Rebels Continue To Works Towards Memphis

After a day off Monday, the Ole Miss football team returned to practice Tuesday afternoon as the team continues to work towards the opening game Saturday evening against Memphis.

“It was a good practice today,” Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt said. “This is the first time that we had school and practice on the same day. We never practice on the first day of school because we like to let them have that first day to be a true student. For the most part I was pretty proud of them because we had a good practice.”

Nutt went on to acknowledge that his team has been hit by the injury bug a bit this preseason, but that he is still looking for everyone to step up against Memphis.

“We’re asking a lot out of everyone, especially the ones that have to fill in for Peria (Jerry) and Greg Hardy because those are big shoes to fill,” Nutt said. “The offense also needs to step up because we are expecting them to stay on the field and take care of the ball.”

Other than the losses of Jerry and Hardy, Nutt discussed that nearly everyone else appears to be healthy heading into Saturday’s contest.

“We’re starting to get healthy now,” Nutt said. “I told the guys Sunday night that we have had all the injuries for the year and that’s all over. No one else can get hurt because we’ve had enough.”

On offense, Nutt continues to express his pleasure with junior running back Cordera Eason.

“He has been very ball-conscious and he has done it will competition,” Nutt said. “He knew he was going to get competition from some freshmen, but he hung in there and has been very mature about it.”

Nutt also addressed how much playing time can be expected from each string of offense and defense in Saturday’s game.

“It’s whoever is hot and whoever has that feel is who I am going to go with,” Nutt said. “We have told everyone that you never know when your opportunity is going to come. But when it does come, protect the ball, go play as hard as you can and just let the game happen.”

Kickoff for Saturday’s game is slated for 6:00 p.m. from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Since 2003, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium and the attached indoor-practice facility at Ole Miss have been equipped with GameDay Grass from AstroTurf.

Burges Mustangs excited to break in new GameDay Grass field

By Aaron Bracamontes / El Paso Times

Last year, the Burges High School football team didn't have it easy. The Mustangs even had to play their home games on the road, and they finished sixth in district 1-4A with a 2-5 record, 4-6 overall.

This year, not only will there be football played at Mustang Stadium, it will be played on top of brand-new artificial turf.

The players are looking forward to using the home field advantage to its fullest potential, said senior running back Josh Ingo.

"There's a lot of motivation with the guys," he said. "They want to play on the turf."
Third-year head coach Lloyd Smith said the new turf helps the team's ever-growing positive attitude.

"We're trying to give the kids pride in being a Mustang," he said. "Their mind-set is changing and becoming more competitive."

The team is optimistic this year, despite being young, because of their growing confidence, Smith said.

"They're very coachable and upbeat kids," he said.

The team has six starters returning on each side of the ball, including Ingo (5-9, 190), who also will play defensive back, and Matt McBain, (6-3, 255), a three-year letterman and pre-season all-state selection by Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine.

Both Ingo and McBain earned all-district and all-city honorable mention last year.
McBain, who is also an offensive lineman, said he thinks the Mustangs will be a surprise contender this year.

"Burges always seems to be taken lightly," he said. "We're looking to change that this year."

He also knows that his all-state selection may have just put a bullseye on his uniform, but he doesn't mind.

"I'll be ready for them," he said.

The team will be young this year, but McBain said they are better than last year.

"From the beginning of spring to the end of summer, we've come a long way," he said.
The team's strength will be the defense, Smith said.

"We try to play very aggressive and get to the ball often," he said. "We want to do what we can to stop the run or limit it."

On offense, Smith said, his team will focus on smart play while controlling the clock and field possession to win games.

"We don't have that big breakaway playmaker on the team this year," he said.
Ingo will be asked to make plays at running back, but will have the advantage of McBain blocking for him. "It's the greatest feeling when I'm running behind him," he said. "I'm going to try my best and with an offensive line like mine, it won't be too hard."

Tuscola Dominates in Season Opener on new AstroTurf field

The Tuscola Mountaineers (NC) got the 2008 season off to a great start with an impressive 36-7 win over a quality East Henderson team. The offense did well tonight, showing strength in the running game. The defense also showed up well and was able to stop the speedy Michael Robinson and talented Chase Hill.

The Mountaineers win at C.E. Weatherby Stadium was their first on the new state-of-the-art GameDay Grass XPe field.

