Growing together, cutting grass together

Promotion to the Eredivisie feels like a celebration, but for clubs with artificial turf, the work only begins then. Since the KNVB requires that the highest level be played on natural grass, switching is no longer a choice, but a necessity. And then you don't have months. What did I learn from that? That you can only succeed in such projects by really working together.

For Telstar - one of the promoters - the work started even before the final whistle. We drew up an "example club" with the KNVB: FC Netherlands. Not a fiction, but a realistic model, based on averages in terms of field dimensions, surface, costs and planning. This allowed us to think in scenarios, calculate budgets and select contractors even before we knew who would be promoted.

When Telstar finally pushed through, the plan was in place. Monday morning after finals, we sat around the table. Not with bulldozers, but with soil samples, specifications and phones. That first week went to coordination. Only when each construction team partner knows their task, does the real work begin. Because rushing without consultation produces lumps. Grass grows from structure, not stress.

What is often underestimated is the role of trust and communication. Everyone has their expertise, but it is only by sharing that knowledge openly that something is created that is right. So we worked together with synthetic turf contractors, municipalities, site managers and the club. Because the old mat also deserves a sustainable second life - preferably on a field where it can serve for years to come.

We are deliberately not sharing an exact schedule. Not out of secrecy, but because the process needs space. Does rain fall? Is the sprinkler planning delayed? Then there will be outside pressure. While one thing is certain: on August 15 Telstar will kick off its first home game on a fresh pitch. Ready for top soccer.

What I especially want to pass along: talking helps. Real talk. Technically, openly and with love for the profession. In the end we all want the same thing: a field you can be proud of!  

Dave Muis is Project Manager | Director of Sport and Cultural Engineering at Grasmeesters, specialists in turf renovation and maintenance. With extensive experience in natural grass, from golf to baseball and soccer, he guides clubs through complex conversions. His motivation? Creating sustainable sports fields through smart cooperation and technical precision.