Crews Finishing Up Sandwich Skate Park, Pickleball Courts

Skate Park And Tennis Courts

The town’s new tennis and pickleball courts just off Quaker Meetinghouse Road stand ready for use once the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
GENE M. MARCHAND/ENTERPRISE

Construction crews working through the cold, wet spring to build a new skate park and pickleball complex are only two weeks away from delivering the promise of fun to a COVID-weary world.

“The tennis and pickleball courts are finished,” Recreation Director Guy Boucher said this week. “It’s pretty awesome.”

“The final construction and landscaping for the skate park will be done in a week or two,” Mr. Boucher added. “The contractors really kicked it up this spring to finish by the end of May.”

Mr. Boucher said he does not have an official opening date, but expects the skate park to open shortly after the contractors finish up and roll their yellow earth-moving machines off the site.

The recreation department is awaiting word from the state on when normal tennis and pickleball play can resume.

The skate park, however, will be allowed to open as long as skaters and bikers wear masks and maintain social distancing.

“We are counting on people to do the right thing,” Mr. Boucher said. “We will have people there to remind them about that.”

This week designers and construction crews from R.A.D. Sports, Cape and Island Tennis & Track, and StanTec engineering were on hand to finish their respective projects. The companies were scheduled to give Mr. Boucher and his assistant a walk-through of the complex Wednesday, May 20.

The recreational complex, currently known as Oak Crest Park, includes a large skate park with many ramps and other navigational features, six pickleball courts and two tennis courts.

When the landscaping is completely finished in the coming months, the area surrounding the skate park and pickleball/tennis courts will include walking trails and a parking lot.

The complex will ultimately connect to the surrounding 48-acre Boyden Farm Conservation Lands and the lakeside campus of Oakcrest Cove, the home of the recreation department.

It is located on the campus of the recently completed public safety complex—including police headquarters and fire administrative offices—at the intersection of Quaker Meetinghouse and Cotuit roads.

Within the next few years, the public safety campus will also be home to a new senior center.

Contractors had been steadily clearing brush and laying concrete throughout the fall, but took a winter break in December after snow blanketed their work areas.

The initial work was done by New Line Skateparks, of Canada, which installed specially made concrete pieces that will provide the ramps and jumping-off places for skateboarders and bikers, Mr. Boucher has said.

“Everybody is really looking forward to getting out there and enjoying the nice weather,” Mr. Boucher said. “When the park is open, we are expecting everyone to toe the line. Have fun, but be sensible and be safe.”

New turf surface in Carzo Cage to offer health benefits, strategic advantage

The Tufts Athletics Department completed the installation of a field turf surface in Carzo Cage in December, which promises to provide several teams with safer and more realistic conditions during their winter training.

“The previous surface was almost 20 years old and was long past its period of usefulness,” Director of Athletics John Morris said. “We are very excited to have replaced it with a turf surface that provides a better space for our club and intramural programs to use, as well as gives our spring sports teams a place to practice indoors in February and March prior to the start of their seasons.”

Representatives from R.A.D. Sports finished the week-long process of laying 21,720 square feet of turf over the old synthetic track on Dec. 17, 2019. They began by covering the track, which was installed in 2002, with a padded surface in order to create a cushioned layer below the turf.

The resurfacing cost the Athletics Department $145,000 and was the result of a competitive bidding process, according to Executive Director of Media Relations Patrick Collins.

The turf installed is known as True Hop, a baseball- and softball-specific model that can also be used for other sports, which is manufactured by Shaw Sports Turf, a Georgia-based company. The surface’s infill of sand and rubber pellets is designed to prevent it from splashing into players’ faces while they field ground balls and encourages sliding, according to baseball coach John Casey.

“Our guys slid on [the old track], and I used to hold my breath,” Casey said. “Now we can [slide] with a lot more assurance that we’re probably not going to get hurt.”

Casey, who also serves as associate director of athletics, stressed the safety improvements of the new turf.

“I think it’s healthier overall when people are working out there,” he said. “For the significant majority of people, we’re running, cutting and doing all that stuff. It’s so much better for your legs and so much more realistic, too, for the translation to go outside and on turf.”