Coach Donnie Kiefer talks about the win and playing on AstroTurf GameDay Grass XPe


Tuscola Football Website

GSV and AstroTurf featured in INC Magazine

Jon Pritchett's Dream of Reviving AstroTurf Became a PR Nightmare
Should he go all out to save the brand?

By: Andrew Park
Published September 2008


In the fall of 2007, New Jersey state health officials made a troubling discovery: A playing field at a Newark park contained extremely high levels of lead. They assumed the contamination was coming from the abandoned scrap-metal yard next door. But the problem turned out to be deep in the fibers of the artificial turf covering the field. When the news broke the following spring, it set off a nationwide scare, and for tiny GeneralSports Venue, a public-relations nightmare.

The company, a five-year-old artificial-turf supplier with 42 employees, wasn't at fault. But the brand name it had just adopted was. GeneralSports had acquired an exclusive license on the name AstroTurf -- the same one used by the now-defunct company that had manufactured the Newark field almost a decade earlier -- and had spent millions of dollars to resurrect it. But now that familiar name was at the center of fears about the safety of playing fields, and GSV's big investment was suddenly at risk. "I'm a parent, and if you think about children, turf, and lead, it's pretty scary," says Jon Pritchett, the company's co-founder and CEO. "Not a whole lot more needs to be said."

Just how much more to say was, in fact, the critical question. On the one hand, it's rarely advisable for a company to keep quiet in a crisis. But no one was claiming that GSV was responsible for products made long ago by another company. So, anything it said risked drawing even more negative attention. Yet the AstroTurf name, which to many is synonymous with all brands of artificial turf, was being invoked in every story about the lead scare, often erroneously. Could GSV really stay silent while AstroTurf was trashed?

The granddaddy of fake grass was invented by Monsanto and was a household name from the moment it was rolled out in the Houston Astrodome, in 1966. The brilliant-green carpet became the surface of choice for America's new climate-controlled domed stadiums. But by the 1990s, AstroTurf started to fade. Athletes complained of injuries suffered on the abrasive, unforgiving nylon, and a softer polyethylene turf marketed by rival brand FieldTurf became the industry standard. AstroTurf changed hands twice, and in 2004, its owner filed for bankruptcy.

At the time, GSV was a bit player in the artificial-turf business. The company was formed when Pritchett, a sports marketing executive who worked in the University of South Carolina's athletic department while getting his M.B.A., hooked up with Michigan sports and entertainment entrepreneur Andy Appleby. With a business plan based on consolidating a fragmented but growing market, they raised $3 million from investors, including a New Jersey telecom executive named Michael Dennis.

But the company's brand struggled to gain traction against FieldTurf. In 2006, sensing that AstroTurf's worldwide name recognition could vault it into contention, GSV negotiated a license lasting 50 years with the brand's owner, Textile Management Associates, which continued to handle manufacturing.

Pritchett quickly set about bringing AstroTurf back, starting with an announcement in December 2006 at the ESPN Zone restaurant in New York City's Times Square. GSV rebranded its existing product line and hired a national sales force. An ad campaign emphasized the storied brand's place in sports history and its new, cushier, player-friendly surface. Pritchett even hired football great Archie Manning, father of NFL stars Peyton and Eli, to be AstroTurf's brand ambassador. By the end of 2007, sales were up 67 percent, to $25 million, and were projected to hit $40 million in 2008. With 10 percent of the market, up from less than 2 percent in 2006, AstroTurf now trailed only FieldTurf.

Then, during a March 12 staff conference call, Pritchett was notified about the lead discovery in Newark. GSV believed its current products were safe, but it couldn't vouch for AstroTurf installed by others years earlier. GSV began gathering information from industry experts as well as its own suppliers, trying to understand the depth of the problem.

But AstroTurf's troubles grew. On April 14, the New Jersey state health department announced it had tested 12 more artificial-turf fields for lead and found two with levels eight to 10 times what it considered safe. As in Newark, both were nylon fields, and both were AstroTurf. The state's top epidemiologists called for a federal investigation into the safety of artificial turf.

Media across the country picked up the story of New Jersey's toxic turf, with television footage showing workers wearing protective green suits as they tore up the field in Newark. Elsewhere, fields were padlocked, events were canceled, and school board hearings were held. "Our thinking was this could last long enough that it could do a lot of damage," says Pritchett.

