WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Consistency is the name of the game for the Purdue women's soccer turf managers who, led by Nick Lievense, earned its sixth consecutive Fields of Excellence Award following the 2018 season.
Established in 1997, the award recognizes outstanding athletic fields and the hardworking field crews who diligently maintain them.
"It is a real honor to be recognized on a national level for the work we put in to maintain Folk Field. As turf mangers we have three major goals concerning the field: safety, playability and lastly aesthetics," said Lievense on receiving the award.
Lievense has been a member of the Purdue turf staff since 2012, and while he helps with the other athletic facilities, his primary focus is the soccer complex. In order to maintain the field's pristine condition, Ryder Haulk, Steve Vonderheide, along with Purdue turf science majors, also put in the hours to make Folk Field the only Big Ten institution to earn the 2018 honor.
Aside from one of the top turf crews in the nation, Folk Field is home to bermudagrass, a turfgrass widely used in southern climates due to its preference for hot and humid weather. "To my knowledge, we are the farthest north that bermudagrass is grown for an athletic field. Bermudagrass tends to grow more horizontally, so it can be mowed very low and repairs itself quickly from damage," noted Lievense. And with Purdue's style of play, the fast, dense surface is ideal.
Folk Field is one of just three Big Ten soccer fields (Indiana and Maryland) to use bermudagrass. So what is the benefit to using such a rare turf this far north? "It offers quite a home field advantage to the team. It can take visiting teams some time to get used to the pace and conditions of the surface compared to the fields they play on regularly," said Lievense.
To maintain Folk Field's condition, Lievense walks the field each day, keeping a trained out eye out for any diseases or insects, while also looking to repair any damage caused from play. Not to mention the fertilizer and maintenance programs that Lievense implements are created months in advance. The goal with the proactive approach is to address issues before serious action is needed.
"I feel like the award also recognizes a personal goal: consistency," said Lievense. "We want the field conditions to be the same every time the team steps on the field. That way the players don't have to think about how the ball will roll or bounce; it will be predictable. I think winning for the sixth time helps illustrate this effort."
Lievense is not afraid to step out of the box, either. In 2014, he led Purdue to becoming the first institution in the nation that grows bermudagrass to utilize a process called fraze mowing, which is even more significant given West Lafayette's climate. Fraze mowing is a common practice in Europe on their cool season fields, but was relatively new to bermudagrass management in the United States.
Additionally, the Boilermakers used the Air2G2 this season, an aerifier machine that comes in handy after a heavy rain fall. Although drainage on the field is solid, it helps to alleviate any areas that tended to hold water by using three probes to inject high pressure air into the soil. Thus creating avenues for the water to distribute down below the soil making the surface firm. In a soccer player's terms: it means the ball will get more roll and bounce, and make it easier to maneuver.
After receiving his sixth consecutive Fields of Excellence award, Lievense concludes that when it comes to field maintenance, play style outweighs looks. "Over the years I have shifted my approach from being overly concerned with the appearance of the field to maintaining the surface to fit the style of soccer the team wants to play."
The Boilermakers will be back in action on Folk Field this August, when Lievense and his crew will look to add a seventh straight Fields of Excellence honor.
Established in 1997, the award recognizes outstanding athletic fields and the hardworking field crews who diligently maintain them.
"It is a real honor to be recognized on a national level for the work we put in to maintain Folk Field. As turf mangers we have three major goals concerning the field: safety, playability and lastly aesthetics," said Lievense on receiving the award.
Lievense has been a member of the Purdue turf staff since 2012, and while he helps with the other athletic facilities, his primary focus is the soccer complex. In order to maintain the field's pristine condition, Ryder Haulk, Steve Vonderheide, along with Purdue turf science majors, also put in the hours to make Folk Field the only Big Ten institution to earn the 2018 honor.
Aside from one of the top turf crews in the nation, Folk Field is home to bermudagrass, a turfgrass widely used in southern climates due to its preference for hot and humid weather. "To my knowledge, we are the farthest north that bermudagrass is grown for an athletic field. Bermudagrass tends to grow more horizontally, so it can be mowed very low and repairs itself quickly from damage," noted Lievense. And with Purdue's style of play, the fast, dense surface is ideal.
Folk Field is one of just three Big Ten soccer fields (Indiana and Maryland) to use bermudagrass. So what is the benefit to using such a rare turf this far north? "It offers quite a home field advantage to the team. It can take visiting teams some time to get used to the pace and conditions of the surface compared to the fields they play on regularly," said Lievense.
To maintain Folk Field's condition, Lievense walks the field each day, keeping a trained out eye out for any diseases or insects, while also looking to repair any damage caused from play. Not to mention the fertilizer and maintenance programs that Lievense implements are created months in advance. The goal with the proactive approach is to address issues before serious action is needed.
"I feel like the award also recognizes a personal goal: consistency," said Lievense. "We want the field conditions to be the same every time the team steps on the field. That way the players don't have to think about how the ball will roll or bounce; it will be predictable. I think winning for the sixth time helps illustrate this effort."
Lievense is not afraid to step out of the box, either. In 2014, he led Purdue to becoming the first institution in the nation that grows bermudagrass to utilize a process called fraze mowing, which is even more significant given West Lafayette's climate. Fraze mowing is a common practice in Europe on their cool season fields, but was relatively new to bermudagrass management in the United States.
Additionally, the Boilermakers used the Air2G2 this season, an aerifier machine that comes in handy after a heavy rain fall. Although drainage on the field is solid, it helps to alleviate any areas that tended to hold water by using three probes to inject high pressure air into the soil. Thus creating avenues for the water to distribute down below the soil making the surface firm. In a soccer player's terms: it means the ball will get more roll and bounce, and make it easier to maneuver.
After receiving his sixth consecutive Fields of Excellence award, Lievense concludes that when it comes to field maintenance, play style outweighs looks. "Over the years I have shifted my approach from being overly concerned with the appearance of the field to maintaining the surface to fit the style of soccer the team wants to play."
The Boilermakers will be back in action on Folk Field this August, when Lievense and his crew will look to add a seventh straight Fields of Excellence honor.