The twelfth man

We all know them, the "usual" statements: pandemic, economic recession, climate change, empty club coffers, ...

Whether they are justified, I leave open to question.

The fact is that the quality of our sports fields could simply be better. Although there are exceptions, which do manage to provide a more than decent turf. But in general, playability, stability and grass occupancy can be much better. With the right management, a natural grass field is perfectly playable even in extremely wet conditions.

In Belgium, we have all the know-how and techniques to make this possible for everyone. However, a good long-term vision is often lacking. Thorough and specialized advice, together with professional treatment and guidance, is necessary to achieve better and affordable sports fields in the long run. Moreover, any investment must bring about the necessary and lasting solutions. Otherwise, the club coffers will turn out to be empty and the turf will not have improved in the end. 

A practical example? Aerating (pricking) and sanding a field the wrong way with the wrong sand only results in empty club coffers. And an even worse playing field than before. A waste of money, in other words. Let's avoid this. A simple study will show which way is best and which type of sand gives an improvement for years. And no, it's not just about pricking and sanding. What about sprinkling? Fertilizing? Mowing and clippings? Grass selection? I could go on and on for a while. And, of course, we prefer everything in a responsible, nature-friendly way!

Therefore: work in a well-founded manner, get assistance from real groundsmen and greenkeepers. If necessary, they can also be professionally guided in the maze of choices. The goal is to obtain better sports fields with less wasted budget in the long run.

In short, obtaining perfect and affordable sports fields is also "top sport"!  

Erik Truyers
Sales & Product Manager Advanta Seeds