GSV spent the next seven days in near-constant deliberations. At the table were Pritchett's management team and legal counsel, AstroTurf's manufacturer, and GSV's PR firm. Initially GSV had let the Synthetic Turf Council, the industry's trade association, respond publicly. But Pritchett knew that the council couldn't be expected to offer a vigorous defense of a single member's brand. For that, the company would have to step out on its own.

Yet doing so risked heightening the unwanted scrutiny on AstroTurf and making the brand an even bigger lightning rod. GSV wasn't responsible and could be forgiven for keeping quiet, it was pointed out. And though some GSV executives wanted to come out swinging, Michael Dennis argued for taking the high road. "We all took it personally," says sales and marketing manager Philip Primato. "We had put so much into building this brand back that we were not going to let something like this stop us."

The Decision Pritchett opted for going on the offensive. GSV spent the next 10 days planning a major press conference for May 5, at which four company-retained scientists would present their findings. The venue, the New York Public Library for Science, Industry and Business, was chosen to reinforce the scientists' message. The team worked hard to distill the data to a form the public could easily absorb. No one disputed the source of the lead: the pigment that gives artificial turf its green-grass color and that the industry has been trying to eliminate. But GSV's panel argued that, even in older turf, the lead compound was encapsulated before being extruded into the fibers. So it would be impossible for lead to leach from an AstroTurf-covered field. Even if those fibers were somehow ingested, the amount of lead they contained was much too small to be dangerous. A 100-pound child would have to eat 23 pounds of AstroTurf before it would pose a health hazard, they said.

The press conference attracted reporters from more than two dozen media outlets, including USA Today. That night, sitting with Pritchett on the patio of Dennis's home in Chester, New Jersey, Primato pulled up the newspaper's website on his laptop. The front page of the sports section featured a story about the press conference and a photo showing the 23 pounds of AstroTurf GSV had dumped in front of the podium for effect. For at least a moment, the company had seized control of the spotlight.

In the following days, press reports were less alarmist. Pritchett says he believes GSV's willingness to confront the issue head on defused the PR fallout. And when the final results from the state's tests on the three fields with high lead levels came out, in early June, the findings seemed to support GSV's position, showing an even smaller threat of lead exposure than GSV's estimates.

GSV was even chosen to replace the field in Newark that had started it all, after Dennis lobbied for the contract. "Our reputation was on the line," says Dennis, now the company's majority shareholder. "I was not going to let it be replaced with a competitive product." Still, the fight isn't over. In June, the Centers for Disease Control issued a health advisory, urging caution before letting children play on artificial turf. Earlier, the Consumer Product Safety Commission began a separate investigation.

Pritchett maintains that by taking the initiative in the lead scare, GSV positioned itself as more than just the caretaker of an aging brand. "It tested us," he says. "I wouldn't want to do it again, but I do think it helped us."

INC Magazine Website

Video from New York City Press Conference

Campbell Football Holds Second Fall Scrimmage

After completing a week of full contact practice, Campbell football held its second scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday, readying for the team’s long awaited Aug. 30 matchup with Birmingham-Southern.

Several Fighting Camels took the spotlight during the open afternoon session, which included various situational plays to prepare the young squad.

Under center, Wesley Snow and Matt Vollono received almost equal time on the field, with the duo passing 19 and 17 times, respectively. Snow connected on nine occasions for 48 yards and a touchdown, while Vollono threw for 86 yards on six completions with an interception.

Carl Blain led the Camel receiving core with three catches and 43 yards, including a 26 yarder from Vollono to set up a Bobby Pina field goal. Paul Constantine accounted for the Camels only receiving touchdown.

Three running backs posted at least 50 yards on the afternoon, with Taylor Cabral, Carl Smith and Rashaun Brown taking the majority of hand-offs.

Cabral’s 86 yards on 12 carries were highlighted by numerous pounding runs through the middle, including a two yard play to reach pay dirt. The Tampa, Fla. native also showed speed around the tackles, breaking for four plays of 10 or more yards, including a 35 yarder. Brown also pounded the ball through the defense, compiling 53 yards on 11 carries that included a seven yard touchdown run.

Posting a pair of touchdowns to lead the Camel offense, however, was Smith, who quickly scampered for 54 yards on six attempts, averaging over nine yards per carry on the afternoon. Three of Smith’s six carries went for at least 15 yards, including both scoring runs.

Defensively, linebacker Milton Brown led the way, posting a team-high five tackles, while lineman Freddie Mungo recorded a pair of sacks. Erik Feliciano, Randal Herring and Will Phillippi also notched sacks on the day.