Casey and softball coach Lauren Ebstein also identified the strategic advantages of being able to practice on turf until their seasons begin in March, if the weather permits.

“The old floor was fine … but the turf is just a better surface for us,” Ebstein said. “[It’s] a little bit more game-like, a little bit more realistic to something we would play on outside. To have that kind of indoor space, and for it to be mainly for softball and baseball, is a great advantage for our program.”

The field turf can even play too consistently, which has forced the baseball team to get creative in order to replicate the bad hops of a grass surface.

“We’ve had to modify some baseballs to work in bad bounces for our guys,” Casey said. “The advantage now is for a grass team to play on turf because there are no bad bounces, as opposed to a turf team coming to grass because they haven’t practiced bounces.”

Ebstein also noted the recruiting benefits that having a state-of-the-art turf surface offers the softball program.

“To be able to show an [indoor] turf facility, I think puts us above a lot of our NESCAC opponents … and a lot of our Div. III opponents in the area,” Ebstein said. “I think for our kids, Tufts athletics is putting so much money into our facilities, and it’s a demonstration of how the university is behind us.”

While the turf is designed for baseball and softball use, several other varsity teams, including the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, plan to take advantage of it, as well. But the increased demand may threaten recreational opportunities for other members of the Tufts community.

Notably, the turf installation cut the number of available basketball hoops in the university’s athletic facilities from eight to four. The remaining hoops are located in Cousens Gymnasium and Chase Intramural Gymnasium, which are frequently occupied by club and varsity teams.

Casey rejected the notion that the new turf surface limits recreation space, explaining that the basketball hoops in Carzo Cage were typically taken down in January anyway. He added that the turf will benefit a number of physical education classes and may free up other athletic facilities for recreational use.

“I don’t think we’ve really hurt many people,” Casey said. “I think it’ll get people out of other places and therefore open up Chase [Gymnasium] more for basketball.”

Tufts’ Quidditch team, known as the Tufflepuffs, first learned of the resurfacing on social media. The team traditionally practiced in Carzo Cage in the evening, when the space was often free, but has been forced to adopt a less convenient practice time this semester, as varsity athletes are using Carzo Cage more frequently.

“We used to have our practices in the Cage from 7–9 [p.m.],” senior captain Finn McGarghan said. “Now that the Cage is full almost all of the time because of this nice new space, we practice there at 7 a.m.”

Similarly, Tufts Wilderness Orientation (TWO), which uses Carzo Cage extensively during pre-orientation, was not given advance notice of the switch to turf, according to TWO Program Coordinator senior Daniel Fier, a senior. However, the Athletics Department reassured TWO after the installation that the change would not disrupt its use of the Cage.

Despite the inconveniences it may cause, student organizations are generally excited about the resurfacing. McGarghan lauded the new turf as more suitable for the speed of Quidditch, which was hard to replicate on the old track surface.

“We were always afraid of going too fast in scrimmages [and] in drills because we didn’t want someone to stop too quickly and twist their knee or twist an ankle,” McGarghan said. “The turf allows us to actually do more game-like situations, which is really nice.”

DEXTER SOUTHFIELD INSTALLS STATE-OF-THE-ART SHAW SPORTS TURF FIELD AS PART OF MAJOR RENOVATION 

(BROOKLINE, Massachusetts) – Located just miles from the bustling center of Boston, Dexter Southfield School’s campus spans an impressive 36-acres and enrolls over 800 students from Pre-K to 12th grade. Dexter School originally opened in 1926 and Southfield in 1992. The two schools merged in 2013 to become Dexter Southfield School. 

The Shaw Sports Turf install is part of the second phase in an ‘Athletics and Wellness Initiative’ first launched in the fall of 2016. Phase II includes the renovation of the main field, installation of a natural, outdoor amphitheater, and the addition of new lighting. “The renovations have become a huge point of pride for the community,” said Julie Powers, Director of Communications, Dexter Southfield School. And it truly is a community initiative as the school expands their commitment to the overall health and wellness of the campus and outlying community. 

