Responding to Acts of Vandalism on Turf Fields

Photo of a damaged football fieldPhoto of a damaged football fieldIf you're a turf manager, and it's football season, Thursday night is a time for tossing and turning. At least, so says Mike Andresen, athletic turf manager at Iowa State University and vice president of the Sports Turf Managers Association.

"Friday nights, we have plenty of security in here," Andresen says. "But when I go home on Thursday, especially when we've gotten the field painted that day, I don't sleep very well. Man, I worry about Thursday night." Vandalism occurs on a scale from minor damage caused by kids or overly enthusiastic fans not in touch with the effects of their actions, all the way to extensive damage perpetrated by persons with criminal intent. Most such acts targeting sports fields are in the former category, but the sad fact is that vandals can strike at any time -- one of the more costly incidents from 2004 occurred while employees in a nearby maintenance building were away at lunch -- and at any place.

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