Module 8:

8.2 Planning the usage schedule

8.2.3 Example planned usage (continued)

1   Notes for tables in approaches to managing usage and pitch quality

1.   With growth often being strong towards the latter part of August, especially with the use of artificial irrigation (which is essential for a sand-gravel slit pitch) the planning of 5 games per week (assuming there are enough teams to make use of this potential) should be achievable.
2.   Early September will also see continued strong growth, so 5 games per week for the first 2 weeks, dropping to 4 games per week for the last 2 weeks of the month.
3.   For the first 2 weekends / weeks of October this will be 4 games per week each, whilst for the other 3 weekends / weeks this will be 3 games per week, which is taking into account the slowing down of natural growth and increase soil moisture conditions.
4.   3 games per week will continue for November.
5.   For most of December this will be 2 games per week, but typically an extra game should be able to be accommodated sometime during December.
6.   January can often see a cautious start to the year, with 2 games per week.
7.   Just 2 games per week during February as the pitch will be taking wear but with basically no effective regrowth occurring.
8.   March growth can start to pick up a little, helping with the number of games that can be played, so 2 per week for the first 2 weeks, and then 3 per week for the last 2 weeks.
9.   April sees carrying capacity return to 3 games per week.
10.   Pre-season friendlies. These are excluded from traditional carrying capacity data which are typically from the end of August or the start of September to the end of April / early May.
11.   This is the minimum grade to be achieved. Post renovation, during May, June and July and throughout most of August and September the pitch will mostly be at grade 4. This allows for gradual deterioration from usage as the season progresses, but always being above the desired and planned minimum during this rest period.

The two approaches illustrate how usage might be planned for a pitch, however, each pitch and club requirements will be different, so adapt the concept of dynamic pitch management for planned usage to meet your own needs.

Activity

2     Complete the following table for the games that might typically be expected to be played on your own football pitch or estimate the values for a pitch you are familiar with. For this activity you don’t need to worry about how many weeks might be allocated to each month.

  For the number of games that are played on your pitch do you think that the required overall pitch quality is able to be achieved on a consistent basis throughout the whole playing season? Yes | No

If you answered ‘No’, what month do you think the quality has deteriorated to a state that it is lower than what is required?

If the answer to the question is ‘Yes’ then it would appear that the carrying capacity of the pitch is not being exceeded and any pitch deterioration is within an acceptable range for the players, manager and owner or pitch provider.