Synthetic Turf Fields All photos courtesy Tom Serensits Managing surface hardness By Tom Serensits W ith an increased focus on concussions in sports, many aspects associated with athlete safety are under higher levels of scrutiny— playing-surface hardness is one of them. While both natural and synthetic turf fields can reach unsafe hardness levels, the latter seem to receive the most attention. Assuming a proper installation, synthetic fields are initially well below hardness thresholds in the months after installation. Over time, these fields may get harder. In some 4 January 2013 CG_Jan2013.indd 4 1/17/13 1:30:33 PM