(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.
Showing posts with label Ted Hendricks Memorial Stadium. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ted Hendricks Memorial Stadium. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Thursday, July 29, 2010
TED HENDRICKS MEMORIAL STADIUM STILL REAPING THE BENFITS OF AN ASTROTURF® FIELD
Just four short years ago, the management of Ted Hendricks Stadium in Hialeah, Florida, near Miami, had to limit the use of the field just to maintain its quality.
That meant fewer teams had the opportunity to utilize the field, revenues at the stadium did not live up to their potential and field quality was an ever-present concern.
Fast forward a little over three years into life with an AstroTurf® field. Playing time has increased, costs are down and revenues are up.
“Before AstroTurf®, we had lots of downtime,” according to Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Reggie Betancourt. “We needed it to get the field ready for every event. We literally had to bring it back to life.”
Those efforts were just during the season. It took as much as five to six months of post-season downtime to properly care for the field.
According to the Synthetic Turf Council, a grass field can use as much as 500,000-1,000,000 gallons of water per year. With synthetic turf, that part of the field maintenance effort is eliminated and that water can be conserved in the community.
The STC also says that most grass fields can accommodate 680-816 hours of play per year during a three-season window.
Synthetic turf can accommodate up to 3,000 hours of play each year with no down time, that’s the equivalent of 3-4 well-maintained grass fields.
In Dade County, that additional playing time is a must. There are currently 28 high schools in Dade County which play their football games in three different stadiums. In 2009, eight of those schools used Ted Hendricks Stadium for over 30 games. The stadium also hosts numerous soccer games, as well as the Copa Latina Soccer Tournament and numerous other athletic and community events.
Having those events at Ted Hendricks Stadium is now a source of community pride, according to Manny Ferrera, Parks and Recreation Director.
“This field is top notch compared to others,” according to Ferrera. “AstroTurf® was very professional, informative and attentive to our needs. We are happy with the results. We would recommend AstroTurf® to anyone wanting a turf field.”
AstroTurf® is the brand which invented the synthetic turf industry and has reinvented itself through products that perform more like natural grass.
“We have over 160,000,000 square feet of AstroTurf® in use all over the world,” according to AstroTurf® President Bryan Peeples. “We’re happy to be the company that installed the field at Ted Hendricks Stadium but we are even more knowing that field has contributed greatly to the development of young athletes in South Florida.”
About AstroTurf®
For many athletes and sport enthusiasts, the iconic 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.
That meant fewer teams had the opportunity to utilize the field, revenues at the stadium did not live up to their potential and field quality was an ever-present concern.
Fast forward a little over three years into life with an AstroTurf® field. Playing time has increased, costs are down and revenues are up.
“Before AstroTurf®, we had lots of downtime,” according to Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Reggie Betancourt. “We needed it to get the field ready for every event. We literally had to bring it back to life.”
Those efforts were just during the season. It took as much as five to six months of post-season downtime to properly care for the field.
According to the Synthetic Turf Council, a grass field can use as much as 500,000-1,000,000 gallons of water per year. With synthetic turf, that part of the field maintenance effort is eliminated and that water can be conserved in the community.
The STC also says that most grass fields can accommodate 680-816 hours of play per year during a three-season window.
Synthetic turf can accommodate up to 3,000 hours of play each year with no down time, that’s the equivalent of 3-4 well-maintained grass fields.
In Dade County, that additional playing time is a must. There are currently 28 high schools in Dade County which play their football games in three different stadiums. In 2009, eight of those schools used Ted Hendricks Stadium for over 30 games. The stadium also hosts numerous soccer games, as well as the Copa Latina Soccer Tournament and numerous other athletic and community events.
Having those events at Ted Hendricks Stadium is now a source of community pride, according to Manny Ferrera, Parks and Recreation Director.
“This field is top notch compared to others,” according to Ferrera. “AstroTurf® was very professional, informative and attentive to our needs. We are happy with the results. We would recommend AstroTurf® to anyone wanting a turf field.”
AstroTurf® is the brand which invented the synthetic turf industry and has reinvented itself through products that perform more like natural grass.
“We have over 160,000,000 square feet of AstroTurf® in use all over the world,” according to AstroTurf® President Bryan Peeples. “We’re happy to be the company that installed the field at Ted Hendricks Stadium but we are even more knowing that field has contributed greatly to the development of young athletes in South Florida.”
About AstroTurf®
For many athletes and sport enthusiasts, the iconic 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.
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