(Fullerton, CA) - The premier youth and adult soccer membership association in the United States has announced a three-year partnership with AstroTurf, the maker of the world's best artificial playing surfaces. Cal South Soccer and the Cal South Soccer Foundation have named AstroTurf as their Official Artificial Surface Provider.
"As Cal South continues to grow, the demand for fields and availability is increasing dramatically," said John Weinerth, CEO of Cal South. "As a result, the need and demand for artificial surfaces has grown. AstroTurf is the inventor of the industry and we have been impressed at how they've remained at the forefront through research and development regarding performance and safety, particularly as it relates to soccer fields."
Cal South Soccer has grown over 24% since 2008 and those growth trends continue. The organization has 143,500 youth players and 12,500 adult players who participate in over 280 leagues and clubs. These players participate on soccer fields throughout Southern California. The organization also features 30,000 coaches and team managers, 8,000 referees, and 330,000 family members.
"Cal South Soccer embodies all the best attributes of soccer in the United States," said Bryan Peeples, President of AstroTurf. "Our partnership will help us in our efforts to develop safer playing fields that offer the best in performance and durability."
The comprehensive partnership includes a robust blend of education, outreach and support of programs for both Cal South and the Cal South Soccer Foundation. Activation includes field development workshops, field grant opportunities and working with Cal South s network of Affiliate Members and City Agencies on the benefits of synthetic turf and how to get new fields installed.
In addition, AstroTurf will support Soccer Nation Expo with the installation of two main fields throughout the Expo, and also support the new "AstroTurf Grow the Game Award," which will be awarded on an annual basis to an outstanding individual, team, or club in recognition for their efforts behind growing the game.
"Cal South teams play on hundreds of fields throughout California," said Peeples. "Very few natural grass fields can accommodate these levels of play, so artificial turf is becoming an increasingly attractive and necessary alternative. We'll be able to work with Cal South stakeholders to show how AstroTurf can help improve performance, increase playing time and availability of fields, and reduce maintenance and associated costs, as well as environmental impact. In concert, these factors can also help in the development of Cal South's soccer programs."
AstroTurf fields can provide up to four times the availability of a natural grass field. Scientific research by Michigan State University has also stated that AstroTurf GameDay Grass systems look and perform more like natural grass than any other surface.
AstroTurf fields also have an added environmental and economic impact. In 2010, BASF did a study comparing AstroTurf fields to natural grass fields. In eleven 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 and helping create American jobs.
From an economic standpoint, over twenty years, AstroTurf fields are 15% less expensive than natural grass fields, even when the cost of turf replacement is considered.
"This is a wonderfully matched partnership," said Weinerth. "This is two leaders in the industry looking to grow the game in one of the world’s best soccer markets.
