We continue to receive positive feedback on our soccer field layout tool.

The original tool was built using the MS Excel spreadsheet formulas and focussed on starting with a center line through the center of the two goals and the center of the field.

The latest update comes from Norm Paquette of Dracut, Massachusetts who has converted the formulas to MS Excel macros, VBScripting and improved the visual layout of the tool. As long as you enable macros as an option within the security settings of the spreadsheet you should experience a very handy and time saving tool.

Norm has added some tips on the progression for staking out the field as well as stringing the intersections for painting. In addition he has added a formula for calculating the amount of aerosol and diluted bulk latex paint needed for the particular sized field. The paint usage formula calculates the linear feet and uses 300 linear feet per aerosol can and 400 linear feet per diluted gallon of bulk latex paint.

Here are a couple more improvements that Norm has incorporated into the original soccer field layout tool:

1) Added banner text box so a customer could identify an individual field

2) Changed format of stake locations to white fill with border so each stake location can be seen when printing in black and white

3) Enlarged field input box

4) Added note to input box to hit "enter" key when making a change otherwise dimensions won't reflect the change you just made

5) Allows for zero (0) entries for the goalie and penalty box dimensions for smaller sized fields, thus removing references to these staking positions.

6) A self-help string winder description similar to the Tru Mark Heavy Duty and Light Weight String Winders.

Please send us an email at TruMarkAthletic@gmail.com and we'll gladly send a link so you can download this latest upgraded soccer field layout tool to your desktop (we will not share your email address!).

Learn more about soccer field dimensions and laying out and striping a soccer field at Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker.

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

Have you ever visited another soccer facility and picked up some great operational tips?

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker recently visited the Portage Soccer Complex at 4422 Bishop Rd., Portage MI 49002. This community facility has been well designed and maintained with excellent field drainage, a central building for registrations, meetings, concessions and facility operations and maintenance, and hard surface parking with curbs. Field operations are primarily conducted by some dedicated volunteers, the ones I met were Vern Genisio and David Rice.

The Portage Soccer Complex is home to Portage Soccer Club and the AYSO Region 74. The complex has expanded with access to additional fields next door and a new indoor complex, Portage Soccer Zone.

With delivery of a Tru Mark self-propelled Model RS-500F Vern Genisio is incorporating another time and supply saving tool to his operations. He mentioned that the complex had invested in a new tractor to handle their aeration duties as well as their new pull behind mower. They recently invested in a deep tine aeration with sand top-dressing service to help with a two fields that weren't draining as well as expected.

Storage is always a challenge at most sport facilities. The Portage Soccer Complex has some well thought out and installed tools to help with their daily operations and year around storage requirements. From soccer goal nets to tool storage the facility personnel have integrated some space and time saving features.

Check out Vern's many Portage Soccer Complex facility operational and maintenance tools and equipment.

Review some additional images of the Portage Soccer Complex and the RS-500F Field Marking Operations. See how easy the unit is filled with field marking paint, the foot pedal operations, the floating paint shoe assembly in action, and "making a straight line in less time".

Please share your time saving tips and tricks.

Labels: Demos, Product_Review, Turf _Tips

Tru Mark introduces the latest upgrade kit to the Series RS-500 self-propelled riding athletic field marker units. All units are now (2008) being delivered with this new assembly.

The RS-500 Bottom Intake Line Upgrade Kit improves the intake of field marking paint from the tank to the Shurflo 3.3 GPM 12-volt diaphragm pump. The 20-gallon (2) tanks are now outfitted with plastic PVC connectors from the tank bottom along with an easily accessible in-line filter assembly to a garden hose swivel connector before connecting to the pump assembly.

The kit integrates the existing 2-way ball valve along with connectors for changes in pipe diameters for quick and easy clean-out procedures. The in-line filter can now be easily removed through a screw on/off container with access to the stainless steel mesh screen. The assembly includes a swivel hose connector so the unit including the pump and hose lines can be flushed with a garden hose attachment.

The assembly, one for each tank, is configured to stay within the perimeter of the steel tank frame for protection yet allows for easy access by the field marking operations staff.

Check out a series of RS-500 Bottom Intake Line Upgrade Kit images for a better perspective of how Tru Mark can help improve your field marking operations.

Looking for some great entertainment and seeing in person the up and coming stand-up comedians. Come help commemorate one of the greatest comedians, Johnny Carson, in his home town for a week long event, June 16-22, 2008. Norfolk, Nebraska is proud to Present: The Great American Comedy Festival!

Also included in the week long event is the Great American Comedy Youth Camp, June 15 - 21, 2008.

Read what the Norfolk Daily News reported, 'Brightest minds in comedy' chosen for festival, Plenty to see, do during festival, A look at who'll be in Norfolk, 'Phenomenal' lineup for comedy festival, Some of the nation's top comedians coming to Norfolk on this spectacular event.

Learn about other exciting activities and changes taking place in Northeast Nebraska by visiting the Norfolk Area Recruiters, Visioning 2026 Project, NorthFork River Development Project, and the Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce.

Labels: Services, Trends

Tried of cleaning up dugouts, sidelines, locker and conference rooms where the water and drink coolers and coffee maker have left their trails. Drink Bib saves time and minimize messes from drinking dispensers that drip their contents.