The former artificial turf field that was replaced with Shaw Sports Turf was almost 20 years old and in need of replacement. The choice to go with Shaw Sports Turf was based on the high-quality products offered by Shaw and their high standing reputation nation-wide. 

“We wanted the “best in class” product for our student-athletes,” said Powers. “We worked directly with RAD and they highly recommended Shaw Sports Turf.” 

Dexter Southfield prides itself on its wide array of sports programs for their students. Primary activities to be held on the field include athletic activities, practices, and games for students in Pre-K through grade 12 school. Classes 3-5 rotate through a full nine sports programs as part of their Intramural Program. Students in classes 6-12 can participate in the school’s Interscholastic Athletic Program, offering both varsity and sub varsity teams in 17 sports. 2-of-2 

To meet the unique needs of the school and multipurpose use desired for the field, the school chose to install Shaw Sports Turf’s Legion HP system with the Brock Powerbase YSR Shock pad. Legion is a combination of high-performance monofilament fibers and a durable slit film fiber. The slit film fiber is a workhorse which will handle the workload, while the monofilament provides a more resilient surface that enhances performance characteristics. 

With such a vibrant athletic program, Powell is confident of the positive impact the field will have on the student body. “Our students benefit from our School’s state-of-the-art facilities, and the turf is great addition to our campus. Dexter Southfield students are grateful for the opportunity to play on such a competitive surface,” said Powell. 

Construction began in June of 2018 and was completed in August of 2018. More than 2,000 community members, including students, teachers, staff, and alumni, celebrated the official opening of the field on Dexter Southfield Day, an annual community event. 

Following the official opening of the field, the first activity held on the field was football practice. 

“Our Legion product, combined with the beautiful tiered seating system, makes the Dexter Southfield facility a truly one of a kind facility in all of New England, and one that the school will enjoy for many years. We are very proud and pleased to once again partner with RAD Sports and Activitas on building yet another state-of-the-art facility,” said Territory Manager Joe Kacevich. 

ABOUT SHAW SPORTS TURF 

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Shaw Industries is a full flooring provider to the residential and commercial markets. Shaw supplies carpet, hardwood, laminate, resilient, and tile/ stone flooring products, as well as synthetic turf. Shaw Sports Turf is one of the leading synthetic turf companies in North America and has represented quality and innovation for more than two decades with over 3,000 successful installations, including an impressive list of high-profile field installations. For more information please visit www.shawsportsturf.com, call 866-703-4004 or find us on Facebook. 

NSU to Install Artificial Turf at Dick Price Stadium

NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State University announced on Friday that contractor R.A.D. Sports will install a new top-of-the-line artificial turf field at William "Dick" Price Stadium for the 2018 season.

R.A.D. Sports recently broke ground on the project to replace the current grass field with a premium synthetic surface manufactured by Shaw Sports Turf. It will include updated designs for the end zones as well as the team areas between the 25-yard lines. The new turf will allow the Spartans to practice on their stadium field during the season and will enable the University to host more events year-round without damaging the field.

"We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to replace the natural grass playing surface to an artificial turf surface in our football facility, William "Dick" Price Stadium," said NSU Athletics Director Marty L. Miller. "This is a significant project that will improve recruiting, increase revenue opportunities, strengthen the football schedule and enhance the game-day experiences for our students and fans. The recent updates to the athletics facilities have been critical in positioning Norfolk State University as a major competitor in athletics for years to come."

In addition to the new turf surface, a new drainage system for the stadium will be put in place during construction. Electrical and data conduits will also be placed underneath the field. Spike Zone Pro 1.75" with Envirofill infill, a hybrid turf product from Shaw Sports Turf, will be installed during construction.

NSU has played on a natural grass surface since the stadium opened in 1997. The turf upgrade project, which costs $1.38 million, is scheduled to be completed before the Spartans open their 2018 season. NSU's first two games of the year are at home, against Virginia State in the Labor Day Classic on Sept. 1 and then James Madison on Sept. 8.

