Down in the dirt: A look inside Brooks Field

The clock struck zero and the floodgates opened.

Fireworks exploded in the sky as students stormed the field to celebrate Duke’s historic 28-7 win over then-No. 9-ranked Clemson. As they sprinted down the sidelines of Wallace Wade Stadium, Blue Devils fans had a lot to ponder: AP poll rankings, a culture shift and the debut of Duke football on the national stage.

The grass beneath her feet couldn’t have been further from her thoughts.

But for those responsible for maintaining Brooks Field, a storm spelled disaster. The next home game was just five days away and the field had to remain pristine.

After the team went to the locker room and the last fan left the field, Duke’s six-man groundskeeping crew quickly set about fertilizing, repainting and regrowth the 5,500 square feet of grass. By the time Duke faced Lafayette, the damage had been repaired. The field looked pristine.

“I think it speaks to the culture of excellence that we have here,” said Ian Christie, senior superintendent of landscape services at Duke Facilities Management, in an interview with The Chronicle. “I think our field has performed and looked better than it ever has.”

The challenge underscored Duke’s excellence in groundskeeping. Later in the season, the Sports Field Management Association named Brooks Field the 2023 College and University Football Field of the Year. After nearly a decade of innovation, the award secured Duke’s place as one of the best fields in the country and confirmed what groundskeepers already knew:

Brooks Field is more than a playing surface – it’s a science and a passion.

Cooper Boyce, Dukes Sports Turf Manager, told The Chronicle that most fans are unaware of the amount of experimentation that goes into maintaining the course.

“A lot of people think we just mow the lawn and slap a few lines, but there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes,” he said.

In addition to fertilizing and repainting, a typical football practice week includes an assessment of the field’s weak spots. Christie, Boyce and other groundskeepers talk with the coaching staff to relocate practice locations on the field and encourage growth in problem areas.

Problems such as pests, fungal infections and weather also require quick action from groundskeepers and require additional data-driven solutions.

But the groundskeeping team takes great pride in their work, especially since the football team has been featured on national platforms. When Brooks Field hosted television crews for College GameDay last season, the group knew they had accomplished something great.

“Many of us are sports fans and we put a lot of hours and hard work into this field,” Boyce said. “It’s really satisfying to see the games on TV and have our work out there for the world to see.”

Beneath the surface

Christie explains that Brooks Field has more to offer than it first appears.

Its scientific magic begins underground. The playing surface is on ten centimeters of gravel and twelve centimeters of sand – a sophisticated drainage system keeps the field level and prevents it from buckling.

Next comes the green. Unlike 71% of NCAA Division I schools, Duke opts for natural grass over artificial turf. The hardy Bermuda grass variety that calls Brooks Field home stays green well into late November, providing athletic benefits.

“Everyone debates between artificial turf and artificial grass,” Christie explained. “But grass is a far safer surface for athletes. It’s good for the environment because it filters all our water. That’s why I’m a big proponent. Football loves it. The fans love it.”

His claim is backed by scientific evidence: A review of NFL injury data from 2012 to 2018 found that players on artificial turf suffered a higher rate of non-contact injuries than on natural grass—32% for knee injuries and 69% for foot and ankle injuries.

Although grass is a far safer option for Duke University athletics, it presents field maintenance challenges that synthetic fibers don’t: mowing, watering, fertilizing, aerating and pest control. To maintain the field, Christie and his team closely track every aspect of maintenance, adjusting treatment windows in tiny, measurable increments. Even small changes, like fertilizing seven days in advance instead of ten, can have a noticeable impact on the field’s appearance.

“These are the little, complicated details that you have to learn over time,” Christie explained.

He and the other groundskeepers have perfected the art of managing the wear and tear on the course, and they enjoy the challenge of games, training sessions and outside events that place a heavy strain on the delicate ecosystem year-round.

“It has to be ready to play at all times, so expectations have increased,” Christie said. “We want to be the best stewards of planet Earth that we can, while also meeting the expectations of football.”

Christie uses his diverse academic background to keep the field in top shape. His bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, master’s degree in sports management and turf certification – along with nearly 12 years of professional experience – bring a valuable analytical eye to Duke’s field. Boyce brings a fresh perspective, having joined Landscape Services in 2022 and assuming the role of Sports Turf Manager in 2023.

Both take the university’s status as a research institution very seriously and point out that this applies to every blade of grass as well as to the laboratories on Science Drive.

“I read research papers on weed to be the best, the science is always changing,” Christie said. “You have to be willing to try things, you have to be willing to raise the bar.”

In keeping with head coach Manny Diaz’s philosophy, the groundskeepers will continue to strive for top performance in the coming seasons.