Six other Camels racked up three stops a piece, with Herring, Chad McDuffie, Brad Brower, Cody Lyon, James McCreary and Matt Baker joining the mix. Defensive backs Lyon and Baker were effective in punt situations as well, blocking consecutive attempts. Both McCreary and Kevin Miller ended their afternoons with interceptions to aid the Camel defense.

The Fighting Camels will continue fall camp for the next two weeks, in preparation for their opening kickoff in Buies Creek on Aug. 30.

ODU Football Camp Report - Aug. 17

Day four of the Old Dominion University preseason football camp saw the Monarchs continue to improve in nearly every segment, but the most memorable moment of the day came during a special teams period.

While working on punt protection and coverage linebacker EJ Watts, formerly of Powhatan High School, stepped in as the punter on the final snap of the period. Watts was an all-district punter in high school and he showed why by launching a kick 60 plus yards, to the enjoyment of the entire team. He had been punting along with the kickers during the week, serving mostly as an extra leg during special teams drills, but even then he had been routinely punting between 40-45 yards.

Not to be outdone, punter Benjamin Knerr also had a solid day averaging 40 plus yards as well.
At the quarterback position Bobby Cooper and Dan Pitts both looked good at times and it was evident that they're becoming more comfortable each day. Working with the first team, Cooper showed that he has a strong arm and can make all of the throws, one in particular he squeezed in between defenders during 7-on-7. During the 1-on-1 session Pitts was picked off by Donald Smith on one play, but quickly bounced back to make two great throws including a touchdown pass to Chris Lovitt who had gotten behind DeAnthonyJones.

The Monarchs will be in full pads tomorrow for the first time when practice resumes at 9 a.m.
A reminder that due to safety concerns ODU football practices are CLOSED to the public. Fans will have the opportunity to see the Monarch football team during one of the three scrimmages this fall.

Dekker prefers Heinz Field

By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

All things considered, tight end Jon Dekker prefers the grass at Heinz Field, no matter the condition. Dekker will have surgery in a week to repair a torn ACL in his right knee, which occurred on what the players say was a poor playing surface at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
"It was non-contact. I was just planting and trying to cut on it," Dekker said. "It gave way. I knew it the second it happened."

The Steelers yesterday placed Dekker on the waived/injured list. As long as he clears waivers, he could rejoin the team later on their injured-reserve list. They signed tight end Lee Vickers to replace him and also waived defensive end Kevin Huntley after he failed their physical. They claimed him off waivers last week from the Redskins.

Dekker was bidding to make it as the third tight end.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger yesterday cited the poor playing surface in Toronto, where old, worn-out FieldTurf is rolled in and out by sections.

"I don't think many guys liked playing on it," Dekker said.

Fox Sports reports on Michigan State Study

Rick Horrow, The Sports Professor, discusses Brett Favre to the Jets and the effects of the Michigan State University study on synthetic turf surfaces on the NFL in his latest Sports Business Minute on FoxSports.com.



Pro Football Business Minute

GameDay Grass field "saved" Florida State football practice

Thank goodness for AstroTurf GameDay Grass at Florida State University. On Wednesday, the Seminoles football team practiced on the band field. Head Coach and College Football Hall-of-Famer Bobby Bowden said "the synthetic turf saved us today because our fields got drenched." Tallahassee received nearly 3 inches of rain on Tuesday.

The Seminoles chose GameDay Grass XPe for their practice/band field in 2005. The field, which is marked identical to the playing field at Doak Campbell Stadium, is used for band practice and football practice.

GSV's Response to a FieldTurf Statement attempting to discredit a Michigan State University Study

Despite not having read the scientific study produced by Michigan State University’s Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, under the direction of Dr. Roger Haut and Dr. John Powell, which was recently presented at the North American Conference on Bio Mechanics, FieldTurf attempted to discredit the work. It is worth noting that this research was not only overseen by some of sports medicine’s most experienced and respected academicians, it was also funded by the NFL Charities Foundation…not by GSV or AstroTurf.

FieldTurf claims that this study is "junk science". An opinion that they are certainly free to express, but that is absurdly wrong and wholly disrespectful to both the highly accredited research team and the NFL itself.

While the research was narrowly focused and did not attempt to answer broad questions, it certainly adds to the body of knowledge in the continuing pursuit for more understanding of the interface between athletes, shoes and synthetic turf. The study conducted by Michigan State University was under the watchful eye of Dr. John Powell, who has been a leading researcher and medical advisor for the National Football League, working with the league in the study of injury rates since 1980.