About Spike Zone Pro Turf
With Spike Zone Pro, the slit film and monofilament fibers support the requirements for the ball and athlete to perform well, while a thatch layer adds another level of consistency for each step. Spike Zone Pro has a patented design of threading all three turf fibers through one needle, essentially giving each row the same combination of fibers. As a result, the finished product has a great aesthetic look while ensuring the lack of streaks on the field. This combination of fibers allows Shaw Sports Turf to create a surface that plays and performs more consistently than any other hybrid product.

About Shaw Sports Turf
Calhoun, Georgia-based Shaw Sports Turf is the leader among synthetic turf companies and is the largest American-owned and American-made synthetic turf company in the world. Shaw Sports Turf has demonstrated industry leadership in both quality and innovation for more than two decades with over 3,000 successful installations, and an impressive list of high-profile installations, including the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengal, Tampa Bay Rays and many others. Engineered for performance and safety, Shaw Sports Turf features a product line designed specifically to meet the needs of athletes and sports programs.

About R.A.D. Sports
R.A.D. Sports, based out of Rockland, Massachusetts, is a family-owned business that specializes in the construction of high-quality athletic and recreation facilities. It has completed projects with schools such as Rhode Island, Providence, Harvard, Yale, New Hampshire and Boston College, as well as Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, and the Baltimore Ravens practice facility. Since 1994, R.A.D. Sports has grown to be one of the most trusted and successful athletic and recreation facility contractors in the industry.

 

| By: Mike Bello, Asst. SID

St. Mary’s College Board of Trustees Approves Budget for Jamie L. Roberts Stadium

(St. Mary’s City, Md.) Friday, April 20, 2018 - St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s Board of Trustees met today, Friday, April 20, and approved the budget for the Jamie L. Roberts Stadium, in the amount of $12.3 million, including design, construction, and equipment.

“The design for the new Jamie L. Roberts Stadium has exceeded our initial goals for the project,” said Charles “Chip” Jackson, vice president for business and finance. “The College is extraordinarily grateful to the Roberts family, and all our donors, whose generosity has allowed us to develop a truly wonderful new facility. The project represents terrific value on the investment made by the State and our donors that will well serve our students and athletic programs.”

Construction for the Phase I consisting of the stadium’s turf field will be completed and ready for use this May 2018.

Phase II of the Jamie L. Roberts Stadium is scheduled to be completed in January 2019 in time for the spring 2019 season. This phase includes the athletic facility with locker rooms and bleachers, scoreboards, a grass field, and lights. The stadium is named in honor of Jamie L. Roberts, a St. Mary’s College class of 2011 economics major and three-sport star athlete who was tragically killed in June 2014 while riding her bicycle across the country in the 4K for Cancer event, which raised money for the Ulman Cancer Fund to support young adults impacted by cancer.

The Jamie L. Roberts family donated $2.2 million to the College, with a portion of their total donation enabling the College to complete its $2.5 million capital campaign. The completion of the campaign allowed the College to utilize more than $75 million in State of Maryland funding. The Jamie L. Roberts family gift is the single largest gift in the history of the College. The capital campaign will also support the completion of a new 52,289-square-foot academic building to house the College’s music department, a 700-seat auditorium, educational studies department, which includes the Master of Arts in Teaching program, and a multi-discipline learning commons area. Completion for this portion of the project is planned for 2022.

The budget for the Jamie L. Roberts Stadium is supported by State capital funds (8.559 million), St. Mary’s College of Maryland Foundation funds ($3.651 million) and St. Mary’s College plant funds ($100,000).

The stadium complex was awarded to R.A.D. Sports, a company based in Massachusetts with experience designing and building sports facilities for secondary schools and colleges on the east coast. The additional cost is a result of bids received by subcontractors for the project.

 St. Mary’s College of Maryland is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education through 2024-2025. St. Mary’s College, designated the Maryland state honors college in 1992, is ranked one of the best public liberal arts schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Approximately 1,600 students attend the college, nestled on the St. Mary’s River in Southern Maryland.