A very practical and easy to use tool that grounds keepers, facility managers, conference organizers, and caters are sure to find helpful with different events and drink dispensing operations. Check out some of the pictures for this clean-up saving and wet floor prevention drink bib molded plastic device.

The Drink Bib is made of a durable plastic that can be easily hand washed and will last through many uses. The Drink Bib is available in two colors, clear and black.

This innovative product could be used for fund raising activities as well as promotional and advertising opportunities.

Try out the Drink Bib and catch those messy drips.

Labels: Product_Review

Don't miss out on the Tru Mark Spring Special.

We are offering the Model EZ-70 field marker at a reduced price of $899.00, you're saving $80.00 on this already competitive price.

Check out this square tubular welded steel frame with stainless, zinc plated, and brass parts for corrosion resistance and increased longevity. This model features the popular and economical 12 volt sealed battery (included) with a 18 amp hour rating for up to 2 hours of field marking operations. For those larger field marking operations we suggest having a second replacement battery for quick replacement in the field. This unit features the Tru Mark floating paint shoe assembly for crisp lines not matter the terrain.

What is the difference between the EZ-70 and our ever popular Model E-100? Check out this comparison table of these 12-volt diaphragm pump technology and walk-behind striping units.

So if you are tired of using aerosol cans for your field marking operations then consider the EZ-70 field marker. Save on both your field striping time and the cost of field painting supplies when using bulk latex field marking paint and our 12-volt pump field striping technology.

Multi-functional standard and heavy duty metal drag mats solve traditional challenges with new design solutions.

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker introduces the toughest Drag Mats in the sports field maintenance industry. These drag mats are an adaption from the conveyor belt manufacturing industry.

There are several unique construction designs introduced to help solve the traditional tasks of Baseball and Softball Infield Grooming, Landscaping, breaking down Turf Aerator Cores, Seed Bed Preparation, Dew Removal, and Grass Field Designs for special events.
These innovative design solutions include:
- One piece rivet free U-bar design allows for true reversibility
- Larger diameter rods increase drag mat strength and resists distortion
- Unique clinched edge design minimizes snagging and breakage, and
- Galvanized steel for longevity

The metal drag mats come in standard and heavy duty options. Standard size drag mats allow for a package delivery to continental US addresses.

Do you have a special requirement, then let us know as we can build to your specifications. Just send an email to: TruMarkAFM@eSelling4u.com with a subject title of Drag Mat Custom Specifications and your special needs to include your zip code for a total cost proposal including shipping and handling.

Labels: Product_Review

One of the first eco-friendly aerosol paints for natural turf application was introduced by Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker. For those youth sports organizations and facility managers requiring a more environmentally friendly aerosol paint application this newest water based product will meet the challenges. Tired of seeing traditional aerosol paint burning the grass then try Eco Stripe aerosol field marking paint. Besides the traditional white, Eco Stripe comes in blue, red, and yellow.

Each 20 ounce can holds 18 ounces of product and can be dispensed through the standard T-shaped spray tip using the traditional aerosol paint striper, spray wand, and by hand. The product normally ships within 2-3 days of the order if not sooner and 12 can case orders are delivered by FedEx Ground service. Check out the Eco Stripe water based aerosol Paint Product page to download a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) (PDF format). Larger quantities can be shipped by common carrier to reduce your per case costs. Contact TruMarkAFM@eSelling4u.com for a large quantity price quote.

Do you need to upgrade your aerosol paint striper then consider the Sharp Stripe All Terrain unit with over-sized pneumatic wheels and axle bearings.

Labels: Product_Review

The 2008 new year brought another round of Tru Mark product introductions, the newest sand bag barrier products. The two new additions were created based on customer feedback and requirements.

The 35 pound Inter-Lock Barrier (IB) sand bag is a modified 10 pound sand bag as if two had been sewn together. This new design improves the stacking integrity of multiple sand bags. This increases the barrier affect to the ballast material from environmental contamination thus allowing for multiple uses without suffering from growing organisms. The vinyl laminated fabric is even stronger than the earlier sand bag versions. It is easy to clean up and store. The 6 inch carrying strap allows for quick and easy relocation. Because of the side by side design this sand bag is ideal for holding down a soccer goal by laying it down with the center of the bag parallel and overlapping the horizontal ground bars.

35 Pound Sand Bag, 14" wide x 25" long plus 6" nylon web carrying strap. Two separate compartments provide interlocking capability when bags are stacked. Two inner plastic bags for securing on-site material within the bag before closure. Velcro closure at carrying strap end. The fabric material consists of a yellow vinyl laminate. When filled the sand bag is 22" long by 10" wide by 3.5" thick.

The 55 pound barrier sand bag was specifically designed for protecting a standard 35 inch wide doorway from encroaching water conditions. The additional weight allows for holding heavier objects in place.

55 Pound Sand Bag, 10" wide x 38" long plus 6" nylon web carrying strap. Inner plastic bag provided for securing on-site material within the bag before closure. Grommet and Velcro closure at carrying strap end. Fabric material is red aqua marine. When filled the sand bag is 36" long by 6.5" wide by 5.5" thick.