Dr. Powell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and directs the graduate athletic training educational and research program. Dr. Powell was instrumental in researching and guiding the preparatory phase of the undergraduate educational athletic training program development at Michigan State University. Dr. Powell is currently involved in extensive research in the area of injury prevention, sports injury epidemiology and the biomechanics of lower extremity injuries.

Dr. Powell is a consistent professional reviewer for the Journal of Athletic Training, American Journal of Sports Medicine and Medicine and Science in Sport. He was named the 2000 recipient of the William G. Clancy Jr. M.D. Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research by the NATA Research and Education Foundation. Dr. Powell was named a 2005 recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. In 2006, he was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education. Dr. Powell earned his Bachelors of Science Degree from Michigan State University, his Masters of Science degree from Indiana University, and his Doctor of Philosophy from Penn State University.

FieldTurf also claims that the independent third party study was funded by GSV. While a clever attempt to deflect attention from the results of the study, the claim is completely false. In fact, this study was funded by the NFL Charities Foundation.

Each year, the NFL Charities Foundation awards $1.5 million in sports-related medical research grants that target sports injury prevention, injury treatment, and other related research that affects the health and performance of athletes. GSV and AstroTurf did not fund the research nor were they allowed to have any input into the criteria, methodology, assumptions or conclusions. We did contribute materials and installation of some of the turf systems that were analyzed in order to learn more about how our newer products are performing in this important area. This contribution did not affect or impact any opinions reflected in the MSU study.

The National Football League is committed to supporting research and enhancing the body of scientific knowledge that will benefit all those involved in competitive sports and recreational athletic activities. Funding is available for non-profit educational and research institutions only. For-profit enterprises are not eligible to apply in this grant category. Over the past four years, the NFL Charities Foundation has awarded grants for 60 different scientific studies and research opportunities. To learn more, visit the NFL Charities Foundation website

Despite claims by FieldTurf, the Michigan State University abstract was peer reviewed and the formal study is currently under peer review for publication in the Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, which aims to become the publication of choice for authors to disseminate, original research findings related to the development or application of technology in sports.

Finally, FieldTurf claims that the surfaces tested were "newly installed sections of turf". The FieldTurf system tested was a 5–year-old game field. The AstroPlay field tested was a 6-year-old practice field. The GameDay Grass XPe and 3D systems tested were a year-old and serve as a practice field for the football team. The natural grass system tested was the Spartan Stadium field at MSU, which was named the Stadium Field of-the-Year by the STMA in 2006.

In conclusion, the opinions set forth in the Michigan State University study are a culmination of extensive, scientific-based research conducted by highly credentialed academicians who were not influenced by others. Michigan State University and the NFL have done many such research projects in the past that contribute to the body of knowledge in the specific area of orthopedic biomechanics. GSV and AstroTurf will continue to pursue answers and questions in a quest for improving performance and safety of synthetic turf systems. Whether that research is through third parties, the academic community, strategic allies, supply chain partners or self-performed, we are in pursuit of the data and information that leads to improving products for our customers. That pursuit does not stop with biomechanics. We will also continue our pursuit of improvements in integrated manufacturing, fabrication, installation, financing, environmental stewardship and customer service. We reject the idea that only one large company has the answers to these and many questions that need to be answered. We also reject the supposition that such company’s product is the best simply because they say it is or because it was the best alternative ten years ago.

Turf Installation Nearing Final Stages As Monarchs Prepare For Practice

Aug. 12, 2008

Norfolk, Va. – With two days remaining before the Old Dominion University football team hits the field for its first practice, workers are nearing completion on the two new AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D fields that the Monarchs will use for practice. One field will be a regulation size 100 yards and the other will be a shortened 60-yard field.

The GameDay Grass 3D fields were supplied by GeneralSports Venue (GSV), a certified minority business enterprise and the exclusive U.S. marketer of AstroTurf-branded products. GameDay Grass 3D is one of the most advanced synthetic turf products, featuring best-in-class performance and safety benefits, and characteristics that closely mimic the look and feel of natural grass.