Office of Integrated Marketing and Strategic Communication | St. Mary’s City, MD 20686
Voice: (240) 895-2045, E-mail: mlbruckler@smcm.edu
www.smcm.edu/news

A COMMUNITY’S DREAM YEARS IN THE MAKING, WESTON HIGH SCHOOL INSTALLS TWO SHAW SPORTS TURF FIELDS

(WESTON, Massachusetts) – The community of Weston High School, located in a residential suburb just west of Boston, showed up big when it came to the decision to improve some of the school’s athletic facilities.

“Synthetic turf was a topic of conversation for many years leading up to our construction, and with most schools and facilities moving towards synthetic turf, we decided to move in that direction as well,” said Michael McGrath, Director of Athletics for Weston Public Schools. “Over the years our natural grass field, which is used for football, lacrosse and soccer, had begun to wear to the point where a synthetic turf was our best solution to ensure our student athletes and youth teams would have the very best surface to play,” said McGrath.

Having a synthetic turf playing field over a natural grass field opens a world of opportunity for athletic teams like the Weston Wildcats. With benefits like increased play time and a safer playing surface, teams are able to put in more time working on essential skills.

“The addition of this new turf field will allow us to use Proctor Field on average 30% more, based on the fact that weather and field conditions will no longer be an issue. More teams will have an opportunity to practice/play even when the weather is not cooperating. It will also allow us to get outside earlier in the spring,” said McGrath.

As part of the Weston High School Athletic Complex project, the school installed 91,583 square feet of Shaw Sport Turf’s Legion HP 2.0 synthetic turf. Legion is a combination of high-performance monofilament fibers and durable slit film fibers.  The slit film fiber is a workhorse which provides durability and decreased infill flyout, while the monofilament provides a more resilient surface that enhances performance characteristics.

The formerly natural grass playing surface at Proctor Field as well as the school’s only existing synthetic turf field now featuring Shaw Sports Turf. The new synthetic turf fields will be used for football, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls soccer, and field hockey.

Other elements of this renovation included added walkways, benches, a concession building, netting behind the end zones, and added jumping pits to the track area.

The entire project was a team effort, demonstrated by the efficiency and quality of the synthetic turf field. Shaw Sports Turf worked with R.A.D Sports to complete the install of the turf, which was completed right on time.

“We take pride in building fields that not only create an impact on young athletes, but continue to demonstrate our commitment to service.” said Rob Delmonico, President of R.A.D. Sports.

Weston High School, R.A.D Sports, and the Shaw team also worked closely with landscape architects, Activitas, Inc., to help in the design of the project.

“Activitas routinely demands attention to detail and strict adherence to schedule from every contractor involved in our projects. Shaw Sports Turf and the General Contractor, R.A.D Sports, met these requirements by delivering two exceptional fields within a challenging timeframe. Additionally, they demonstrated flexibility in their delivery by providing multiple mobilizations in order for other critical path items to be completed prior to finalizing the synthetic turf portion of the project,” said Mark Novak, Principal, Activitas, Inc.

Weston High School was already familiar with Shaw as a leading manufacturer of high quality synthetic turf, so the decision to go with Shaw and their contracting partners was easy.

“The new synthetic turf is something the community of Weston can and will be proud of for many years to come.  This was a total community effort and all within – schools, youth, and community members will enjoy our new synthetic turf field.  I envision Proctor Field to be busier than ever.  I think the sense of school and community pride will be enhanced as well,” said McGrath.

While the Thanksgiving Day Football game was the first event hosted on the new Proctor Field (held on November 23rd,, 2017), the school will be hosting a Grand Opening later this spring.

“The Weston High School Athletic Complex is a true showcase in New England. We are very pleased and proud to partner with R.A.D Sports and Activitas in making this beautiful facility a reality. Weston High School athletes will enjoy the benefits of playing on two state-of-the-art Legion fields for many years to come,” said Territory Manager Joe Kacevich.

HARTFORD HAWKS INSTALLS NEW SHAW SPORTS TURF AT AL-MARZOOK FIELD

(HARTFORD, Connecticut) – University of Hartford’s Al-Marzook Field had not been renovated since 2005. As a high-use athletics facility for the university, it was time for a facelift.