Labels: Product_Review

What is one of best turf shoes on the market? My vote is for the LawnGrips product line introduced over 2 years ago.

I was able to see the product for the first time at the annual 2006 STMA conference trade show. Representatives had several shoe models on hand for show visitors to try on. Although they didn't have the model on hand I was able to verify my shoe size at the show. I ordered a pair of 2001 Pros size 9 and have used them almost non-stop for two years.

This model appears to have been replaced by the ProLite 6" model.

In our business I have the opportunity to demonstrate our field marking equipment to prospective customers. The LawnGrips are part of my tool kit when out on the turf. They are used all day whether on the grass and skinned areas of ballfields or at our warehouse and office operations.

I really appreciate the higher ankle protection, both in the turf environment as well as in the warehouse operations. There has been very little noticeable wear on the sole. The padded soles are the most comfortable shoe that I've every worn, and I really like my Saucony Shadow 6000 that I've been buying for over 20 years. The LawnGrips kept my feet dry and allowed my feet to breath sufficiently to avoid wet socks. They have suffered several coats of paint over the course of a field striping season, yet were easy to clean up with soap and water (warm) and a strong bristle brush. They basically looked new again after the cleanup process.

Since I've overused/abused these LawnGrips, see Tru Mark photo album, they have shown some breakdowns, namely the uppers started separating from the soles and the internal padding especially around the heal starting breaking down. When the uppers separated I received my first cold bath since purchasing them when going through a shallow drainage ditch. The heal area although worn has not cause any blisters.

This is the best investment I've every made on a pair of shoes, even beating out my Lucchese Ropers hand made cowboy boots that I've owned for over 20 years.

Labels: Product_Review, Testimonials

Aer-flo continues to add new products to their sports turf cover offering. On the trade floor show of the annual 2008 Sports Turf Managers Association Conference in Phoenix, AZ, Jeff Mondor, Sales Director for the Sports Field Products introduced their latest product, Landing Zone Ballasted Pit Cover. This latest product is the integration of the wind weighted and turf protection technologies to help protect long and triple jump sand pits.

Also introduced this past year is the heat welded banners to the turf protection products to include the Bench Zone Sideline Turf Protectors.

Printing on products are now being offered by the company to help support sports programs through avenues such as advertising and team spirit.

Labels: Product_Review

The annual 2008 Sport Turf Managers Association conference in Phoenix, AZ continues to highlight companies introducing new products. Cambridge, Inc. introduced several different drag mats to the sport turf industry. Cambridge International, a manufacturer of industrial conveyor belts, has solved several typical problems with drag mats.

Mike Truitt, Director, Turf Mat Technology, explained how unique clinched edge design minimizes snagging and subsequent mat breakage. In addition the new one piece rivet free u-bar design is truly reversible. Also the Cambridge drag mats feature larger diameter rods which increase mat strength and resist distortion.

The drag mats can be custom built to customer requirements from the following specifications, mesh in a standard or heavy duty 1" x 1", strip size in 3/8" x .050 or 1/2" x .062, rod size 11 gauge or 6 gauge, and weight in 1.89 or 3.65 lbs/sq ft respectively. The custom mat options include standard or heavy duty, woven mesh, flexible or rigid, with or without bars, standard or heavy duty bars, 1" x 1" or 3" x 1" openings, chain or rope attachments, and widths from 6" to 200".

Refer to several of the different drag mat images from the conference trade show display.

Labels: Product_Review

During some recent business travels Tru Mark had the opportunity of applying a water-based synthetic turf paint on existing soccer field lines of a synthetic turf field at Wyzata High School, MN.

This particular turf field used a crumb rubber infield with sewn-in football field lines and the soccer field touch lines (sidelines). This field is used by a local lacrosse club as well. The field had been previously painted several times and the paint build is significant reminding me of gum in a carpet situation. The football field hash marks were painted along with soccer goalie, penalty, and center circle and the standard lacrosse markings. The soccer field lines were painted yellow and the lacrosse field lines painted red.

The customer asked Tru Mark to over stripe the existing soccer field painted lines with the TrailBlazer Solar Trail, Bison Gold, permanent synthetic turf paint. There was no attempt to remove the paint that had been previously applied. The existing paint appeared have a very strong bonding agent, similar to rubber compound, and was concentrated at painted intersections. Also a lot of the paint had been applied to the crumb rubber infield making it just about impractical to clean the lines effectively before reapplying turf paint. During the striping operation we did not use a string to guide us, just the existing line.

Lesson Learned: Avoid overstriping at intersections when painting synthetic turf surfaces. Plan ahead when to start and stop your striping. For example, Minnesota Metro Dome uses a 4" x 4" cardboard spacer at the edge of the sideline when painting the 5-yard lines to ensure separation.

Lesson Learned: Whenever time allows and precision is needed pull a string to guide your striping operations, especially on synthetic turf surfaces.

Lesson Learned: Under application of paint on synthetic turf surfaces is preferred. Reduce the amount of pressure on your line striper to minimize over application and over spray. Practice your walking speed, stop and starting procedure, on a test strip when possible.

