Down in the dirt: An inside look at Brooks Field

The clock hit zero, and the floodgates opened.

Fireworks exploded overhead while students stormed the field in celebration of Duke’s historic 28-7 victory against then-No. 9 Clemson. Sprinting across the sidelines of Wallace Wade Stadium, Blue Devil fans had plenty to think about: AP poll rankings, a culture shift and the debut of Duke football on a national stage.

The grass beneath their feet couldn’t have been further from their mind. 

But to those charged with maintaining Brooks Field, storming spelled disaster. The next home game loomed five short days away, and the field needed to stay pristine. 

So, after the team made its way to the locker room and the last fan trudged off the turf, Duke’s six-person groundskeeping team worked quickly to fertilize, repaint and regrow grass fibers across 57,600 square feet. When Duke kicked off against Lafayette, the damage had been undone. The field looked flawless.

“I think it speaks to the culture of excellence we have around here,” said Ian Christie, the Senior Superintendent of Landscape Services in Duke Facilities Management, in an interview with The Chronicle. “I thought our field performed and looked the best it’s ever been.”

The challenge underscored Duke’s groundskeeping excellence. 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 spot as one of the top fields in the nation and reaffirmed what the groundskeepers already knew: 

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

Cooper Boyce, Duke’s Sports Turf Manager, told The Chronicle that most fans don’t realize just how much experimentation goes into groundskeeping.

“A lot of people think we just mow the grass and slap some lines down, but there’s a lot more that goes on behind-the-scenes,” he said. 

On top of fertilization and repainting, a typical week of football practice includes a survey of the field’s weak spots. Christie, Boyce and other groundskeepers communicate with coaching staff to shift practice locations around the field and promote growth in problematic areas.

Issues like pests, fungi and weather also force quick action from the groundskeepers and prompt additional data-driven solutions.

But the groundskeeping team takes great pride in their work, especially as the football team takes its spot on national platforms. When Brooks Field hosted television crews for College GameDay last season, the group realized they had achieved something great.

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

Beneath the surface

Christie explains that there’s more to Brooks Field than meets the eye. 

Its scientific magic begins underground. The playing surface sits atop four inches of gravel and 12 inches of sand — a sophisticated drainage system that keeps the field level and prevents crowning. 

Next comes the greenery. Unlike 71% of NCAA Division I schools, Duke opts for natural sod over synthetic turf. The hearty variety of bermudagrass that calls Brooks Field home stays green well into late November and provides athletic benefits.

“Everyone out there has the debate between artificial and grass,” Christie explained. “But grass is by far a safer surface for athletes. It’s good environmentally because it filters out all of our water. So I’m a big, big proponent. Football loves it. Fans love it.”

The science backs up his assertion: a review of NFL injury data from 2012-18 finds that players have a higher rate of non-contact injury on synthetic turf — 32% for knee injuries and 69% for foot and ankle — as opposed to natural grass. 

Though grass is a far safer option for Duke athletics, it poses groundskeeping challenges that synthetic fibers do not: mowing, watering, fertilization, aeration and pest control. To manage the field, Christie and his team closely track every aspect of its care and adjust treatment windows by tiny measurable amounts. Even small changes, like fertilizing seven days in advance instead of ten, can have noticeable effects on the field’s appearance.

“Those are the small, intricate details that you have to learn over time,” Christie explained. 

He and the other groundskeepers have perfected the art of managing the field’s wear and tear. They relish the challenge of games, practices and external events that take a year-round toll on the fragile ecosystem.

“It’s got to be game-ready all the time, so expectations have gone up.” Christie said. “We’re looking to be the best stewards of planet Earth we can, while balancing football expectations.”

Christie uses his diverse academic background to keep the field in tip-top shape. His bachelor's degree in computer engineering, masters in sports management and turfgrass certificate — along with nearly 12 years on the job — offer Duke’s field a valuable analytical eye. Boyce brings fresh perspective, having joined Landscape Services in 2022 and moved to Sports Turf Manager role in 2023. 

Both take the University’s status as a research institution very seriously, noting that it applies to each blade of grass just as it does to the labs on Science Drive. 

“I’ll read research papers on grass to be the best, the science is ever-changing” Christie said. “You have to be willing to try things, you’ve got to be willing to raise the bar."

Just like head coach Manny Diaz’s philosophy, the groundskeepers remain committed to cutting-edge excellence for seasons to come. 

---