Al-Marzook Field has been a part of the Hartford Hawks Athletics Department since its dedication back in 1997. It’s the home field for the women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse teams as well as the men’s soccer and men’s lacrosse teams. The field is also used by other athletic teams for conditioning, and intramurals sports teams on occasion.

While Al-Marzook Field already featured an artificial turf surface, the school wanted an upgrade with a superior and more durable product.

When considering a new turf surface, safety and durability were primary concerns. “The new turf will better serve our student-athletes both in terms of minimizing injuries and maximizing the student-athlete experience. With it serving four sports, that is incredibly important,” said Matthew Brady, Assistant Athletics Director.

In addition to the design and functionality of the field, the school also sought an aesthetically appealing surface for national broadcasts. “With the amazing look of the field, it will be a tremendous branding piece as we begin to broadcast soccer matches and lacrosse games nationally on ESPN3,” explained Brady.

For these reasons, the search for the perfect turf began years ago when the university knew renovation was on the horizon. “We did about two years of research heading into this project,” said Brady. “Shaw worked with a number of different schools, and in looking at the fields they produced for others (most notably Providence) we were impressed with the quality of their work. Their experience and service came highly recommended.”

When choosing a specific product by Shaw, the university wanted a surface optimized for the sports primarily played on the field, soccer and lacrosse, so they chose to install Shaw Sports Turf Legion Pro 2.25.  “We chose this product for its unique "two ends per needle" tufting process that results in improved ball roll and fiber durability, and an aesthetically superior field,” said Brady.

Legion is a combination of high-performance monofilament fibers and a durable slit film fiber. The slit film fiber is a workhorse, which will handle the workload, while the monofilament provides a more resilient surface that enhances performance characteristics.

Shaw Sports Turf worked with install partner R.A.D Sports to be able to provide an exceptional experience for the university. “We are thrilled to have been able to team up with Shaw Sports Turf and deliver The University of Hartford a great playing field for their students.” said Rob Delmonico, President of R.A.D. Sports. The feeling was mutual for the school as Brady describes his experience working with the teams as “excellent and incredibly cooperative.”

Brady also noted that all minor issues were addressed in a timely manner and the project was completed on time, on Tuesday, July 18th.

Women’s soccer will play a scrimmage on the newly renovated field on Tuesday, August 8th. Men’s soccer will play an exhibition on Wednesday, August 16th. The first official regular-season game will be on Friday, August 25th when men’s soccer faces Holy Cross.

"We are most grateful for the opportunity to install our Legion Pro product at Al-Marzook Field. The field will serve Hawk lacrosse and soccer athletes very well for many years to come.  It was a pleasure to work with everyone at the University of Hartford,” said Territory Manager Joe Kacevich.

Wildcat Stadium Will Show Off New Turf Come Football Season

DURHAM, N.H. – Last year, the University of New Hampshire department of athletics opened Wildcat Stadium - home to one of the most successful football teams in the nation - to rave reviews.

The facility, designed with the region's fans in mind, was packed with amenities to enhance the spectator experience.

Now, UNH is breaking out a featured addition to the facility: a new, innovative and top-of-the-line synthetic playing surface that is a major upgrade on the previous surface.

A new turf was needed to replace the previous one that had been in place for the anticipated lifespan (nearly a decade) and had become worn, tired and compacted. Safety was a primary focus as well.

The Sean McDonnell-coached New Hampshire football team opens the 2017 season with a "Thursday Night Throwdown" game against Maine on Aug. 31 at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the UNH-Maine game and other games and season tickets for UNH football are available at www.unhwildcats.com or by calling 603-862-4000.

In addition to football, UNH men's soccer games will be played this fall in Wildcat Stadium with the switch to the new surface. The UNH lacrosse team played its games in the Stadium last season and will next year as well.

"We're going to have colored end zones this time," said director of athletics Marty Scarano. "We have a different, larger logo. Everything's sewn in. Of interest, due to our television production it's going to be a low luster kind of turf that doesn't have glare at night for night games, so it's going to look spectacular. It's going to bring the whole stadium together."