Labels: Demos, Turf _Tips

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker general manager, Mark Hall, along with Darrell Ervasti of D.Ervasti Sales, and TK Products representative participated in synthetic turf cleaning and painting demonstratation. The demonstration team visited Minnetonka High School in the suburban Minneapolis, MN area, home to a $2.4 million baseball and multipurpose synthetic turf sports field and grandstand area.

The demonstration included the cleaning of an existing painted baseball coaches box along the 3rd baseline using TrailBlazer Trail Wash cleaner, applying TrailBlazer Moon Daze paint as a test stripe, applying the same paint over the cleaned area as well as over stripping the coaches box along the 1st base line. Besides the physical labor for turf cleaning Tru Mark used the Graco FieldLazer as the line striping unit. The FieldLazer was outfitted with a RAC 5 SwitchTip LL5419. The Moon Daze paint is designed for multi-game application without any dilution and was applied directly from a 5-gallon pail.

Two weeks after the application several images were taken of the painted surfaces. There was not flacking of the Moon Daze paint nor any degradation due to traffice and wear activities. The customer was very pleased with the performance of this new formulated paint for synthetic turf fields.

A series of pictures were taken and are listed with captions in a on-line Picasa Web Album.

Lessons learned from the demonstration include:
1) grooming the synthetic turf fibers before painting to achieve a more vertical standing position for more uniform paint application,
2) a long handled short bristle brush for less wear and tear on the back,
3) access to running water and cleaning rags,
4) using a taut string line to help the operator achieve straight painted lines
5) backpack or hand sprayer for applying the Trail Wash cleaning solution,
6) drip rag for wiping spray tip to avoid any dripping when moving between application areas,
7) after stopping the spray gun/tip application, pull back the paint striper to avoid paint dripping on unpainted turf
8) use a cardboard sheet (old refrigerator box) for test pattern and tip height adjustment

Labels: Demos, Turf _Tips

Early in our product development as well as product upgrades we received and continue to receive questions about what athletic field marker is the best solution. To answer this question we need to ask several additional questions to help match the right field striping solution for a particular operation.

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker developed a short tutorial that may be helpful for organizations and individuals that are considering an equipment purchase, especially when deciding to convert from aerosol paint to bulk latex paint operations. For those contemplating switching from aerosol to bulk latex field striping operations you should refer to this frequently asked question response.

The tutorial "How to Select an Athletic Field Marker" is a first step in analyzing your situation and the options available. This tutorial is available through the web site and as a PDF download (48KB).

For example, here are a series of questions that will help in your field marker selection:
- is this a volunteer organization,
- are there dedicated volunteers or staff striping your fields,
- how many people are involved with the field striping operations,
- what type of maintenance staff do you have access to,
- what experience level does the field marking staff have relative to the types of equipment being considered,
- do you need specific equipment maintenance experience such as small engine operations,
- will this equipment be used for multiple sports field striping operations,
- how many fields are being striped at any given time,
- do you have access to water at your field locations and other support services such as electricity or CO2 compressed gas,
- where is your equipment and supplies being stored,
- is transportation to multiple locations an issue,
- are parts easily accessible either from vendor or local supplier,
- how many common replacement parts are proprietary or can only be purchased from the vendor
- what type of warranty is provided with the equipment,
- is a operational manual available and does it have trouble shooting steps
- what level of service should be expected on a yearly basis or even weekly, and
- what does the yearly maintenance expense for the equipment generally run?

We would encourage you to list those those appropriate questions you believe are important to your field marking operations. Then ask these questions of prospective vendors.

Do you have an interesting story to share about a field marking experience?

I can remember the first time I helped volunteer to stripe a local practice football field. The spray wand and hose is attached through a separate quick disconnect. After using the spray wand and rolling it up on the hose holder I continued on with other line striping operations. Later in the day as we were cleaning up we needed to drain the spray wand and hose. You probably already know how this ends. After turning off the pump motor I failed to relieve the pressure at the spray wand and hose before disconnecting the hose from the quick disconnect. As I kneeled down to preform the disconnect the pressure from the hose was quickly released through my hand and subsequently paint was deposited on my face. This volunteer received a free face painting and just a little bit of harassment. Oh well, thank goodness for acrylic latex paint and the easy cleanup. The other good thing was we were using a low volume low pressure 12-volt diaphragm pump unit so there was low risk safety issue with my eyes. However, using eye protection is always a good preventative measure when operating equipment.

Labels: Turf _Tips

As part of a community project in Norfolk, NE, the Visioning 2026 effort recoginized the need for improved recreation and park facilities and services for a vibrant and changing culture. Another project beginning in parallel, the Norfolk River Development project, is also looking at multi-use facilities to include office, retail, recreation, lodging and living interconnected for residents and visitors, a destination site, some say the San Antonio of the North.

The following material is a collection of material generated from the Visioning 2026 effort along with other references.

Visioning 2026 Focus Group dialogue and report on Tourism and Recreation, November 2006

Norfolk Amusement Park, A Possibility as reported by Dr. Marvin J. Cetron, President, Forecasting International, September 2006

56 TOP TRENDS AFFECTING NORFOLK’S FUTURE, Comments from Forecasting International By Dr. Marvin J. Cetron, President, Forecasting International, September 2006

10. Tourism and international travel will increase significantly, with tourists getting their travel information directly over the Internet. Category: TOURISM

1 (Low) - Nebraska is essentially a source of tourism, not a destination for tourists. Thus this trend, though strong and continuing, will have little significance for Norfolk. This could change if the area develops a theme park. In that case, the growth of tourism will become a 4 (High), both because this trend will produce new opportunities for the local economy and because long-distance vacationing will compete with regional attractions for business.