A recent study released by Michigan State University and funded by the NFL Charities Foundation revealed that GameDay Grass 3D most closely replicated natural grass in a comparison of 16 types of synthetic and natural sports turf, based on the torque, force and friction generated by cleated athletic shoes. The study evaluated the potential impact of football playing surfaces on lower extremity injuries caused by excessive torque, or the rotational friction produced when cleated shoes dig into the field. The GameDay Grass 3D system with all-rubber infill had the lowest average torque of all synthetic turf systems tested, second only to natural grass.

To assist in preventing injury, GameDay Grass 3D utilizes a proprietary technology called RootZone, a nylon thatch layer at the base coupled with a monofilament polyethylene long fiber, that replicates natural grass. The density of the RootZone, providing stability, cushion and consistent performance, means that less granulated infill is required, reducing the problems related to infill migration and “fly-out”. The nylon-polyethylene hybrid construction also serves to increases durability and overall system performance.

The installed base for GSV is now well over 150 fields including projects for the likes of Florida State, the University of Texas, the Washington Redskins and the Buffalo Bills.

ODU Football on the web

Michigan State University study ranks GameDay Grass 3D closest to natural grass

AstroTurf’s GameDay Grass and Field Turf at Opposite Ends of Findings Presented at the North American Congress on Biomechanics


According to the results of a year-long Michigan State University study, which was selected for presentation today at the North American Congress on Biomechanics Conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Astroturf’s GameDay Grass 3D most closely replicated natural grass in a comparison of 16 types of synthetic and natural sports turf, based on the torque, force and friction generated by cleated athletic shoes.

The study, funded by the NFL Charities Foundation, evaluated the potential impact of football playing surfaces on lower extremity injuries caused by excessive torque, or the rotational friction produced when cleated shoes dig into the field.

“This highly anticipated study validates the introduction of new technologies by AstroTurf, such as GameDay Grass 3D with Root Zone®, to enhance player performance and safety,” said Jon Pritchett, CEO of GeneralSports Venue (GSV), the exclusive licensee of the AstroTurf brand in the U.S. “It is indicative of our continued dedication to be the leading innovator in synthetic sports turf.”

In the Michigan State study, the GameDay Grass 3D system with all-rubber infill had the lowest average torque of all synthetic turf systems tested, second only to natural grass. Researchers credited the fiber structure of the GameDay Grass 3D system, the only fiber structure containing a Root Zone – a simulated thatch layer at the base of the system – with the low level of frictional resistance. Researchers also noted that the Root Zone reduces the amount of infill required for a stable system and may reduce compaction of the infill layer.

The high amount of torsional friction generated in high-performance sports creates concentrated force that is transmitted to vulnerable ankle and knee joints, precipitating injuries. The Michigan State research team used 10 pairs of cleated football shoes in conducting five trials on 16 separate playing surfaces, for a total of 800 samples. The study measured the mean peak torque produced by various shoe/surface interfaces.

The research summary indicated that the highest mean torque was produced by the Field Turf system, a result attributed to the amount of space, or gauge length, between the rows of fibers. According to the study, the greater gauge length in the Field Turf system (3/4” versus 3/8” in all other systems tested) may result in deeper cleat penetration into the infill and, in the case of densely compacted infill, higher torque.

“According to this study, the risk of injury due to increased stress on knee and ankle joints is elevated on artificial turf systems that have less fiber and more infill, and have a greater potential for compaction,” said Dr. Rod Walters, President of Walters Inc., Consultants in Sports Medicine, and former Director of Sports Medicine at the University of South Carolina. “The good news is that breakthrough innovations such as the Root Zone in AstroTurf’s GameDay Grass 3D represent a significant advancement in the evolution of synthetic turf, making it much more realistic and forgiving than most of the standard artificial turf systems currently in use, something that coaches, athletic trainers and athletes should be very excited about.”

The North American Congress on Biomechanics (NACOB) is the combined annual meetings of the American Society of Biomechanics and the Canadian Society for Biomechanics. It is held jointly every six years to promote the exchange of ideas and foster new collaborations in the field of biomechanics.

To learn more, visit www.astroturfusa.com/news/MSUStudy.html

Fellowship Christian's new GameDay Grass field coming together

After a breakout season in 2007, winning 11 games and advancing the to Georgia Class A state quarterfinals for the first time in school history, Fellowship Christian is on the verge of yet another milestone.


The Paladins will play their first home game on their new state-of-the-art GameDay Grass XPe field on September 6th when they host Prince Avenue Christian.


With new head coach, former NFL player Terry Luck, the Paladins look to continue their rise in hopes of playing in the Georgia Dome for a State Championship this December.

