(WISE, Virginia) - Despite the rain and unseasonably cool temperatures just a couple of days ago, it would be just about impossible to wipe the smile from Danny Sterling’s face.
Sterling, the athletic director at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, is happy because the process is underway to install an all new AstroTurf® field at Carl Smith Stadium.
The Highland Cavaliers have played their last 12 seasons on an AstroTurf® System 12 field, and while the field was still in great shape, the school wanted to bring a new championship-caliber surface to the
stadium. The new field will be AstroTurf® GameDay™ Grass 3D52H.
“To say that excitement is the word would be an understatement,” said Sterling. “We can’t wait for the new field. The quality of this product won us over. We looked at other AstroTurf® installations at places like Old Dominion and Wake Forest and there was no question. We also have a long history and relationship with AstroTurf®, so that made the decision an easy one.”
The field will feature the revolutionary new Horseshoe™ fiber. This new fiber is enjoying unprecedented success in the sports field marketplace, due to factors such as its unique shape. The fiber is an “Omega” shape with two end columns with a thicker diameter. The design imparts mechanical memory so that the fiber remains upright longer, unlike other fields whose fibers quickly flatten and split or shred at the spine. The Horseshoe™ fiber continues to spring back to its original configuration, even after years of heavy foot traffic or exposure to ultra-violet radiation.
The field also has a face weight of 52 ounces of fiber per square yard. This adds to the durability provided by the fiber shape. Further enhancing the durability and safety of the field is the proprietary RootZone®, a dense sub-layer of texturized fibers which act as an infill stabilizer system to prevent migration and splash of the rubber granule infill.
In extensive testing, the Horseshoe® fiber performs most like natural grass from ball roll and slide resistance, to the biomechanical function of cleats penetrating and releasing properly. A study at Michigan State University, funded by NFL Charities, found that AstroTurf® GameDay Grass™ systems looked and performed more like natural grass than any other synthetic product measured, also making it the safest option.
The Horseshoe® fiber’s shape also allows it to reflect light and heat away from the surface. That, in combination with AstroFlect™ heat reduction technology, can lower surface temperatures by as much as 18%.
The Horseshoe™ fiber was introduced in 2010 and is already in use on practice fields at schools such as Stanford and the University of Tennessee; baseball game fields for the Tampa Bay Rays, Wake Forest, Duke; and numerous high school football fields around the country.
“We are excited about the partnership with UVA-Wise,” said Bryan Peeples, President of AstroTurf®. “Installing a championship-caliber field is a testimony to the commitment to the program. It’s also a game-changer when it comes to the pride young athletes, and the community at-large, take in the school.”
According to Sterling, the field will have a huge impact on the current student-athletes at the school, as well as influencing the decisions of potential Highland Cavaliers in the future.
The field at UVA-Wise will also allow the school to host, not only football games, but provide help in weather-related practice situations for the baseball and softball teams, and special events such as intramural championship games and other campus events.
Additionally, the field will play a large role in the community and will host little league games, as well as high school games, band camps, and summer camps.
Another impact the field will have is to make the Highland Cavaliers the envy of the Mid-South Conference, where the football team competes in the NAIA.
One Mid-South Conference school, Shorter University, started playing its home games last season on a new AstroTurf® field at Barron Stadium in Rome, Georgia. That stadium also happens to be the host stadium for the NAIA National Championship game. So, while the Highland Cavaliers are looking forward to playing their home games this year on their own AstroTurf®, it’s probably a safe bet to say they would like to be in a position to play on the AstroTurf® in Rome, Georgia in December.
The team will get its chance for a march on Georgia when they kick off the 2011 season at home on their new AstroTurf® on September 3rd against Webber International.
About AstroTurf®
For many athletes and sport enthusiasts, the AstroTurf® brand has redefined the way the game is played. AstroTurf® offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport, and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies, leveraging a vertically integrated manufacturing system. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities select AstroTurf®-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority, and safety. To learn more, visit www.astroturfusa.com. You can also check out AstroTurf® on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/AstroTurf/124352067595110.
No comments:
Post a Comment