Robins Air Force Base Reaches New Heights with FieldTurf

Airmen at Robins Air Force Base will now train and compete on the world’s leading artificial turf.

This month the Georgia military base inaugurated a renovated outdoor field that showcases FieldTurf's Classic HD system. John Enterman, the 78th Force Support Squadron’s Fitness and Sports Manager, told the base’s public affairs department the new field’s durability and versatility opens up all sorts of possibilities for the area’s athletes.

“This turf is from the most-used manufacturer of NCAA Division I, II and III fields with artificial turf surfaces and what Robins now has is the same turf as the Detroit Lions and the Indianapolis Colts.,” Enterman said.

Robins AFB opted for FieldTurf’s CoolPlay infill, a unique mix of extruded composite, cryogenic rubber and silica sand renowned for its heat reduction technology.

PLENTY OF MULTI-PURPOSE PLANS FOR FIELD

Enterman pointed out that the field will be used for much more than PT and general fitness. The FieldTurf surface will be home to a variety of sporting events featuring service members, their families and the surrounding community.

CLASSIC HD FIELDS PERFECT FOR ROBINS’ HEROES

Enterman said Robins AFB chose the Classic HD with CoolPlay because it provided service members “the maximum in safety and performance,” noting that FieldTurf’s 9.2 pounds-per-square-foot infill is the safest in the industry.

According to recent independent studies, Enterman is right on the money. The number of substantial injuries suffered by high school athletes increases as infill weight decreases. FieldTurf’s heavyweight infill systems lead the industry, which results in safe playing surfaces where athletes and service members can perform at their very best.

COOLPLAY WILL COMBAT SEARING SUMMER HEAT

A big hurdle for warm-climate locations like Warner Robins is keeping playing fields cool during the middle of the summer. Average temperatures for the Warner Robins area in July and August hit the low 90’s, which means field temperatures can rise into the 100’s.

Thanks to the innovations of CoolPlay’s top layer of extruded composite, the field will be able to absorb blistering July temperatures and dissipate the heat, providing athletes a surface temperature that’s often more than 30 degrees cooler than traditional sand-and-rubber infill mixtures.

SLIT-FILM FIBERS PROVIDE PEAK PERFORMANCE

The slit-film fibers that make up Robins AFB’s Classic HD field are manufactured at FieldTurf’s production facility in Calhoun, Ga., a three-hour drive from Warner Robins.

Researchers have worked hard to create slit-film fibers that all but eliminate edge decay commonly seen in competing fibers, preserving the turf’s industry-leading durability.