Opening lead-free Newark ballfield

by Christopher Dela Cruz/The Star-Ledger

The rain poured down on the newly renovated Ironbound Athletic Field in Newark, but that didn't stop swarms of soaked kids from kicking soccer balls and throwing footballs. They had waited long enough.

Moments before the rain, an excited Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, addressed local sports clubs announcing the reopening of the complex in the Ironbound that was closed for rehabilitation after lead was discovered at the site a year ago.

"It may be raining in a few minutes, but the sun is shining in Newark, New Jersey," said Booker, to a crowd of about 100 roaring children athletes and rejuvenated parents. "This is truly a field of dreams."

The city celebrated the $2.2 million renovation Saturday, holding a parade from Peter Francisco Park outside Penn Station down Ferry Street to the field.

The new field has an additional soccer field, a baseball field, a new basketball court, concession stands and benches. Now, Little League players can also use the field, which has the requisite 90-foot base paths for the 13-and-older set.

The field also has a new synthetic turf with a drainage system that can be used even on rainy days like Saturday. Officials said the city plans to put up new batting cages, more concession stands and bathroom facilities.

Teams in the area will meet and discuss schedules for the fall, officials said.

The Ironbound Athletic Field, known as the "B" field, was shut by Newark officials in October after testing by the Environmental Protection Agency revealed lead in the field's dust. City officials later learned the lead came from the green synthetic turf installed 10 years ago.

"We've turned an obstacle into an opportunity," said Booker.

Abdul Ahmad, head coach of the local Pop Warner football team East Ward Stallions, said the reopened complex will provide a haven for city children.

"The gangs are taking over the streets," said Ahmad. "They don't have too many outlets. This definitely is a blessing."

Dora Fernandes, parent of an Ironbound Soccer Club Rebels player, said the renovations make the complex much safer for kids tackling and sliding in games.

"The turf itself is way better," said Fernandes. "It looks much nicer and cleaner."

And for many athletes like 10-year-old Ronaldo Lopez, a member of the Ironbound soccer team, the renovated facility provides a steady base for teams who have been jumping between various shoddy fields in the area.

"Now we have a new home," said Lopez. "I thought it looked awesome."

Ironbound on verge of scoring a revamped field for athletics

by Carmen Juri/The Star-Ledger

Standing on the Ironbound Athletic Field, Newark chief architect Robert Dooley said the discovery of lead at the site last fall was a blessing in disguise.

The detection led to a $2.2 million renovation at the St. Charles Avenue field that includes a new synthetic turf with a drainage system that can be used even on rainy days. That's just one perk.
The new field has an additional soccer field, a baseball field, play ground, a new basketball court, batting cages, restrooms, concessions stands and benches. Now, Little League players can also use the field, which has the requisite 90-foot base paths for the 13 and older set.

''The Ironbound will be doing pretty well," Dooley said.

The field officially reopens Saturday though construction is still ongoing on some areas, including the playground and concession stands. Local sports clubs will parade from Peter Francisco Park outside Penn Station down Ferry Street to the field, for the daylong reopening ceremonies that begin at 11 a.m.

The Ironbound Athletic Field, known as the B field, was shut by Newark officials in October after testing by the Environmental Protection Agency revealed lead in the field's dust. City officials later learned the lead came from the green synthetic turf that was in stalled 10 years ago.

The EPA was conducting a field investigation on the adjacent contaminated Tidewater Bailing property when lead in the field's dust and synthetic fibers were discovered. The field was later carefully removed, which included fencing in the area and keeping the dust down during the removal.

Dooley said the city has been meticulous in ensuring the safety of the new AstroTurf field by hiring two firms to test the field: Weston Solutions; and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute. The turf's lead content is 100 times lower than the standard acceptable amount, he said. The standard is 40 micrograms per square feet and the field's numbers are .01 to .5 micrograms, he said.

Workers took samples from the field during a four-week period after its June installation, Dooley said.

''It took us longer to do it, but we're very accountable the way we approached it," he said. "It's lower than a child's toy is allowed to be."

Dooley said the city has tried to brand all parks with the same style of fencing, gates, benches, trash receptacles, lighting and brick pillars, with only the colors altered to match the immediate neighborhood.

''There are common elements in all," said Dooley. "

Mayor Cory Booker said the field is a state-of-the-art recreational facility.

