SA losing out in soccer pitch battle
Val Migliaccio
The Advertiser
March 15, 201311:30PM
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The Lady Reds will kick off their W-League season on Adelaide's only synthetic surface at West Beach. Source: adelaidenow

THE rapid growth of Victorian soccer's artificial pitches leaves SA's development blueprint in the dust as grass pitches can no longer take the battering of growth.

Football Federation Victoria's investment from one artificial turf pitch in 2007 to 38 last year has helped the game grow into an oasis.

SA has one synthetic pitch - which is yet to be completed - despite record participation levels, which has led to kids being turned away from the game mainly because of a lack of facilities.

Football Federation SA chief executive Michael Carter said SA's first artificial pitch facility should come into use this year when the Lady Reds W-League side kicks off its season.

But Carter admitted the West Beach facility - which has been funded by the State and Federal Governments, FFSA, Green Play Australia and Adelaide Shores - is not enough.

"I want to invite FIFA when they do the testing of the facility at West Beach," Carter said.

"The plan is for the W-League side to play the first official match there but clearly we need more of these facilities in South Australia."

Whereas the Victorian Government's "Strengthening the World Game" project has helped to invest about $28 million in artificial pitches, SA soccer is catering for about 37,000 players and clubs are struggling to cope with demand because of the limited pitches on offer.

And the pitches in use are mostly poor because of the amount of traffic, which is stunting the growth of the game in SA.

While FFSA will celebrate its debut into the modern era at West Beach, artificial turf will allow soccer to be played on pitches more often due to its resilience and synthetic turf would also allow skill levels to flourish.

Pitches during the wetter months of the year are virtually unplayable, making it harder for youngsters to learn the tricks of the trade if the tools aren't up to scratch.

There are about 23,000 registered FFSA players and another 14,000 non-FIFA-affiliated players, and Carter said one grass pitch catered for about 80 players a week.

Reports show natural turf can take a maximum of 20 hours of action a week, while artificial pitch can host at least 50 hours a week of game time.

The cost of installing a FIFA-standard artificial pitch costs up to $1 million and about $24,000 per year in maintenance.

An artificial pitch has lifespan up to 10 years and costs about $350,000 to replace.