CAL SOUTH SOCCER AND CAL SOUTH SOCCER FOUNDATION SELECT ASTROTURF AS THEIR OFFICIAL ARTIFICIAL SURFACE PROVIDER

(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.

TENNESSEE POWERHOUSE MARYVILLE DEBUTS NEW ASTROTURF FIELD SUNDAY ON ESPN2

(MARYVILLE, Tennessee) - Tennessee football powerhouse Maryville High School added an all-new AstroTurf field this summer.  The team will kickoff their season on the field on Sunday, August 26th at noon (EST) against rival Alcoa on ESPN2.

This year, Coach George Quarles will seek his 10^th state championship title in his 14^th year at the helm.  Quarles’ overall record is 179-13.

The field will be constructed of AstroTurf GameDay Grass Xtreme 60.  The surface contains the Horseshoe fiber, an Omega-shaped fiber which has better mechanical memory and remains upright longer, has a more grass-like ball roll, and offers the best aesthetics of any field.  It is combined with the AstroTurf XP fiber.  XP is a slit-film product which offers better infill encapsulation, best resistance to wear, and great 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 60 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%.

“Maryville is one of the nation’s premier football programs and they are getting the finest synthetic playing surface on the market,” said AstroTurf President Bryan Peeples.  “We are excited that AstroTurf will play a role in continuing the winning tradition of the Rebels and Coach Quarles.”

FELIX HERNANDEZ PITCHES 23RD PERFECT GAME

(SEATTLE, Washington) - Sitting down 27 consecutive batters is an accomplishment that has only happened 23 times in the history of baseball’s big leagues.

The most recent perfect game came yesterday at the hands of “King” Felix Hernandez, as the Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0.

Even more amazing is the fact that the gem pitched by Hernandez is the third one in 2012.

In 1880, Lee Richmond and John Montgomery Ward pitched perfect games only five days apart.  Since then, the average time between perfect games has average out to be nearly seven years, with the longest stretch being over 34 years.  The only times multiple perfect games have been thrown in the same year was in 1880, 2010, and 2012.

It took 76 years to get the first five perfect games in the books and 110 years for the first dozen.  Since 1991, when the 13^th perfect game was pitched, there have been 11 perfect games.

One perfect game was played on AstroTurf.  In 1988, Tom Browning threw a perfect game for the Cincinnati Reds as they beat the Dodgers 1-0 at Riverfront Stadium following a two-and-a-half hour rain delay.  Browning came closer than anyone else to duplicating the feat when, in July 1989, he sat down the first 24 batters before giving up a double in the ninth inning.

AstroTurf's Todd Britton and perfect game pitcher Tom Browning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgTY_jT71VI

 

Following are the dates and pitchers for these 23 special dates in baseball history:

Lee Richmond 

June 12, 1880                      

Worcester Ruby Legs 1, Cleveland Blues 0

John Montgomery Ward             

June 17, 1880                      

Providence Grays 5, Buffalo Bisons 0

Cy Young                                              

May 5, 1904                         

Boston Americans 3, Philadelphia Athletics 0

Addie Joss                                            

October 2, 1908                 

Cleveland Naps 1, Chicago White Sox 0

Charlie Robertson                             

April 30, 1922                      

 Chicago White Sox 2, Detroit Tigers 0

Don Larsen                                         

October 8, 1956                 

New York Yankees 2, Brooklyn Dodgers 0

Jim Bunning                                       

June 21, 1964                      

Philadelphia Phillies 6, New York Mets 0

Sandy Koufax                                     

September 9, 1965           

Los Angeles Dodgers 1, Chicago Cubs 0

Catfish Hunter                                   

May 8, 1968                         

Oakland A’s 4, Minnesota Twins 0

Len Barker                                           

May 15, 1981                       

Cleveland Indians 3, Toronto Blue Jays 0

Mike Witt                                             

September 30, 1984         

California Angels 1, Texas Rangers 0

Tom Browning                                    

September 16, 1988         

Cincinnati Reds 1, Los Angeles Dodgers 0

Dennis Martinez                              

July 28, 1991                        

Montreal Expos 2, Los Angeles Dodgers 0

Kenny Rogers                                    

July 28, 1994                        

Texas Rangers 4, California Angels 0

David Wells                                          

May 17, 1998                       

New York Yankees 4, Minnesota Twins 0

David Cone                                          

July 18, 1999                        

New York Yankees 6, Montreal Expos 0

Randy Johnson                                  

May 18, 2004                       

Arizona Diamondbacks 2, Atlanta Braves 0

Mark Buehrle                                    

July 23, 2009                       

Chicago White Sox 5, Tampa Bay Rays 0

Dallas Braden                                    

May 9, 2010                         

Oakland A’s 4, Tampa Bay Rays 0

Roy Halladay                                       

May 29, 2010                      

Philadelphia Phillies 1, Florida Marlins 0

Phillip Humber                                   

April 21, 2012                    

Chicago White Sox 4, Seattle Mariners 0

Matt Cain                                            

June 13, 2012                     

San Francisco Giants 10, Houston Astros 0

Felix Hernandez                                                

August 15, 2012                 

Seattle Mariners 1, Tampa Bay Rays 0

ASTROTURF SAVES THE DAY AFTER UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE’S FOOTBALL CAMP HAMPERED BY BAD WEATHER

Tennessee Vols Head Coach Derek Dooley and AstroTurf President Bryan Peeples

(JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee) - Last week, the Tennessee Volunteers packed up and moved football camp to tiny Milligan College, just over 100 miles from the Knoxville campus.

The purpose of the move was to bring the team together as they prepare to face competition in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference.

''We wanted to do this to limit ourselves from the distractions and simulate what used to be very common as it relates to team chemistry and getting to know each other, building leadership and togetherness,'' coach Derek Dooley said.

The need for developing those bonds did little to hold off the rains last week.  The rains and field conditions at Milligan forced the Vols to move practices to the AstroTurf field at Science Hill High School in Johnson City.

Tennessee is very familiar with AstroTurf, having installed the surface in its indoor practice facility during the 2010 season.  Tennessee is also the home of the Center for Athletic Field Safety, a facility funded by AstroTurf and dedicated to safety research on synthetic and natural grass fields.

Steve Spurrier Field at Science Hill High School

Science Hill also installed the AstroTurf surface in 2010.  Its ability to host play in virtually any weather condition allowed the Vols to continue practice during and after the inclement weather.  The move to the field at Science Hill was part of the contingency plan for the camp.

All AstroTurf GameDay Grass fields have extensive drainage systems in the base work and the turf features 5/16-inch perforations on four-inch centers throughout the field.  These systems are designed to drain over 30 inches per hour. 

Last September, the Chattanooga, Tennessee area experienced over 10 inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period, surpassing the record set in 1886.  Schools and businesses were closed as a result of flooding, but the rain did nothing to diminish the playability of AstroTurf fields in the area.  Teams practiced in the rain and hosted games the next day.

Mark Mariakis, head coach at Ridgeland High School, said of the rain, ”I can say that if this happened two years ago when we were still playing on grass, we probably wouldn’t have been able to even host home games for several weeks.”

The ability of AstroTurf systems to handle a variety of weather conditions, as well as its durability and consistency, are reasons why teams like the Vols are able to prepare according to plan, with no interruption.

The only reason the Vols may not have wanted to prepare at Science Hill would have been because it was on Steve Spurrier Field.  Spurrier, head coach at South Carolina and known as the Evil Genius, played at Science Hill.  He also made a generous donation to the school as it was renovating the stadium and adding AstroTurf.

"I think he is a generous man to give back to his high school, so I commend him for what he has done," Dooley said. "It's a tribute to the fact that he was a great player, a great coach, and made a lot of money. When that happens, you get your name on the field."

The University of Tennessee's Indoor Practice Facility

ASTROTURF PLAYS A ROLE AS FALCONS AND TITANS CLASH AT LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL

(DALTON, Georgia) - The Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans squared off in a preseason scrimmage on Monday in the hometown of AstroTurf.

The teams visited Coahulla Creek High School in Varnell, near Dalton, on Monday and drew nearly 8,500 fans for the event.  

From a marketing standpoint, both teams draw fans from the area, which is within easy driving distance of where the teams play their home games in Atlanta and Nashville.  The event also served as a fundraiser for the athletic departments of the three high schools in Whitfield County, which are Coahulla Creek, Northwest Whitfield, and Southeast Whitfield.

