GROWTH IN ATHLETICS LEADS TO NEW ASTROTURF FIELD AT CENTRE COLLEGE

(DANVILLE, Kentucky) - Centre College is taking a big step toward enhancing its reputation of athletic excellence with the installation of a new AstroTurf field.

Centre is a top 50 liberal arts college, with just over 1,300 students enrolled.  The school boasts 23 intercollegiate teams and teams in 15 intramural sports program.  Within those programs, about 40% of the students participate in intercollegiate athletics and 80% participate in intramural sports.

Within the next few weeks, many of those athletes will be able to practice and play on the finest artificial playing surface in the world.

For years, the school has had to balance practice schedules of multiple teams on a field.  For example, the field hockey team would always have to wait for football practice to end before taking the field.  Now, those scheduling conflicts will no longer be part of the equation.

The new AstroTurf surface will accommodate field hockey, lacrosse, and soccer.  The field will also host early season softball practices and some intramural events.

“For us, the need for field availability was an issue,” said Brian Chafin, Athletic Director.  “The new AstroTurf field provides us with the solution of being able to offer more practice time, as well as a playing surface which is always ready to go and requires very little downtime.”

Chafin and Centre College officials looked at several turf options, but chose AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D52H.  

“The texture, performance, and durability of the field were important aspects,” said Chafin.  “We also looked at aesthetics.  In the end, AstroTurf was the choice for us.”

Most programs installing a synthetic surface look at five major categories when choosing a turf.  Those include availability, performance, maintenance, safety, and aesthetics.

“We understand the demands of all types of athletic programs,” said Pat Davidson, AstroTurf Sales Representative.  “We don’t subscribe to the one-size-fits-all philosophy and we worked hard to meet the individual needs of Centre College.  We’re excited to partner with them on this project and we’re proud to give them the finest playing surface on the market.”

AstroTurf fields offer more than four times the availability of grass fields.  The teams will be able to utilize the surface anytime, in most weather, for practice and games.

From a performance standpoint, the make-up of the AstroTurf system stands out.  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’s horseshoe shape features 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, one of the highest in the industry.  This adds to the durability provided by the fiber shape.

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 field also has 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.

From a maintenance standpoint, the field will require periodic grooming, but maintenance efforts are greatly reduced.  This will be vitally important as it related to the amount of use the new field will get, but will not require the maintenance required by a grass field to accommodate this level of use.

Regarding safety, a study at Michigan State University, funded by NFL Charities, found that AstroTurf GameDay Grass systems had performance values more like natural grass than any other synthetic product measured, making it the safest option.  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.  

From an aesthetics standpoint, the fields look amazing.  The Horseshoe fiber is recognized as one of the best looking synthetic surfaces on the market.

There are a couple of added benefits.  One is the environment.  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, on average, 15% less expensive than natural grass fields, even when the cost of turf replacement is considered.

Finally, the biggest benefit seen by the most people will be the performance of the Centre College student athletes who use the field.

Sports Construction Management is managing the South Campus Fields project, which also includes a natural grass softball field, at Centre College and installation is expected to be complete by the end of summer.

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.

MADISON SOUTHERN TEAMS WITH ASTROTURF® TO BEGIN NEW TRADITION

(BEREA, Kentucky) - At some point, every team goes through a rebuilding year. It’s rare, though, to see a team have to rebuild an entire program.

Madison Southern High School in Berea, Kentucky is starting at square one and the poster for Friday night’s scrimmage and dedication ceremony says it all.

“New coach. New field. New helmet. New uniforms. New attitude. New beginning.”

“This program looked just like our field did before,” said new head coach Jon Clark. “It was tattered and torn.”

At the end of last season, the football team had 25 kids. In four seasons, the team had won 3 games. The school board decided to make a number of improvements, including hiring a new coach. The team now has around 80 players.

“We’ve changed it from the ground up,” said Clark.

The change at the ground level came with the addition of the recently completed AstroTurf® field.

“This has been a great project,” said AstroTurf President Bryan Peeples. “It’s always exciting to watch the transformation of a new AstroTurf field and it’s exciting to watch the transformation in this program and the newfound pride that goes along with it.”

Principal David Gilliam said the school chose AstroTurf because of aesthetic appeal, ease of maintenance, and increased field availability. Gilliam said the addition of the AstroTurf has gone beyond their original goals.

“This is the whole package,” he said. “The whole town is buzzing. People have been driving by to watch and to stop and take pictures. Everywhere I go people ask me about the AstroTurf.”

“This is a town of 14,000 people,” said Clark. “So, it’s a big deal.”

Gilliam says the students are excited, the players are excited, and the band is as excited as anyone. They will now be able to practice on the field and host competitions. It’s a win-win for everyone.

The new winning attitude began earlier this year. Clark arrived in February and brought an all new coaching staff. He started with about 30 kids and implemented a 6:30 a.m. workout program. Clark has also implemented a program emphasizing character development and leadership. He has started a study hall and players know that if they don’t make the grades they don’t practice or play.

