Wednesday, October 6, 2010

VAN HORN BRINGS HOME FOOTBALL ON NEW ASTROTURF®

(Independence, Missouri) - Some players on the Van Horn High School football team weren’t even alive when the Falcons last hosted a home game on their own field.

That will all change this Saturday, October 9, at noon, as Van Horn hosts Maranatha Academy for homecoming on the new AstroTurf® field.

Being able to host games, football practices, soccer practices and games, band practice, and physical education classes were some of the reasons prompting the installation of the new field. With a grass field, it’s impossible to host that many events.

Van Horn has a new AstroTurf® field, and a second AstroTurf® field has just been completed for use by the junior high schools.

“We did a lot of comparison shopping,” said Assistant Superintendent Jason Dial. “And we felt AstroTurf® provided the best product for the money.”

Dial cited the professionalism and hard work of the installation crew during the oppressive summer heat. He also said the material, workmanship, and quality of the field were second-to-none.

While Dial is excited about the product, he’s also excited about what else the field will do for Van Horn High School.

“This field is something for the community to rally behind,” said Dial. “Not only can we now host home games, it gives the school a new face and a new culture. It will allow the community to be a part of the school.”

The new field at Van Horn High School is AstroTurf® GameDay Grass™ 3D, the most state-of-the-art synthetic field system on the market today.

In addition to a consistent and durable surface, AstroTurf® also provides an environmentally friendly surface.

GameDay Grass™ 3D utilizes a rubber infill system, composed of highly-durable rubber, extracted from post-consumer recycled tires by certified recyclers all across the U.S., keeping up to 20,000 tires from being placed in landfills. These materials have been rigorously tested by the international scientific communities for both environmental and human health hazards and have been found to pose no risks.

The super-stable, multi-ply primary backing systems are covered with a heavy polyurethane, environmentally-friendly BioCel™ coating for uniformity, consistency and precise performance across the entire field. The BioCel™ system provides further environmental benefits in that it employs highly-refined coal fly ash and bio-based polyols from soybeans.

The typical, well-maintained grass field can use anywhere from 500,000-1,000,000 gallons of water per year. The AstroTurf® field eliminates that need, as well as the need for pesticides and other chemicals.

AstroTurf® has made an investment in furthering research on synthetic turf and natural grass fields and partnered with the University of Tennessee to create The Center for Safer Athletic Fields. Additionally, in a study at Michigan State University funded by NFL Charities, an AstroTurf® product was determined to perform most like natural grass.

AstroTurf® is also the only synthetic turf company that makes the product from start to finish, making it the only vertically integrated company in the industry.

“We are proud of our partnership with the Independence School District and Van Horn High School,” said Bryan Peeples, President of AstroTurf®. “The athletes who play there will now represent their sport on the gold standard of synthetic playing fields. We are happy to be part of the future Van Horn’s athletic success.”

About AstroTurf®
AstroTurf® is the world leader in synthetic turf. For many athletes and sport enthusiasts, the AstroTurf® brand has redefined the way the game is played. The company offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies, leveraging the industry’s only vertically integrated manufacturing system. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf®-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority and safety. Recent innovations from AstroTurf include GameDay Grass™ 3D with RootZone®, a polyethylene/nylon hybrid system which most closely replicates natural grass; TurfAide™, a non-chemical antimicrobial shield protecting against MRSA and other infectious bacteria; and AstroFlect™ Technology which significantly reduces turf surface temperatures. To learn more, visit www.astroturfusa.com.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

RAMS BEAT SEAHAWKS ON NEW ASTROTURF® FIELD

(ST. LOUIS, Missouri) - The St. Louis Rams defeated the Seattle Seahawks 20-3 on the brand new AstroTurf® field at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.

The Rams are 2-1 at home and 2-2 on the season, winning back-to-back games for the first time since 2008.

The Rams’ new field is AstroTurf® GameDay Grass™ 3D60H, the most advanced synthetic turf system on the market today. The surface most closely resembles and plays like natural grass, and is the most durable field available.

The Edward Jones Dome also features the new Magic Carpet™ II system. The field features 73,000 square feet of AstroTurf®, weighing 100,000 pounds. Many times, staff at the Edward Jones Dome has to convert the facility a football setup to host events such as concerts.

The Magic Carpet II system features a hydraulic winch system in the pit of the floor. Blowers blow air between the floor and the AstroTurf®, reducing friction when rolling up the one-piece field. The field can be stored or rolled out in about an hour.

The Rams did a little Magic Carpet work of their own on Sunday.

Rookie quarterback Sam Bradford was 23-41 with 289 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, to lead the Rams offense.

The big story, though, was the accomplishment of seven-year Rams running back Steven Jackson.

Jackson, who was questionable for the game, had 70 yards on 22 carries. In his effort, he overtook Marshall Faulk as the Rams’ number two all-time rusher.

Jackson reached 6,991 yards, leaving him just behind Hall-of-Famer Eric Dickerson, who had 7,245 yards from 1983-87.

The St. Louis defense provided much-needed help, shutting down the Seahawks. The defense had four sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble.

The Rams are on the road next week as they face the Lions in Detroit.

About AstroTurf®
For many athletes and sport enthusiasts, the AstroTurf® brand has redefined the way the game is played. The company offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies, leveraging the industry’s only vertically integrated manufacturing system. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf®-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority and safety. Recent innovations from AstroTurf® include GameDay Grass™ 3D with RootZone®, a polyethylene/nylon hybrid system which most closely replicates natural grass; TurfAide™, a non-chemical antimicrobial shield protecting against MRSA and other infectious bacteria; and astroflect™ Technology which significantly reduces turf surface temperatures. To learn more, visit www.astroturfusa.com.

AstroTurf

"This is not your father's AstroTurf" - Archie Manning