(DALHART, Texas) - Dalhart High School and Dalhart Junior High School will soon be playing their home games in a completely revamped Memorial Stadium.
Part of the process includes the installation of a new AstroTurf® field, which is now underway. The overall project, which is being funded by a nearly $5 million Qualified School Construction Bond, with no tax rate increase, will cover a variety of projects.
The project will completely renovate Memorial Stadium, adding an eight-lane track and AstroTurf® field, as well as a new field house, concession stand, and public restrooms. It will also provide playground space and equipment at Dalhart Intermediate School, repair of damage to the intermediate and elementary schools, and completion of the Spirit Trail.
“We are thrilled about the new field,” said Dalhart ISD Superintendent David Foote. “This is the best thing for our kids. Our students are excited and the people in the community are excited. We’ve needed this for a long time.”
According to Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Stephen Young, much of the decision to go to synthetic turf was based on three major factors.
“First, we faced costs such as water, fertilizer, pesticides, and mowing, said Young. “Second, we deal with a large number of weather-related issues. We could have 12 inches of snow or be facing a drought. Finally, the overall facility was in disrepair. It has been around since 1943 and it is just time.”
Foote, Young, and others looked at turf surfaces offered by a variety of companies. The Golden Wolves play on a couple of synthetic turf surfaces during the year, but the AstroTurf® field at Muleshoe High School helped seal the deal.
The new field, like the one at Muleshoe, will feature AstroTurf® GameDay Grass™ 3D60H. This surface features the all 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 60 ounces of fiber per square yard, the highest in the industry. This adds to the durability provided by the fiber shape.
In extensive testing, the Horseshoe® fiber performs most like natural grass from ball roll, to 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.
“This is a playing surface that is second-to-none,” said AstroTurf® President Bryan Peeples. “We are extremely proud of this surface and we know that students and people of Dalhart will be, too. There is nothing like the pride and spirit that comes with having a playing field like the one Dalhart is building.”
The field at Dalhart will also have an added environmental and economic impact. In 2010, BASF did a study comparing AstroTurf® fields to natural grass fields. In 11 environmental categories, AstroTurf® had a lower environmental footprint than natural grass. Factors contributing to this include reduced maintenance and mowing, which cause a variety of emissions. Other factors include elimination of fertilizers and pesticides, as well as the need for water. AstroTurf® fields also use soy-based polyols in the backing of products, reducing their dependence on foreign oil.
From an economic standpoint, over 20 years, AstroTurf® fields are 15% less expensive than natural grass fields, even when the cost of turf replacement is considered.
“We can’t wait to play on this field,” said Young. “We had a good team last year and I wish they could have played on it. But, I’ve told our kids who are coming back that the baton has been passed and this is their opportunity to perform and to perform on a championship-caliber field.”
The Golden Wolves will get that opportunity at home on September 9th, against Brownfield.
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 first 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; 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment