How FST’s Proprietary Aggregate Blend is Revolutionizing Sports Field Construction and Sustainability
For developers, contractors, and municipal leaders across Southern California, the challenge is immense: build world-class sports facilities that can withstand relentless use, perform under pressure, survive nearly non-existent rest periods, and adhere to the region’s strict water conservation mandates. The solution isn’t found in the turf, the lighting, or the scoreboards. It’s found in the ground itself. For over 60 years, Corona-based FST Sand & Gravel has been the trusted expert in mining and delivering the foundational materials for the region’s infrastructure projects of all kinds. Today, through a scientifically engineered approach, the company is solidifying its reputation as the premier supplier for Southern California’s most prestigious sports field construction projects, providing a proprietary sports field base that ensures longevity, resilience, and superior performance.
Beneath every pristine athletic field lies a complex, multi-layered profile, and the rootzone is its most critical component. This is where the delicate balance between water retention for plant health and rapid drainage for playability is struck. Modern, high-traffic fields are built almost entirely on sand, typically 80-95% by volume, because it resists compaction and maintains stable pore space for air and water. However, the single greatest factor in a field’s success is the specific character of that sand. This is where FST Sand & Gravel elevates a simple commodity into an engineered solution.
Beyond Sand: The FST Proprietary Sports Field Base
Not all sand is created equal. While some may see it as interchangeable, the experts at FST understand that the right athletic field sand is a product of precise geological characteristics. Their proprietary sports field base is an engineered turf base material designed to solve the specific challenges of high-use athletic surfaces. The science comes down to three critical factors:
1. Particle Shape and Stability: The mechanical stability of a sports field comes from the shape of its sand particles. Rounded particles, common in many sands, act like microscopic ball bearings, creating a loose, unstable surface prone to divots and shifting under athletic stress. FST’s proprietary sports field base is composed of angular and sub-angular sand. These particles interlock tightly, creating a strong, stable matrix that resists the shear forces of intense traffic, from cleated football players to soccer drills. This inherent stability is the key to a field that resists compaction, maintains its integrity season after season, and ultimately reduces long-term maintenance costs.
2. Particle Size and Drainage: An effective sports field must drain rapidly. A field built on FST’s sports field base can accept and move water through its profile, even faster than a heavy rain can apply it. This is achieved carefully through a controlled particle size distribution. Following guidelines similar to those established by the USGA, the FST blend focuses on a majority of particles in the medium (0.25-0.5 mm) and coarse (0.5-1.0 mm) size range. Fines like silt and clay, which clog essential drainage pores, are strictly limited. The result is a field with exceptional hydraulic conductivity, preventing the waterlogged, muddy conditions that lead to game cancellations and unsafe play. In drought-conscious Southern California, this water-wise design is not a luxury; it is a necessity.
3. Mineralogy and Durability: The ideal mineral for rootzone sand is quartz, prized for its extreme physical hardness and chemical inertness. Softer materials, like calcareous sands, can physically break down under traffic and weathering. This degradation reduces particle size over time, leading to clogged pores and decreased drainage. FST’s aggregate source provides a durable, regionally specific and very dense sand that retains its shape and performance characteristics for decades, ensuring the initial investment continues to pay dividends long into the future.
Proof of Performance: Supercharging the Ontario Sports Empire
The new Sports Empire Park in Ontario stands as a testament to state-of-the-art facility design. As Southern California’s newest and largest sports complex, the developers required a foundation that could match the facility’s top-tier ambitions. They needed a surface that would be ready for intense, year-round tournament play from day one and would provide a safe, consistent experience for athletes.
The choice was clear: a strategic investment in FST’s proprietary sports field base. The decision-makers working on the Ontario project understood that compromising on the unseen foundation would be a critical error. By selecting FST’s engineered solution, they effectively “supercharged” their fields, ensuring elite-level field drainage solutions and a resilient turf base material capable of handling the massive traffic demands of a regional sports destination. The project serves as a premier case study, demonstrating why discerning developers, engineers, design architects, and contractors partner with FST when performance and longevity are non-negotiable.
A 60-Year Legacy of Trust
The innovation behind FST’s proprietary aggregate blend is built on a 60-year foundation of experience. As a family-owned and operated company deeply rooted in Southern California, FST Sand & Gravel has an unparalleled understanding of the region’s geology and the demands of its construction industry. This deep expertise means they are more than a supplier; they are a partner in their clients’ success. They know that for contractors, developers, and facility managers, a reliable supply chain backed by decades of proven performance is critical. Building a high-performance athletic field is an investment in community, health, and excellence. That investment deserves a foundation that is engineered to last. By combining a 60-year legacy with a scientific approach to materials, FST Sand & Gravel delivers a sports field base that offers unmatched durability, superior water management, and a safer playing surface—proving that the most important victories happen from the ground up.