“The people in this community have rolled out the red carpet for us,” said Mike Smith, Head Coach of the Falcons.  “In terms of the facilities, it’s just beautiful.  I certainly hope we’ll have the opportunity to come back again.”

Coahulla Creek is a new school and plays on natural grass on a field Titans’ QB Matt Hasselbeck compared to a college field.

While the school does not yet have artificial turf, AstroTurf was able to provide the school with new team boxes, the area on the sideline between the 25-yard-lines.  The team boxes feature a large AstroTurf logo, as a show of support for the program.   AstroTurf installed the sideline panels in time for the scrimmage to help protect and showcase the field and the panels will remain in place permanently for the school.

“Ultimately, our mission is to bring communities together through sports, so we were proud to be a small part of this event,” said Bryan Peeples, President of AstroTurf.  “Coahulla Creek has a first-class facility and this was a large and important event for the community and for the future of the athletic departments in the Whitfield County school system.”  

The first-time event is one both teams plan to host on an annual basis in and around the Chattanooga area.

Below is a sampling of media links about the event.  The first is the Atlanta Falcons home page, which features several stories and videos from the event.  The second is a photo gallery from the Tennessee Titans with nearly 350 photos from the event.  The final link is a news story from Chattanooga television station WRCB.

http://www.atlantafalcons.com/

http://www.titansonline.com/media-center/photo-gallery/Titans-Falcons-Scrimmage/592d553e-1fd1-4d44-a385-61de4c1ea11f

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/19207011/titans-falcons-holding-open-practice-near-dalton

ERIC BERRY'S ASTROTURF PROJECT STILL PAYING DIVIDENDS GOING INTO THIRD YEAR

(FAIRBURN, Georgia) - As Eric Berry was cementing his name as one of the greatest safeties in the history of college football, the park where he learned the game was facing a crisis.

The city of Fairburn, Georgia, on the outskirts of Atlanta, had just a reached a population of 3,500.  State law required for Fulton County to halt maintenance on the park at that time.  Fairburn residents filled the gap and pitched in to help, but the park continued to decline.

As prospects of a professional career grew brighter, Eric Berry stepped in to help.  In a world where professional athletes increasingly lose sight of the team concept and exist with a sense of entitlement, Eric Berry is one of the good guys.

Eric, before ever playing a down in the NFL, launched the Eric Berry Foundation and committed to build an AstroTurf field at Clarence Duncan Park in Fairburn, a park managed by former University of Tennessee running back James Berry, Eric’s father.

“You won’t meet any finer people than the Berry family,” said Bryan Peeples, President of AstroTurf.  “This has been one of the most rewarding projects we’ve ever worked on.”

The field was built in 2010, with work commencing just days before Eric departed to don the uniform of the Chiefs.  Now entering its third year, the field at Duncan Park is still making a tremendous impact.

“It’s meant a whole lot to the kids in the area,” said the senior Berry.  “It’s just like a drawing card.”

James Berry says the field is being utilized anytime it’s available and that people come from around the metro are to see it and play on it.  He cites it as a real asset to the community.

Berry also says the field is a source for improved performance among the young athletes in the area and a tool to increase participation.

“Since this field has been installed, we’re getting better practices out of the kids and we’re getting more showing up that want to be there to participate in our program,” said Berry.  “I can see that participation has picked up, so overall, AstroTurf has done us a great favor by installing this field and just working with us in the community.”

Berry said installation of the field put a lot of activity into motion, which will help the Eric Berry Foundation achieve its long-term 6.5-year renovation goal at Duncan Park.  Berry says that because of the installation of the field, “we can actually see the park coming back to life.”

It goes without saying that James Berry has a tremendous amount of pride for his son on and off the field.

“It’s truly a blessing that the opportunity came along and that he really wanted to just give back to the community,” said Berry.  “This was one of the things he did.  We all feel blessed and privileged that he took the opportunity and showed us the love that he did by partnering with AstroTurf and bringing this field to us.”

For Eric Berry, it’s still not enough.  Improving opportunities for young people is a personal mission he carries far beyond Duncan Park.

"I wanted to be different,” said the younger Berry.  “I wanted to be the one who said I would come back after I made it and actually come back and show them. That's always something I wanted to do."

