Pitch performance made measurable with fLEX
For the first time, grounds teams can see the game through the athlete’s experience, quantifying traction, stability, and performance across the pitch. While tools for measuring temperature, moisture, and light exist, there was no portable device that could truly simulate the interaction between an athlete and the turf, until now.
Developed by turfgrass researchers Dr. Kyley Dickson and Dr. John Sorchan, fLEX is a groundbreaking pitch testing solution that imitates the footstrike of a real player. It bridges the gap between scientific analysis and real-world usability, and it was built from the ground up with the groundsman in mind.
“There was a gap in technology to bring more indepth player to surface interaction testing in a more realistic way. So we started thinking, how could we detect aspects of the pitch that current testing devices were missing?”
Born from the field, not the lab
The idea for fLEX first came up in December 2019. Kyley, who was working at the University of Tennessee with Dr. John Sorochan who was also consulting for various sports organisations, saw the need for a more representative testing method.
“We came up with the idea of simulating a foot striking the ground, not just measuring firmness or surface hardness, but really understanding the interaction between athlete and pitch,” he explains.
Through multiple iterations, a prototype was born: a 3D-printed foot in a real football boot, striking the surface at realistic angles and speeds. Unlike conventional testing tools, often repurposed from track or construction industries, fLEX was designed exclusively for sports surfaces.
“If the divot looks the same as what an athlete makes, even before we collect any data, we know we’re doing something right,” Kyley says.
Built for grounds teams
From the start, the fLEX development process was hands-on and collaborative. Kyley personally tested over 130 professional pitches, working directly with head groundskeepers to shape the device.
“This whole device was developed with groundsmen in mind. Every version we built, we asked: ‘Would a groundsman let us use this on their pitch?”
Ease of use was a key priority. The team tested everything from pneumatic to spring-powered launch mechanisms, aiming for scientific precision without sacrificing usability and simplicity. Even small details, like tire choice and lift handles, were adjusted based on user feedback.
“We wanted it to be reliable, simple, and efficient, something you could use, get results, and be off the pitch in under an hour, without causing damage.”
How fLEX supports grounds teams
fLEX offers more than ‘just’ surface diagnostics, it’s a practical decision-making tool. It helps grounds teams:
- Detect inconsistencies or wear patterns across the pitch.
- Justify the use of grow lights or other interventions.
- Communicate surface conditions to coaching staff and management.
- Monitor how the surface responds to traffic, shade, water, or maintenance routines
“If grow lights couldn’t be used on one side of the pitch due to an event, fLEX will show the difference in traction between that side and the rest,” Kyley explains. “It’s a feedback tool. It helps you understand what’s working, what’s not, and what needs attention.”
Integration with SGL ecosystem
fLEX is a key part of SGL’s broader pitch management ecosystem, designed to work in collaboration with TurfBase (our data monitoring platform), grow lights, grass disease management tools and agronomy department.
“fLEX helps validate what other tools are measuring,” says Kyley. “You might see a shaded area with lower traction, then go back and see the grow lights weren’t used there. Or maybe the soil moisture is higher in that spot. It all connects.”
By offering real-world play data, fLEX helps grounds teams fine-tune their lighting and watering strategies and use SGL tools more efficiently and effectively.
Looking ahead: Smarter, broader, more automated
The vision for fLEX doesn’t stop here. Kyley sees a future where the system becomes even smarter, lighter, and more automated.
“My dream is that a groundsman walks in every morning and finds a full fLEX report waiting in their inbox,” he says. “A report that tells them exactly how the pitch is playing today, so they can adjust their strategy right away.”
Future developments may include integrations like moisture probes, infill depth gauges, and density measurement sensors, making fLEX even more valuable for both natural and synthetic surfaces. And its applications aren’t limited to football.
“We’re already exploring its use in other sports; rugby, baseball, athletics, even horse racing tracks,” Kyley adds.
What sets fLEX apart
The scientific validity, realistic simulation, and user-centric design of the fLEX unit make it a one-of-a-kind solution.
“It’s not just a product,” says Kyley. “It’s a collaboration between science and the people who work the pitch every day. And we’re still learning, still improving, with the help of the groundsmen who use it.”
Introducing fLEX: Pitch performance testing for groundsteams
fLEX provides performance analysis and sports field testing data to sports teams and turf managers. fLEX is a state-of-the-art product that replicates player-to-turf interaction using a real football boot equipped with high-precision sensors. This delivers objective measurements of agronomic conditions and pitch performance, producing data on field behavior that turf managers can use to make informed decisions, especially when it comes to player safety and surface performance. Simultaneously, fLEX measures loads experienced by the athlete during foot to surface impacts.
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