Thursday, June 14, 2012

KENTUCKY COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL SET FOR NEW ASTROTURF FIELD


(LOUISVILLE, Kentucky) - Building an elite field hockey and lacrosse program is one step closer to reality for Kentucky Country Day School (KCD) in Louisville.

The installation of an all-new AstroTurf field will be completed this summer, just in time for the upcoming field hockey season.  It will also play a huge role next spring as Pat McAnulty’s Lady Bearcats lacrosse team goes after their fourth state championship in the last six years.

“Getting this new AstroTurf field is a gigantic step for our athletic programs,” said McAnulty.  “We’ve achieved a high level of success and this field will help build our program and help it remain successful for years to come.”

Amy Charasika, Head Field Hockey Coach and Assistant Athletic Director, said the field is being installed for three major reasons.

“First, this will help with the advancement of the program because it allows our players to prepare to play at elite levels,” said Charasika.  “Second, it’s a matter of convenience.  We don’t have to worry with inclement weather and the field is ready to go all the time.  Third, it’s a huge recruiting tool.”

Charasika said it also provides an added financial benefit since the field does not require recovery time from extended use, they will be able to rent it out to local club sports teams for their use.  She also said that the field will see use by the boys’ lacrosse and boys’ soccer teams.

“This allows us to take our already strong athletic programs to a higher level,” said Brad Lyman, Head of School at KCD.  “It also allows us to provide the same quality facilities in athletics that we have in other areas such as the upper school and the new fine arts center.  It adds to the quality of the overall experience of our students.”

Charasika said officials at KCD looked at three different companies and visited fields in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, and Tennessee.

“AstroTurf was definitely the right choice for us,” said Charasika.  “We felt like it was the best product for our needs and we felt a level of trust with the company and its people.”

At first, she expressed concern about using an infilled system for field hockey because of the rubber splash, and the need for a level, consistent playing field.  She was sold on the system after seeing the field at the McCallie School in Tennessee.

“I loved the feel,” she said.  “The RootZone gives better fiber density and encapsulates the infill so there is no splash.  The slit film also makes it a faster surface.”

The new surface is the AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D52X, the most advanced in the synthetic turf industry.
The surface contains the AstroTurf XP fiber.  XP is a slit-film product which offers better infill encapsulation, best resistance to wear, and greater pile density.  The product also features texturized RootZone.  RootZone is a fiber which acts as a thatch layer, creating minimal rubber splash, uniform energy return, and better shock absorbency, while encapsulating the infill and reducing migration.

The field also has a face weight of 52 ounces of fiber per square yard, one of the highest in the industry.  This adds to the durability provided by the fiber shape.

“Kentucky Country Day is a great school with a great athletic program,” said Pat Davidson, AstroTurf Regional Sales Manager.  “They’re getting the best product on the market and we’re proud to be a part of that tradition.”
 
Sports Construction Management is handling the construction of the base and installation of the turf, which will be completed by mid-August.

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