Berry recently completed a series of four youth football camps for kids in Fairburn, Knoxville, Kansas City, and Chattanooga.  The camps drew hundreds of kids and proceeds will go to the Eric Berry Foundation to help with projects similar to Duncan Park in areas like Knoxville and Kansas City.

Berry did football drills and talked with the kids about life lessons he has learned.  He also stayed afterward until every kid or parent got an autograph or a photo.

Molly Haynes, a Tennessee fan from Chattanooga, brought both her sons to the recent camp in Chattanooga.

“I’ve been really impressed that he stayed the entire time,” said Haynes.  “He was out there on the field with them and talking to them.  I think it says a lot about him in that he wants to give back to the community and that the cost was really low for the kids to get to do all this.”

His willingness to give is something he learned from his father.

"I've seen my dad do it. He didn't always have the money to give back but he always gave his time to the younger kids. He's always out in the community teaching them fundamentals and teaching them about life," said Berry.

Not only is the third year of the Duncan Park AstroTurf field approaching, but so is Berry’s third year in the NFL.  If his work ethic and desire to be a part of his community is any indication, Duncan Park, the NFL, and anyone who comes into Berry’s orbit will certainly benefit.

After completing the camp in Chattanooga, Eric returned home to Fairburn that night to visit with family before departing for training camp.

That night he posted a simple message on Twitter.  It said, “Back where it started from.”  Attached to the message was a photo of the AstroTurf field at Duncan Park under the lights.

 CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO

TEXAS’ BRYAN AND RUDDER HIGH SCHOOLS GET NEW ASTROTURF FIELDS AND EXPECT A MULTITUDE OF BENEFITS

(BRYAN, Texas) - Bryan and Rudder High School have now joined the trend of schools converting to AstroTurf sports fields.

Bryan High School, in addition to a new track, has added an all new AstroTurf field at Merrill Green Stadium.  Rudder High School, which is also in the Bryan Independent School District (ISD) has added a 65-yard AstroTurf practice field.

“We were one of the last to convert from natural grass,” said Bryan ISD Athletic Director Harry Francis.  “With AstroTurf, we will get more bang for our buck because we will be able to accommodate more kids and more activities.  We will also be in line to host more playoff games in football.”

The decision to convert was made after a great deal of research, according to Francis.

Burnside Construction strongly recommended AstroTurf.  

“We’ve done a lot of work with Burnside,” said Francis.  “They are very reputable and with us they have always on-task when it comes to project management and they don’t cut corners.  They’ve done a number of high school and collegiate fields, so when they recommended AstroTurf, that meant a lot.”

Francis also cited AstroTurf installations at Texas A&M, Allen Academy, and Brenham High School as playing a role in the decision-making process.

Francis cited a multitude of positives resulting from installation of the two fields.

“We can be on the field every day,” he said.  “This is Texas, and when you consider the weather, your time on a field can be affected.  It’s not always heat.  We’ve had a lot of rain this year.”

Francis said sports teams at the school would benefit, both during the season and in the off-season as a training tool.  He also said the band and other fine arts groups would benefit from use of the fields.

“These fields have created an edge of excitement,” he said.  “It provides momentum for our programs and the possibility to generate additional revenue.  This jumps us back up in the playoff business because we have an 11,000 seat stadium and we’re a mid-point for smaller school districts and communities such as Austin and Houston.”

“There is nothing like Texas when it comes to high school sports,” said Chad Feris, AstroTurf Regional Sales Manager.  “These are great facilities and we are looking forward to watching the programs at Bryan and Rudder grow over these next few years.”

The make-up of the AstroTurf system stands out.  This surface features the Horseshoe fiber.  This 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 Horseshoe fiber is in use on fields in Texas at places like Brenham and Muleshoe.  It’s also featured prominently at Kansas State University and with the Tampa Bay Rays.  Boston College is set to unveil its new field, made from the Horseshoe fiber, this fall.

The field also 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.

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.

Francis has estimated annual field upkeep costs for grass fields in the district at $25,000.  He figures maintenance on the new AstroTurf surfaces to be around $3,000.

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.  Making it even better is the fact that the football lines and logos are prefabricated and manufactured as part of the field, so the look is consistent.

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 teams at Bryan and Rudder.