A Tip For Avoiding Sprinkler
Damage
by J. Richard Blackwell Tennis
| As tennis
developed, the soft courts and their foundation of crushed stone gained
in popularity But every rose has its thorn. Along with the soft court surface
came daily maintenance. This repeated process of rolling, watering, brushing,
and replacement of pop-up sprinkler heads is necessary to keep the level
of quality at the standard demanded by today's players. Unfortunately,
the solution that brought the crushed stone to tennis courts did not take
into consideration the abrasive action of the stone on pop-up sprinkler
heads. Because of the stone's abrasive quality, seals falter, the heads
fall and or stop rotating. As a result, the puddling around the pop-up
heads and on the court forces additional maintenance and increases court
downtime.
One solution is to avoid putting pop-up sprinkler heads below the surface of soft courts. Installation of sprinkler heads on risers above the court surface, either attached to the fencing or the net post, is often utilized. Though unsightly hazardous, and more often than not an incorrect method for watering soft courts, the sprinkler heads are removed from the court surface, thereby by eliminating the damage caused by the abrasive stone. Incorporate a 10-inch plastic valve box around the pop-up sprinkler head that is installed below the court surface. Be sure that the top of the sprinkler head and the top of the valve box are at grade, and cut an opening in the center of the valve box one half inch larger than the diameter of the top of the pop-up sprinkler head. When the cover of the valve box is installed and locked in place, the top of the sprinkler head should be centered in the opening of the box cover, and flush with the cover of the valve box. Now each pop-up sprinkler head can function as needed without damage by the stone. The valve box creates a cavity into which the stone can fall and collect. This keeps the stone from collecting around the top of the sprinkler head where the riser pops up from the canister. Periodically, the valve box cover should be removed and the collected soft court material extracted. Daily maintenance is still necessary; the rolling and brushing still have to be done. But the watering can be done faster and more evenly without damage. Playing time goes up and maintenance costs go down. Life is good. |
"When you play with the
best, you are the winner."
