Viera Regional Park
ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELDS
Training And Games
Take Place On These Fields
To maintain our new turf fields at their best and to get the most use from them, some restrictions are required as to what can be placed onto the turf.
See our Fields Locations and Maps page here.
Turf Rules
These apply to on the turf including player benches, not to spectators on the walkway or grass.
- No chairs. Spectators can place chairs on the sidewalks surrounding the field.
- No canopies/tents. The canopy legs can tear the turf. We are in the process of purchasing covered benches for the players. Canopies can be set up in the grass near the field.
- No Golf Carts driven onto the turf or sidewalks. Park golf carts in the grass in designated areas.
- No metal cleats. Players will not be allowed on the field with metal cleats.
- No food/beverages other than water, including chewing gum, nuts, seeds or sports drinks.
- No Pets. Pets are not allowed in the park in general per the Parks & Recreation Rules.
- Bench areas must be cleaned up after use. SCU Home teams should check the opposing bench to check if any trash was left; water bottles and trash put in trash can behind the benches.
Playing On Turf
About Cleats
While our fields receive a cooling coat, turf can still get quite hot to play on. See some tips below reprinted from the article How To Deal With Wearing Soccer Shoes on Hot Artificial Turf! by Bryan Byrne.
#1 – Look For Comfort Insoles
In general, comfort insoles are a little thicker and extra padded. That extra cushion between you and the surface can prove extremely beneficial when playing on hot surfaces. So many boots these days come with extremely thin, lightweight insoles and that is a real problem. They leave your foot pinned right against the footbed and exposed to increased heat. By adding a thicker insole, you not only add a more comfortable bounce but you also reduce exposure to heat.
#2 – Avoid Soaking Your Feet in Water!
In order to reduce the grueling pain of heat on the soles, I regularly see players douse their boots with water. Bad idea! Yes, it provides immediate pain relief, but over a longer period of time it can have a negative effects. Your feet can actually blister as your damp socks incrementally rise in temperature. A wet sock is actually far more risky than a dry sock. If you can, simply remove your boots for a minute or two to release any heat off the surface. All you need is 10 seconds of relief to really improve the feel as you continue to play. If you are going to wet your feet, try taking off your sock first for full effect.
#3 – Mid Cut Collars and Hot Turf Don’t Blend Well
As the surface heats up, it becomes a challenge keeping your boots and feet at a cool level. Well, add a constricted mid-cut collar and where is there for the hot air to go? From personal experience, there is no place for the hot air to go; no ventilation like you would find with a regular ankle cut boot. As a result, there is the potential to encounter even more excruciating pain due to overheating. This is primarily geared toward Nike’s range of collared boots. Instead, choose the lower tier versions that don’t feature a mid-cut collar. They are more economical and the regular ankle cut will allow more hot air to escape the boot as you play.
#4 – Lightweight Means Less Material
It should be a given – you need to avoid anything that is marketed as being lightweight. In order to create incredibly light shoes, I’m talking anything under 7oz here, brands reduce the amount of material being used in all the important spots. They look for ways to decrease the thickness of the soleplate and continue to thin out the insoles. That leaves your foot closer to the surface, exactly what you don’t want on hot turf. Instead, focus on boots that are geared toward “comfort”, where they are built to be a little thicker.
#5 – Carbon Fiber Soleplates Are a No-No
If you see a boot that advertises having a Carbon Fiber soleplate, avoid them! Under general circumstances, carbon fiber can really offer solid performance and flexibility through the soleplate of a boot. But it has the potential to heat up very quickly and cause excessive heat across the soles of your feet. Thankfully, there are not many boots currently on the market that feature the heat retaining material, but it is one to watch out for.
Artificial Turf Shoes
Soccer.com offers artificial turf shoes which can be worn at practices. Remember to login to the account you used to order your uniform.