We see five primary theme-park opportunities for Norfolk:
• • An “old Nebraska” theme based on the region’s history
• • An EPCOT approach, with attractions and foods from exotic foreign cultures;
• • A theme based on family life and, perhaps, Biblical stories, with marriage chapels as special attractions (providing not only the service itself, but such ancillaries as rental gowns and formalwear, photographs and videos, and bridal parties);
• • High-tech rides;
• • And attractions based on movie and video-game tie-ins, such as a park based on the Harry Potter books and movies.

Each of these offers special opportunities and challenges, which will require careful examination before a commitment is made. This is a family environment. It should be non-smoking, non-drinking, with video games and picnic tables, for parents and grandparents taking their children or grandchildren for a day’s outing.

Central Winds Park, Winter Springs, Fla. The Fields of Excellence
A very good example and implemenation of recreation resources.

American School & University News

Bibliography of Economic Impacts of Parks, Recreation and Tourism

Recreation, Park & Tourism Management Reference Resources

References to commercial products and services

Natural Resources Recreation Reference Resources

Financing and Acquiring Park and Recreation Resources

Journal of Leisure Research

National Park and Recreation Association

The Future of Theme Parks in International Tourism

Labels: Trends

With any organization, whether paid staff or volunteers, it is important to development a team concept for working with your customer whether that is a sports organization, city recreation staff, a vendor, or a field participant.

The Sport Turf Management Association has been developing a educational material for its members as well as visitors to their web site. One of the more recent publications is a tutorial on Fundemental of Project Management.

One of the nuggets from the material is on "Document the Progress Using Photography."
The sports turf manager should document the project’s progress pictorially. The more pictures you can take during the building process the better. It is suggested that you photograph the project from the same positions daily. This will provide a historical time lapse of the project. Make sure that you communicate to the construction team that you will be photographing the project for future reference. Take pictures from more than one angle.

An often discussed topic at all the STMA annual and state chapter conferences is the subject of overuse of sports fields. Another recent document "Strategies for Dealing with Overused Athletic Fields," helps everyone supporting a sports operations to understand the tradeoffs involved. The document was published by S.T. Cockerham, University of California, Riverside, CA.

Labels: Turf _Tips

Please provide me with a list of service providers for deep tine aeration of university sports fields.

I don't know of a particular vendor in your area, however here are a couple manufacturers/distributors of deep tine aeration tools that can probably assist you.

Commercial Turf & Tractor, 800-748-7497, Chillicothe, Missouri
In the past they have provided turn key solutions, bid and perform the complete aeration project. They offer the Wiedenmann deep tine aerators. I've seen one of these units during a demonstration and it was impressive, even in hard packed soil conditions. This company has
been active in the Nebraska Sports Turf Managers Association and Nebraska Turfgrass Association chapters over many years.

Wiedenmann's Terra Spike XP series allows deep aeration and removal of compaction to a depth of 16 inches. Features include a central adjustment of the entry angle from 90 to 65 degrees; a three-speed gearbox that allows a high operating speed; and a tool-free depth adjustment that accurately sets working depth no matter which length of tine is fitted. A central power pack helps to protect the tines from damage in extremely stony or hard conditions. There is an integrated shock-absorbing system designed to protect the machine and absorb vibration, protecting the tractor and operator. You can outfit Terra Spike with an optional overseeding unit, core collection scraper, windrow, hydraulic brush or a hydraulic lift motor for adjusting the depth from the tractor. Optional Terra Tronic is a precise and quick electronic measuring of the working output, the hole count per square foot and the running speed of the tractor.

Toro also makes deep tine aerators. I would check for distributors in your area using their distributor locator web site address.

Redexim Charterhouse is a deep tine aerator manufacturer
800-597-5664

Different Verti-Drain Deep Tine Aerators

A customer asked recently about field marking equipment, field paint, and a custom stencil for their football program. "We are looking to paint all the regulation lines as well as a 3' border on the field, a 45 to 45 yd line stencil and to either do a checker board pattern in the end zones. We are also looking for a custom stencil price quote that would fit between the 45 yard lines."

Here's a series of comments in response their request.

We have a couple different field marking options that will do the standard line striping as well as support the wide boundary marking and end zone striping.

To prepare a custom stencil price quote we need a better quality image to work from. We suspect there may be a lot of detail in the logo and it may be difficult to replicate all this detail and still maintain a reasonable cost. We would appreciate a good quality image from the graphic art department if at all possible (.jpg, .eps, .pdf).
Please send a image of your logo to mailto:turmarkafm@eselling4u.com.

Both the Model E-100 and the Graco FieldLazer allow for the use of the Paint Boom Accessory for wide boundary painting and your checker board end zone painting.

The Model E-100 is a walk-behind 12 volt diaphragm pump technology, low pressure, low volume unit, while the FieldLazer is a gasoline power high pressure, high volume striper.

You can download some product information on the Model E-100 field striper from our web site.

