Monday, July 2, 2012

STARFIRE SPORTS ENHANCES STATUS AS ELITE SOCCER CAMPUS BY ADDING NEW ASTROTURF FIELDS


(TUKWILA, Washington) - Starfire Sports in Tukwila, Washington is one of the world’s premier soccer campuses.  Starfire is in the process of enhancing that reputation, as they replace their current synthetic turf system with the world’s premier synthetic turf…..AstroTurf.

Starfire, which boasts 14 fields and a pavilion field, was founded by Chris Slatt, Steve Beck, and Mark Bickham in 2003, when they had the idea of combining inclusiveness and access to world-class soccer facilities.  When a budget shortfall caused King County to close a number of its parks and recreational facilities, an opportunity arose which led to the dream becoming a reality.

Starfire sees more than 100,000 unique visitors each year, with over a million total annual visits to its campus.  The facility hosts nearly 40 tournaments, as well as serving as the home training facility of Seattle’s MLS team, the Seattle Sounders FC; and the practice and game facility for the Seattle Sounders Women, whose 2012 squad includes United States Women’s National Team players Hope Solo, Megan Rapinoe, Sydney Leroux, and Alex Morgan. 

Starfire is also home to several youth soccer teams, and offer diverse youth and adult soccer programs, including leagues, tournaments, and kids camps and training.

“We believe that our partnership with AstroTurf is going to keep Starfire ahead of the curve when it comes to delivering the ultimate soccer experience,” said Ben Oliver, Starfire General Manager.  “The playability, consistency, durability, and aesthetics of the AstroTurf surfaces are the best we’ve seen and it’s going to allow our players, at all levels, to practice and compete on the best surface in the world.”

The initial renovation involves the adidas field, the two indoor fields, and the pavilion field, which is used for ceremonies, practice, and tryouts.  Five fields at the facility will remain natural grass fields, but plans are already underway to convert the remaining fields to AstroTurf.

“Soccer is a growth sport,” said Bryan Peeples, President of AstroTurf.  “As such, the demand for top-notch facilities which can accommodate a high level and amount of play are increasing in demand.  The AstroTurf system will meet those needs and exceed expectations.”

The two indoor fields will be made up of the AstroTurf GameDay Grass XPE52 fiber.  This is a slit film product which provides the most durability and is further enhanced by a face weight of 52 ounces per square yard, one of the heaviest in the industry.

The pavilion field will be the AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D52 Xtreme.  The Horseshoe fiber has a shape like its namesake, which is more resilient and bounces back, staying upright longer.  It also reflects less light and heat.  That, in combination with AstroFlect heat reduction technology, can lower surface temperatures by as much as 18%.

The Horseshoe fiber is combined with the slit film product to provide the best in aesthetics and durability.
The field will also have a RootZone, a thatch layer which holds the sand and rubber infill in place for less splash and migration, making for a more consistent playing surface.

The adidas field is the AstroTurf GameDay Grass Q44 product, which also offers the Xtreme fiber combination.

Construction will be completed in the next few weeks and the fields will be ready for play for the thousands or league and tournament players at all levels.

From November 23-25, AstroTurf will join with Starfire in hosting the AstroTurf Collegiate Showcase, a tournament featuring premier girls teams from throughout the country.  Collegiate coaches from the community college level to NCAA Division I will be on hand to evaluate players in the tournament, making this one of the top showcase tournaments in the nation.

ABOUT STARFIRE SPORTS
Starfire Sports is a non-profit corporation delivering opportunities for every member of our community to enjoy the ultimate soccer experience. Starfire delivers diverse programming for youth and adults, knowledgeable and professional staff, and a safe and engaging environment for social interaction and community building. In addition, financial assistance programs, equipment donations and partnerships with other local and national non-profit organizations mean that all our community’s youth have access to world-class soccer facilities—regardless of economic background.  For more information, visit www.starfiresports.com

ABOUT ASTROTURF
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 continue to select AstroTurf-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority and safety.  To learn more, visit www.astroturfusa.com.

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