It involves hours of inspections and maintenance to be the best of the best. So what exactly goes into a high-quality soccer field?

1. Full Inspections

As with any other athletic field, soccer fields require full inspections to keep them looking their best. On the offseason, you can do a walkthrough every other week. However, you'll have to inspect the field once or twice a week once games resume.

Test the soil's nutrient values to determine how much fertilizer to use and which kind is best. Additionally, you'll want to keep an eye out for any dry or dead patches that might need more watering or reseeding.

2. Proper Mowing Techniques

During inspections, you should also look for grass clippings that might clue you in about poor mowing techniques. If thick layers of clippings regularly cover the field, maintanence may not be cutting the grass often enough.

Inevitably, infrequent mows will weaken and kill the grass. Dull blades can do the same thing, so inspect the ends of a few blades to see if there's a clean cut. If the ends are shredded, it's time to sharpen the mower blades.

3. Reapplied Markings

Of course, the more often maintenance crews cut the grass, the more often you'll have to repaint the lines. The process of reapplying markings can be incredibly time-consuming, as the lines must be painted manually and often require multiple coats on matchdays.

If you aren't in the business of doing it yourself, consider hiring a turf management company to reapply all the markings on a regular basis. Then, all you have to do is schedule when they'll arrive.

4. Weed Control

As you continue to inspect the field and the surrounding areas, be on the lookout for weeds. They tend to grow in high-traffic areas where the earth is more compact. Of course, you don't want to waste time and money coating the entire field in weed killer, so spot-treat the problem areas.

You might also aerate the field every so often to crowd out the weeds and give them less of a toehold. Reseeding every season should help, too.

5. Accessibility

Keep an eye out for grass clippings on the sidewalks, too. High-quality fields also require high-quality surroundings, including sidewalks, greenery and seating. Therefore, it's important to keep the area clean of grass and other debris.

Make sure the field is accessible to all, including those with disabilities or wheelchairs and beautify the seating area with flowers and other plants. Doing so will only add to the beautiful, relaxing atmosphere and could even attract more onlookers and fans.

6. Good Drainage

To ensure the field is draining properly and not collecting water on its surface, inspect it just after a hard rain. If the field turns into a mudhole or collects in a certain spot, you must improve its drainage.

Core aerate the soil and add organic matter, sand or other fine-textured soils to prevent water from collecting on the field's surface. You might also relevel the field by placing a crown in the middle and redirecting runoff away from it.

Creating a High-Quality Field

Some of the best soccer fields in the world feature undersoil heating systems, a stadium with a cover and enough seating to accommodate thousands of fans. With a million-dollar budget and hundreds of maintenance workers, they're able to keep their turf green and flawless all year long.

However, you don't necessarily need tons of money and labor to make and maintain a high-quality soccer field. Rather, you only need to invest in basic maintenance to keep your field safe and beautiful for the players, coaches and fans. Plus, conducting inspections on a regular basis will allow you to detect issues before they have the chance to develop into more costly problems.

With a little work and a sharp eye, you can achieve a gorgeous turf that everyone will enjoy for years to come.

Author Bio:

Oscar Collins is the managing editor at Modded. He writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors and more. Follow @TModded on Twitter for more articles from the Modded team.