For a standard field paint operation you will use on the order of 15 to 25 gallons of paint. This includes the standard boundary lines, yard lines, hash marks, and sideline numbers.

For field stencils our rule of thumb is 1 gallon of diluted paint per 100 square feet. By adding the 3 foot border you'll use on the order of another 10 gallons. For the end zone checker board paint you will typically use about 0.5 gallons of paint (on 1 to 1 dilution ratio) per 100 square feet. Each end zone has 4500 square feet (150 x 30) for a total of 9000 square feet or approximately 45 gallons required.

Adding a custom logo, say 25' x 25' will add an additional 3-5 gallons of paint.

The total diluted gallon usage based on the number of linear and square footage you'll produce 150 gallons of diluted paint.

For each full field painting operation you'll need a total of 70 gallons or 14 5-gallon pails of a SwitchBack Cheap Seats paint formulation. A Columbia Blue will be a custom paint requirement.
For the field marking paint are you planning to purchase all the paint at one time?

To reduce on the cost of shipping and provide more diluted gallons of paint per gallon shipped we would suggest the SwitchBack TrailHead MVP formulation which will provide up to a 8 gallons of water to 1 gallon of paint dilution. This would be approximately 4 5-gallon pails of TrailHead MVP ($100 per pail of white + S&H ).

A very good quality product that has been well received is the SwitchBack Ground Boss formulation (4 to 1). This would be approximately 8 5-gallon pails of Ground Boss ($50 per pail of white + S&H).

For a football season with 6 home games you are looking at between 30 to 50 5-gallons pails of paint. For the custom color you'll need to add about $50 per pail to the white color pricing.

Please refer to our 4 page Field Marking Strategies tutorial (PDF format) on some tips and tricks.

Check out some pointers on using Sport Field Stencils.

Labels: Turf _Tips

As sports turf enthusiasts and field maintenance specialists we see the all to common turf "wart", the divot, caused by sports play. Unfortunately the divot repair typically produces an even more noticeable "wart" for several days.

Tom Russell, Golf Course Superintendent, Missoula Country Club, has perfected a divot mix to minimize the noticeable "wart". He has incorporated sand, water, green paint, compost, and seed using a cement mixer.

To help speed up the recovery of the existing turf and help accelerated the seed growth consider a new product by Growth Products called Repair Plus. According to Growth Products Growth Plus is a unique blend of organic nutrients, biostimulants, natural wetting agent, humic acid and growth promoting rhizobacteria< (PGPR). Growth Products states that Repair Plus should be be mixed with top dressings and seed to heal damaged turf roots and accelerate new growth. It will encourage desired grass species to fill quickly and avoid undesirable grass varieties.

Now using Growth Plus and the prescribed divot mix formula your sports fields may not suffer the noticeable turf "wart" phenomenon.

We periodically get calls about adding a growth regulator to the paint during field marking operations. This technique will slow the growth of grass so the lines will not be mowed off as quickly. Several years ago Iowa State University conducted turf trials using two of the most common grow regulators at that time, Embark and Primo Maxx. I've spoken to several turf managers who have used these products and all agree that less is better, 1/2 oz. per diluted gallon of paint seems to work the best. Just make sure you don't double stripe when using the growth regulator. Syngenta Primo Maxx PBI/Gordon Embark

Do you have a favorite receipe to improve your sports turf surfaces? We'd love to you hear your solution and the story behind it.

Labels: Turf _Tips

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker introduced field marking paints for natural and synthetic turf sports fields. Bulk latex and aerosol paint are now available for both sport surfaces.

Synthetic turf paint products solve all the facility manager's field marking painting requirements. Bulk latex paints are formulated for one game, multi-game, season-long, or permanent field marking. Aerosol paint for synthetic turf marking are now available. Both paint application solutions can be used for indoor and outdoor facilities.

Paint removing agents are also available to help with the removal process from synthetic turf surfaces. Water and surface agitation (short bristle brush) along with a cleaning agent have been demonstrated to effectively remove the temporary paints. The Solar Wash cleaning agent is also formulated to help remove the permanent field marking paint.

Several companies are now offering mechanized cleaning tools for removing paint from synthetic turf surfaces. You might check on the hand-held rotary brooms from Stihl KB Bristle Brush. Also verify with the synthetic turf manufacturing that the cleaning equipment will satisfy warranty requirements.

The Graco FieldLazer has been shown to be more than an adequate field striper for the bulk latex paint application on synthetic fields where the paint should not be diluted. Although the striper does not create the recommended pound per square inch pressure it does procedure sufficient paint atomization for coverage on nylon, polypropylene, and polyethylene turf surfaces. Check out our blog posting on the FargoDome North Dakota demonstration.

We would be interested in hearing your experiences with field marking paint for both natural and synthetic turf sports fields.

With more news about communities installing synthetic turf sport fields we've included a couple blog links that you may find useful.

The Florida hurricane season puts sports fields out of commission for many days and weeks after torrential rains. Many communities are now investigating and some have started the installation of these synthetic turf fields to increase the use of their sports fields. For example, Ted Hendricks Stadium, 4800 Palm Ave., Hialeah, FL 33012, recently installed a multi-purpose field without sewn in lines. They decided because of the multiple sports events they would use removable field marking paint for the different sport seasons.

