PANS


ANSTADIA & ARENA MANAGEMENT AUTUMN 2013


UTUMN 2013


End of season is new beginning


Maxim Kobzin has been Head Groundsman of Donbass Arena, in Donetsk, Ukraine, since 2012.


What work do you carry out to maintain the pitch at the end of the season?


At the end of the season the pitch has to go through renovation for the improvement of grass cover and surface levels. Depending on the duration of the break, renovation can be full, with the removal of 15mm to 30mm of the top rootzone, or partial, with the removal of 30% to 50% of the existing grass cover.


For the full surface removal, you need at least two months for the pitch to recover. Otherwise – especially without reinforcement – it will be hard to achieve a strong grass cover.


If the break is shorter than eight weeks, scarifi cation will be ideal to renew the existing grass cover, and to remove thatch and grass remains from the pitch surface. Preparation has to be done before the scarifi cation: fertilizer application, spraying and proper watering. After the scarifi cation you should create optimal conditions for grass to recover (fertilization,


pest management and proper watering).


For the full surface removal you don’t really need to do any preparation. After the operation you have to let the grass grow from the seeds.


What’s specifi c about sports turf in the Ukraine and Donbass Arena?


At the Donbass Arena our break between the seasons is one month. So we can only do the scarifi cation. Summer is very hot in the east of Ukraine with temperatures above 30 degrees every day. Ryegrass is very sensitive to the high temperatures. To keep the surface cool, we are using shade covers that are tensioned between the tribunes.


How often do you have to renew the grass cover?


For the football pitch you should do it every year. At the Donbass Arena we have to do it every year. When the break between games is about two or three weeks, we use a hard rake to keep the surface clean.


What is the infl uence of the weather conditions on the pitch?


This winter we had 0,5m of snow on the pitch a couple of times, but it always melts to about 5-10 cm and disappears with the fi rst thaw, as the pitch heating system is on during the cold months. Winter temperatures here are sometimes below 20 degrees.


We can take out excessive water during the summer with our Subair system.


How many people are in the maintenance team?


Seven greenkeepers and two mechanics


What is the event schedule in Donbass Arena?


Usually it’s one game every ten days. Sometimes it’s about one or two games a week. We also have soccer games for kids and students. We host two to three other events a year like, for example, boxing, corporate events or concerts. 


Max Kobzin is member of the ESSMA Pitch Expert Group. This interview is based on a larger interview available on www.essma.eu


He looks forward to meeting his peers at the ESSMA Head Groundsmanagers Seminar in Porto 9-10 October


88 PLAY ESSMA HEAD groundsmAN


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