Posts by Ed Donkers

Wear testing turf

Grass & Turf: Approach to Maximising Playability


The video below demonstrates the difference in how grass and turf respond to intensive use, simulating the equivalent of 8 full matches over a typical weekend (4 on Saturday, 4 on Sunday). While the grass surface visibly degrades and becomes increasingly unplayable, the turf retains its performance characteristics throughout, showing no meaningful change in playability. This is not a criticism of grass. Rather, it highlights the growing need for a more flexible, resilient…
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Safe playing surface turf

Should female footballers play on different pitches?


Career-impacting injuries in professional female football players remain an under-researched challenge that demands much greater attention. Although promising work is underway, more holistic research is needed to fully understand the complexities. Notably, the linked BBC article on this topic whilst interesting overlooks several critical factors. One being the role of footwear – specifically, how studs, blades, and their configurations affect player-surface interaction. At TenCate, we’ve collaborated with professional female players to…
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