Students have responded to Clark’s leadership and the team wound up with so many players that the school had to buy new equipment.

Under Armour sponsored the team’s new uniforms and they got new helmets, as well. Through dedicated boosters, they have raised money to help improve the facilities, with the most visible symbol of the changes taking place being the new AstroTurf field.

AstroTurf is no stranger to making big changes.

The company invented the synthetic turf industry in 1965 and installed the first field in the Houston Astrodome in 1966. The company continues to change the synthetic turf industry and the world of sports by developing the most technologically advanced playing surfaces in the world. AstroTurf offers fields that play more like natural grass than any other surface and are safe for athletes.

AstroTurf has invested millions of dollars into research programs to create safer and better performing fields. They funded the Center for Athletic Field Safety at the University of Tennessee, which opened in July.

Recent installations of AstroTurf surfaces include practice fields at the University of Tennessee, Auburn University, and the University of Georgia. Kansas State University will play its football games on AstroTurf this fall.

AstroTurf is the Official Synthetic Turf of Major League Baseball and is in use by the Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays. Collegiately, recent AstroTurf installations for baseball include Ohio State University, Duke University, Wake Forest University, the University of Kansas, and Kansas State University.

Madison Southern is among the newest AstroTurf installations and hopes to establish a tradition of excellence on the new field. The past is in the rearview mirror.

“It’s a new start,” said Clark. We’re 0-0 on this field.”

The new playing field will see its first action on Friday night as the Eagles participate in a preseason scrimmage. The field will be dedicated in a celebration that will involve thousands of people and will include the U.S. Army parachuting the game ball in the stadium from 10,000 feet.

The first regular season game will be at home versus Bourbon County on August 26th.

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.

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS FIELD HOCKEY TEAM SELECTS ASTROTURF AT TRAGER STADIUM

(LOUISVILLE, Kentucky) - The University of Louisville is gaining a reputation as a world-class program under a new world-class coach. In 2011, the Cardinals will play on a new world-class AstroTurf® surface.

The Cardinals, under first-year head coach Justine Sowry, were 13-7 and ranked 14th in the nation in 2010.

The program will also get a boost this year when they host the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championships for the fourth time since 2002 at Trager Stadium.

“As the new head coach, the installation of the new AstroTurf® is exciting for us,” said Justine Sowry, head coach of the Louisville field hockey team. “This is a new chapter for our program and a chance to establish our own culture, vision, and goals. Part of that comes from having the best facilities in the country and a tremendous step in that direction is having a world-class field.”

Sowry, a native of Australia, previously coached for four years at the University of Massachusetts, where she won three Atlantic 10 Championships and made three NCAA appearances. Sowry was at Louisville as an assistant coach from 1998-2002. She has also been an assistant at Stanford University and for the U.S. National Team.

As a player, Sowry was a member of the Australian National Team and made 128 international appearances. She represented Australia from 1993-2001, and won gold medals in the World Cup in 1994 and 1998.

In her experience as a player and coach, she has been all over the world. Sowry says she played predominantly on AstroTurf® and believes that is the only choice for a great field because it is proven and tested at all levels. She knows it will benefit her team in preparation and games, as well as how it will affect Louisville’s reputation.

“This new field and hosting the NCAA Championships will highlight our program in Division I field hockey circles,” said Sowry.

Sowry and the Cardinals’ program are truly on the move.

“Justine was a great player and is a great coach,” said Pam Hixon, a field hockey hall-of-famer, is a legendary coach and is currently the Field Hockey Ambassador for AstroTurf®. “With her coaching ability, the talent of the Louisville team, and having the finest AstroTurf ® field, means that the Louisville program is on its way to the top.”

Construction is underway on the new AstroTurf® field and will be completed by June 1st.

The field will be an AstroTurf® 12 synthetic turf system. The field will be engineered with a premium knitted nylon system designed to provide uniform traction and consistent footing. It will improve playability when it is wet and absorbs water to maintain wet conditions longer.

“We have a strong program with a very high-profile facility,” said Pete Cautilli, Associate Athletic Director at Louisville. “AstroTurf® 12 is recognized as the industry leader for field hockey playing surfaces. For us, that was the logical choice.”

Upon completion, the field will be utilized for camps and training. The first home game of the year will feature the Cardinals taking on California on August 26th. The 2011 schedule will find the Cardinals facing seven of the Top 20 teams in the country and six teams which participated in the 2010 NCAA Championships. Louisville will play nine home games at Trager Stadium.

The NCAA Championships will take place on the new AstroTurf® at Trager Stadium in November. The semifinals will be held November 18th and the finals will take place on November 20th.

The installation of the new AstroTurf® field is currently underway and you can watch it live at www.astroturfusa.com.


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 only 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; TurfAide™, 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.