''This reopening is another step forward in our continuing efforts and historic plan to rebuild and transform the parks and recreation facilities in all of our neighborhoods throughout the city," Booker said.

In the Ironbound, where a large Brazilian and Portuguese population has made soccer the choice sport, the new field is a godsend. The Ironbound Soccer Club has 1,000 members, and some 300 kids play for the Den of Lions. Most teams double or triple up because of lack of practice space.
Joe Manso, coach for the Sport Club Portuguese soccer league said he is excited that there will be a site close to home for his adult division to practice. His teams have had to practice at out of the way locations like West Side Park.

''Ironbound (field) is walking distance from our club," Manso said. "Before, the field was very beat up, it's harder on the knees. They're putting in benches and bathrooms. I didn't have that for the last 15 years."

Unlike the case at county parks, where teams must pay about $1,600 a season for permits, city parks are free, he said.

''Now we'll have accessibility of scoreboards, bathrooms," said Mike Alban, president of the Ironbound Little League.

East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador said the anticipation in his neighborhood is palpable.

''When I met with all the clubs, you could sense the excitement in the room from all the directors," he said. "The community has a shortage of open space and areas of recreation. This will fill, to a certain ex tent, the needs of that community.

''We still need more facilities, but this helps a lot," he said.

First ODU practice nears, first schedule set

The only thing missing is 80 big, sweaty bodies.

That's how many players will report Aug. 13 as members of Old Dominion's first I-AA football team.

On Thursday, the Monarchs finalized their schedule for 2009, when ODU will field a team for the first time since 1940. The school's shiny athletic showplace, the $17 million Powhatan Sports Complex, is awaiting everyone's arrival.

Dark blue leather chairs sit obedient and empty in front of oak tables in team meeting rooms (in addition to a spacious area for players, the offensive and defensive coaching staffs have their own enclaves). Footsteps echo through the locker room, where large wooden lockers with built-in fans to dry shoulder pads and cleats and coated with an anti-microbial laminate stand at the ready. Two huge washing machines, each capable of holding 275-pound loads (and a 135-pound model strictly for coaches' gear) face three gigantic dryers, each with a 125-pound capacity.

It doesn't take much imagination to replace the hard hats strewn across desks with helmets and the sound of jackhammers laboring outside with clacking cleats. But Bobby Wilder is ready for the reality of a building full of players.

"I can't wait," said Wilder, named ODU's head coach in February 2007 after 17 years as an assistant at the University of Maine. "It's the date that all of us as coaches have been targeting since last year, when we set Aug. 13 as the report date. It's what we've all been looking forward to. We're gonna have 80 players walk through the door and come and be part of our first team, our first family."

The Monarchs rounded out their first schedule Thursday, announcing home games against Virginia Union on Sept. 12 and Campbell on Oct. 17 and a trip to Iona on Nov. 14.

Players, who will redshirt this season, will take physicals and pick up equipment Aug. 13 before getting down to business with their first practice Aug. 14. Two-a-days begin Aug. 19.

After spending his first year with the Monarchs selling the program to the community in speaking engagement after speaking engagement — 240, to be exact — Wilder is eager to trade the microphone for his whistle.

"It's been challenging. I'm not gonna lie to you," he said. "I've gone through 18 months of not being a coach. ... To put a whistle around my neck and go be a ball coach — that's the part I miss the most."Construction is racing ahead on the Monarchs' practice fields, currently defined by mounds of gravel. A quarter of a mile away, a $24.8 million renovation is beginning at Foreman Field, which will boast 24 luxury suites, a new parking deck and a state-of-the-art AstroTurf 3D surface when ODU kicks off against Chowan on Sept. 5, 2009.

"The first game and running through the tunnel, leading the team out onto the field ... as a coach, that's what you love," Wilder said. "It's that competition. It's the excitement of putting a plan together, and the plan works. All the rest of what we do the other 354 days, that's just to get to those 11 days when you're doing what you love. "I think about that all the time. I can't wait for Sept. 5."

2009 ODU schedule

Sept. 5 vs. Chowan

Sept. 12 vs. Virginia Union

Sept. 19 at Jacksonville

Sept. 26 vs. Monmouth

Oct. 3 vs. North Carolina Central

Oct. 10 vs. Presbyterian

Oct. 17 vs. Campbell

Oct. 24 at Savannah State

Oct. 31 vs. Georgetown

Nov. 14 at Iona

Nov. 21 at VMI