ALLENDALE, Michigan - With 19 varsity teams participating in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Grand Valley State University boasts over 24,000 students. And all of those students need a place to play.
Varsity sports usually get all the attention and publicity, but providing for the sports needs of the student body as a whole is a major focus at places like GVSU.
This fall, students will be using an all-new AstroTurf® field recently installed on the campus. The field will be utilized for soccer, rugby and lacrosse. The all new GameDay Grass™ that they will be playing on will benefit a growing number of students.
“We had 196 dedicated bookings with an average of about 50 people on the field before it was artificial,” said Scott Whisler, Project Manager at GVSU. “All 24,000 GVSU students will have access to the field, as well as camps for outside schools and organizations. With the new AstroTurf® field, playing time will be extended as far as daytime hours and longer seasons.
The Synthetic Turf Council has stated that most turf grass facility managers recommend a limit of 680-816 hours of use per year during a three-season window on natural grass fields. With synthetic turf, those fields can be utilized up to 3,000 hours per year without any downtime on the field.
Whisler also said that the old field didn’t drain well and weather was a factor, combined with wear-and-tear after heavy use. Lower maintenance and a safer playing surface for students were also major factors in necessitating a change.
When it came to the field surface, AstroTurf® was selected over several competitors in a competitive bid process.
“The GVSU design committee spent a lot of time evaluating and comparing several products and narrowed our product selections to three bidders, “said Whisler. “AstroTurf® was selected as a bidder because we were impressed with the manufacturing process, as well as the look and feel of the product. Positive references from the construction manager were also an influence.”
“We’re proud to partner with Grand Valley State University in this project,” said Rich Jordan, Vice President of Sales and Marketing with AstroTurf®. “This is an opportunity to provide more access for more people on the finest playing surface available.”
So, while GVSU’s varsity teams work toward championship programs, the entire student body has won in the effort to create better recreational opportunities.
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.
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