Iowa Sports Turf Managers Association 2009 Summer Workshop

Besides providing safe playing sport field surfaces many field managers, coaches, facility managers, and youth sports association volunteers are incorporating a variety forms of "facelifts". Several trade journals have been increasing the coverage on "tips and tricks" on field marking operations to including painting standard boundary lines, field distance identification, and custom logos and advertising.

The July 2014 issue of Sportsfield Management Magazine has an extensive article with a number of contributors sharing the expertise and lessons learned. Dean Angelo, owner of Sports Lines, highlighted the use of the Pythagorean theorem to establish square corners on sports field. TruMark Athletics has developed several desktop tools using MS Excel functions to produce squared playing field intersection distance calculations for soccer, lacrosse, rugby, ultimate frisbee which can also be utilized for other sports.

Pulling string lines almost ensure consistently straight lines no matter what field marking equipment you might use, e.g., 12-volt battery or gasoline powered airless line stripers. Dean also emphasized that putting down a base white coat is effective in making subsequent color applications more vibrant for logo including another coat of white on boundary lines.

He also mentioned that on synthetic turf fields he would use aerosol chalk as the preferred solution for very temporary field marking.

A July 2014 issue of SportsTurf, the official publication of the Sports Turf Managers Association includes a extensive series of interviews of 4 sports turf managers. They were asked what 3-4 factors do you consider most important for efficient and successful field and logo painting. They were also asked about their worst field paint disaster. Almost to every contributor they emphasized good quality paint and paint sprayer and keeping your equipment clean.

In the same SportsTurf issue an article covered field marking technology for synthetic turf sports fields. Written by one of the industry leaders in synthetic turf field marking products Jim Brady highlighted that importance of understanding the paint and removal agents for the temporary marking solutions as well as recognizing that the synthetic turf fibers change adherence qualities as the fiber ages.