Weather conditions and the value of real estate in Europe is driving soccer (football) clubs to install synthetic turf fields. This is helping them use these new playing surfaces for many more activities, especially promoting soccer at the youth level. FIFA, The Federation Internationale de Football Association, has several references concerning their standards for the synthetic playing surface.

Ohio State University Buckeye Turf Podcasts

Michigan State's Turf Grass Center Blog

The Green View Blog - The Green View provides news and information to help homeowners get and keep a great looking lawn.

As Good As Grass Blog

The Synthetic Grass Blog

The Artificial Grass Blog


The Sports Turf Research Institute - STRI is the independent market leader in turfgrass research and agronomy. It is the UK's national centre for consultancy in Sports & Amenity Turf and a recognised world centre for research.

Baseball Field Maintenance Blog

Labels: Turf _Tips

Recently we had the opportunity to participate in a state Futures Problem Solving competition. The state wide program is associated with Future Problem Solving Program International.

For the country and our communities to maintain and create a vibrant culture of creative and problem solving individuals and collaborative teams we need to develop these skills through our schools and support life long learning opportunities.

Here's an exerpt from a email to our children's teacher, Wendy Swenson, from Norfolk Catholic High School, who conducts the program for the 7-9th and 10-12th grade students.

"Thank you for spending time with our children and helping them to learn how to learn.

The skills that you are helping nuture will impact them for the rest of their lives.

The critical thinking skills and collaborating on problem solving are critical lifelong learning behaviors that more people need to develop. Helping our children with these creative skills will help arm themselves for our very fast paced and changing world.

It was great to see our kids get some recognition for their efforts. I see that several teams from Omaha Westside participated in the Seniors division. A 1st place Skit Competition (an excerpt, Mad Cow Bobby, recorded and modified from a potluck dinner presentation) and a 3rd for the Booklet Competition (out of 12 teams) is very impressive. Along with a 1st place finish Skit Competition in the Middle Division, WOW!!. Is this a record with 5 Norfolk Catholic school teams making it to state? Now to get to international!!!

Although I asked Mr. Zoucha to have his government classes (11th) participate in a Visioning 2026 poll, your Futures kids may enjoy filling out this poll as well.
http://www.visioning2026.com/docs/Visioning2026PollingQuestions.pdf
Let me know what you think. To learn more about this project please visit our web site.
http://www.Visioning2026.com"

Here's an earlier email to collegues about another creative and problem solving program.

I read a reference to Destination Imagination in the Omaha World Herald (03/17/07) and went on a search. Problem solving using creativity across several learning disciplines.

A VERY GOOD VIDEO description.

The Nebraska DI mission states, Our Mission is to nurture and encourage development of the important life skills of problem solving, teamwork, cooperation, curiosity, and
self-respect with an "I can" attitude in a creative way.

Nebraska's next year program looks very interesting!

As part of Visioning 2026 goals toward educating ourselves through live long learning what do you think about sponsoring Norfolk area team(s) that could consist of students from local grade schools, NPS, Catholic, Lutheran, Park Avenue, Kings Academy? Other teams could be sponsored for middle school aged kids and then high school. I suspect we could get several service groups to help support this program as well.
http://www.ncaps.org/Register.html

National Discovery Imagination Organization

What I like about this program is it's multi-discipline approach!!!

Who would be our best access points for the school systems, the PTAs, school administrators, teachers, school boards, etc.?

There's another national program called FIRST LEGO League. An exciting and fun international robotics program that ignites an enthusiasm for discovery, science, and technology in kids ages 9 to 14. I know that NECC is involved in something very similar if not the same program.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/04/22/robot.olympics/index.html

Labels: Trends

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker representative, Mark Hall, along with Darrell Ervasti of D. Ervasti Sales Co. visited the Fargodome, Fargo, ND on May 17, 2007.

It is time for a synthetic turf face lift as the existing turf paint has faded and needs to be repainted. The short dense (no infield material) synthetic turf is about 7 years old with inlaid lines for the football field except for logos, hash marks, and outside boundary markings. The synthetic turf is one continuous cover and is rolled and stowed when not used. The field paint needs to wear well and not flack off due to the rolling operations.

Several months later the team went back to apply the first of two coats of TrailBlazer Solar Trail field marking paint. Refer to the on-line album for images.

D. Ervasti Sales provided their newest paint formulation, TrailBlazer Solar Trail, a permanent field marking paint for synthetic turf (paint application for nylon, polypropylene, and polyethylene or a combination turf fibers). The enclosed images are the paint application using a Graco FieldLazer (RAC 5 standard spray tip LL5521) without use of the paint shields. The hash marks being painted are the perimeter marks around indoor football field.

Solar Trail is a permanent synthetic turf paint and was applied with no dilution which is the recommendation of the manufacturer.

The Solar Trail Label and MSDS recommends that the paint should dry completely within 6-8 hours.

Also demonstrated was the Solar Wash cleaning agent which was used a couple of times to clean up due to a paint drip or mistake was made during application. This product can also be used to remove the paint after it has dried.

With a short dense field turf the spray tip was within inches of the surface.

