Student Athletes raise questions about the Selby Stadium Turf.

Does 10-year-old Selby Stadium’s playing surface need replacement, and what does replacement look like? The stadium turf was last replaced during the 2014-15 academic year. Multiple university perspectives help give insight into the considerations behind any decision to replace the aging surface.

The university is currently exploring replacing Selby Stadium with new turf, but it is not an urgent priority, as it passes yearly safety tests and inspections. Doug Zipp, the athletic director, explained how the turf is worn but safe.

“We know that it’s going to have to be replaced in the next 3-5 years. It's on the University Capital replacement list,” said Zipp.

This would not be a small project; it would cost between $700,000 and $800,000 to fully replace the turf. That is a lot of money and makes sense why the University is trying to maximize its life. To do this, the University constantly replaces parts as needed to keep it a safe surface.

“We’re doing a lot more repairs on a yearly basis, on a monthly basis, when it’s in full use,” said Zipp.

Senior lacrosse player Will Siegenthaler, who has played on the Selby Stadium surface for four years, shared his perspective on the turf’s current condition and whether it has changed since his first season.

“It has stayed the same, but more spots have seams that separate, and after replacement, it leads to an unlevel surface,” said Siegenthaler.

From an athlete's perspective, the turf is unsafe in specific spots. Should the University consider the athletes' views on the turf or stick to trusting data?

Anthony Glass, OWU’s strength and conditioning coach, believes that a playing surface is key to injury prevention. Along with competition, the turf is used 4-5 times a week for speed, agility, and conditioning workouts. Combined with team competitions and practice, the surface is used nearly daily at high intensity.

“Number 1 is that you gotta have a proper warm-up. When I take teams for speed work down there, I have to move around and search for the best spots on the field to use. Because you're going to find a lot of dead spots on the field,” said Glass.

Due to the surface being worn and heavily used, he has to be extra cautious about the environment to ensure player safety. The most common injuries on this surface are soft-tissue injuries.

“When you look around our conference, we probably have one of the worst surfaces out there,” Glass said.

Even though the university is taking precautions to ensure athletes' safety, the strength and conditioning coach still says it's probably not the safest surface to play on.

A study from Cornell University comparing grass and synthetic turf offers interesting insights into synthetic turf and the proper care required to get the most years of use from it.

“Measuring field hardness periodically to ensure the level of hardness is lower than the 150 Gmax level. At least once a year…Sweeping and dragging to keep carpet fibers upright. Once a week or once a month, depending on use,” said a report from Cornell University.

Glass weighed in on this topic as well, describing the qualities that make for an ideal playing surface.

“I know we don't agitate (sweep) it up as much as we should, meaning that there is fine rubber down in there that is compact…So now you have a harder surface compared to what newer surfaces are,” he said.

“What happens is that it makes your surface more slippery. So when you go to plant…you can see yourself slide out of that plant because there's no grip to it…When you hear people talk about non-contact soft tissue injuries, that’s what you can assume from that type of surface,” Glass clarified.

That said, it is still old turf and cannot last forever. What can the university do to replace it?

To better understand what could make this replacement possible, we consulted with the University Advancement Office. Natalie Doan is the vice president of the office.

“Athletic facility projects at OWU are typically supported through a combination of philanthropic giving and institutional resources. Alumni and donors who care deeply about athletics and the student experience often play a key role, with projects aligned through campus master planning and prioritized by university leadership and the Board of Trustees. Recent athletic-focused projects supported by philanthropy include the renovation of Branch Rickey Arena and enhancements to Gordon Field House, reflecting strong alumni interest in supporting today's students.”

The combination of timing, safety concerns, and alumni support will all play a role in the eventual replacement of the Selby surface. For now, Selby Stadium is used almost every day, but Doug Zipp says it's on the university's radar.