The new turf is the latest innovation of the firm Shaw Sports Turf and is called Spike Zone Pro System and is designed to excel in performance characteristics, including ball roll and ball rebound, while mirroring the aesthetics of natural grass and minimizing fraying and splitting.

"Shaw has one of the premier turf products and after reference-checking with schools that already had this product, we were convinced that it would be an excellent choice for us," said deputy athletic director Steve Metcalf.

Some 3,500 graduates and nearly 20,000 guests attended UNH's graduation in Wildcat Stadium on May 20. Work began on the turf project two days later and is due to be completed by Aug. 11.

The UNH football team has qualified for the NCAA Division I FCS tournament in each of the last 13 seasons, which is the longest streak in the nation.

"Between the new turf with the colored end zones and the low luster finish and the video board in the stadium, I'd arguably say it's one of the very best FCS venues in the nation," Scarano said. "We fully anticipate this turf is going to be a really fabulous surface for the better part of a decade or more and that it's going to open up opportunities for different types of events in there, for example, more NHIAA championships. We're always looking to actively partner with the NHIAA on championship opportunities and that surface along with that stadium is going to be as fine a venue as there is in the state of NH right now."

 

Copyright ©2017 University of New Hampshire

ST. JOHN’S PREP INSTALLS SHAW SPORTS TURF

(DANVERS, Massachusetts) – Founded in 1907, St. John’s Prep is located in the Northeastern coastal town of Danvers. A Catholic, Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School for young men grades six through 12, St. John’s has a proud athletic tradition with students participating in 22 interscholastic sports and over 20 intramural sports.

On its sprawling 175-acre campus is Cronin Memorial Stadium, under renovation as part of a major project that includes building a new Wellness Center. The project will be completed for the start of school in September 2017. In addition to the two-story Wellness Center adjacent to the stadium, the project includes a regulation-size 400-meter track, synthetic turf field, lights and a PA system, new bleachers, and a new scoreboard.  The new turf field is also designed to be wider than the former field to allow for the addition of soccer.

Steve Cunningham, Assistant Head of School for Facilities, explains the many reasons why the school chose to go with synthetic turf.

“Our old stadium field was grass and we had to limit the use to game-day. The Shaw Sports Turf surface provides much more flexibility and more playing time for our students. Maintenance requirements are also less, and we do not have to water it,” said Cunningham.

In addition, the school is excited about the impact on the school as a whole. “The flexibility of scheduling will have a huge impact on how we use our campus for athletics and wellness programs. It will open up possibilities for our entire school community, and it will be a catalyst for expanding our in-house turf maintenance capabilities,” said Cunningham.

The new 90,000 square-foot field will be primarily used for football, soccer, and lacrosse, and will feature Shaw Sports Turf’s Legion system. Legion is a combination of high-performance monofilament fibers and a durable slit film fiber. The slit film fiber is a workhorse, which will handle the workload, while the monofilament provides a more resilient surface that enhances performance characteristics. The system also features a multi-layer Ultraloc backing system for dimensional stability and stronger tuft bind and a high amount of face weight for more control of infill fly out.

For St. John’s Prep, their long experience working with Shaw has been nothing but positive.

“Our existing field is a Shaw field and it has worn well.  The process with Shaw has been smooth and schedule has been maintained,” said Cunningham.

Together, Shaw and install partner, R.A.D Sports, were able to provide St. Johns Prep with a high quality product that is resilient to the New England weather and ideal for the needs of the school.

“Our company is proud to be able to rebuild St. John’s field and track that will have a great impact on young athletes.” said Rob Delmonico, President of R.A.D. Sports.

Construction on the new field began in early May and the new turf is in place now, with football as the first activity to be held on the field. “There will be a field dedication ceremony on September 23, 2017, to dedicate the field to a longstanding member of the school community,” said Cunningham.

“Cronin Stadium has a long and distinguished history in St. John’s athletics. We are confident that the installation of our Legion product will raise the level of performance and safety of St. John’s athletes,” said Joe Kacevich, territory manager.

By:  Todd Britton