Tru Mark found that the paint flowed well and application was uniform while using the Graco FieldLazer. Although not tested the RAC 5 spray tip LL5419 would be recommended since the paint was not diluted.

Stay tuned for more field marking demonstrations.

Labels: Demos, Turf _Tips

The world of sport turf management will be experiencing challenges with the introduction of new technologies into this ever changing environment.

Synthetic nanoparticles do not harm soil ecology, according to new experiments by researchers at Purdue University in the US. The result was obtained by adding fullerenes (or buckyballs) to samples of soil and observing any changes.

Ron Turco, a Purdue University soil and environmental microbiologist, and his research team designed its study to test how different levels of buckyballs affect soil microorganisms, including bacteria that are responsible for breaking down organic material and producing carbon dioxide and other compounds. Results of the study are published online and in the April 15 issue of the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

How will these impact the sports turf management profession? What should we be learning about this technology to be prepared for challenges we might not yet understand?

These technologies will be introduced into players' uniforms and equipment within a couple years. Thus, we'll likely experience these technologies finding their way into sports playing surfaces and soils soon after.

I predict nanoparticles will be introduced into pest control products within 5 years, soil amendments products within 5-10 years, and paint products in less than 10 years. What will the Material Safety Data Sheets need to reflect for these products, what risk mitigation techniques will turf managers need to consider, and what training requirements will be integrated into employee training procedures? These are just a few of the questions we need to start asking ourselves.

For example, a long-lasting nanoscale gas state has been observed for the first time by engineers in Australia. William Ducker and Xuehua Zhang of the University of Melbourne have observed very thin bubbles of carbon dioxide gas measuring around 10 nm at the interface between a hydrophobic solid and water under ambient conditions. The team has also found evidence for nanobubbles of air. The results not only settle a long-standing debate over whether a stable nano-gas state phase could exist, it might also be put to good use in a diverse range of applications in industry. These include reducing the friction force when pumping liquids through pipes and stabilizing emulsions like paint or salad dressing.

Labels: Trends

National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and Inter-Association Task Force (ATC) Consensus Statement released Guidelines for Preparedness and Management of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Among High School and College Athletes

“Unfortunately sudden cardiac arrest can be mistaken for other causes of collapse, which can lead to treatment delays,” said Ron Courson, ATC, task force co-chairman. “Increased training will help rescuers correctly identify SCA and prevent critical delays in beginning resuscitation. In fact, access to defibrillation within three to five minutes is essential, because each minute lost reduces the chance of survival by approximately 10 percent.”

American Heart Association scientific statement, 03/13/2007, 12-step screening may help reduce sudden death in high school and college competitive athletes. The screening includes 12 questions about personal and family medical history and a physical examination to uncover aspects of a potential athlete’s health that could signal a cardiovascular problem.

Labels: Sports

A national professional sports turf grass organization is writing the encylopedia on turf management by engaging university researchers, professional grounds maintenance leaders, and commercial enterprises. Here's one of the more recent publications that is receiving a lot of interest.

• Sports Turf Managers Association's (STMA's) Synthetic/Natural Turfgrass Guide and Advisory Bulletins.
• Determining the right sports field for your athletes. A series of survey questions to help turf managers, facility administrators, school boards and city councils determine the benefit of natural and synthetic turf fields.
• Is Your Turf Conditioned for the Season? By Dr. Gil Landry, Jr., University of Georgia, 09/28/01. Just as an athlete's conditioning doesn't show up until the second half or last quarter of a game, good soil conditions often are not apparent until late in the season. Soil aeration is as important to field performance as aerobic conditioning is to an athlete. And just like an athlete, a field can't be conditioned overnight. A field should be on a conditioning program that begins before the season and continues throughout.

Baseball Field Maintenance, A General Guide for Fields of All Levels. A 26 page guide jammed packed with a broad range of information for personal supporting field operations.

Are youth baseball sports your passion? Then check out a major league baseball's initiative to help organizations foster youth development and facility operations. Toro announced its support for the Baseball Tomorrow Fund by donating equipment and discounts for grant recipients.

Tru Mark Field Painting Strategies, learn some of the tips and tricks collected from various sources and condensed into a easy reading tutorial. Four page guide covers the customer, field marking paint, plant growth regulators, precautions, football season preparations, game week activities, field marking tools, paint mixing, field striping, and painting logos from manufactured stencils and do-it-yourself layout.

We would like to hear from you on what has worked well or reference material that has really helped your field operations and customer support.

Organic Versus Synthetic Products for Turf

Are you considering whether to use organic products versus a more traditional synthetic series of products on your natural turf lawns and sports fields? LawnandLandscape.com article provides a good introduction on what to consider

“Consumers need to recognize that to maintain healthy lawns, it is essential that organic and synthetic coexist,” adds Delaney, Tom Delaney, director of government affairs for Professional Landcare Network (PLANET). “There’s a misperception that because it’s organic, it’s safe and because it is synthetic it is not, and that misleads the public. It is about choices and what works.”

Labels: Turf _Tips

SportsKnowHow.com web site provides Rules and Governing Body information for a variety of sports. Besides Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker this is a good place to start your web research.

Athletic Business Magazine web site has an excellent listing of sport field design specifications that are in PDF format.

Labels: Sports, Turf _Tips

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