Latest news with #AstroTurf
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
R7m AstroTurf project sparks hope, opportunity at Overkruin
A transformative partnership between Unite180 Church and Hoërskool Overkruin in Sinoville, in the north of Pretoria, has resulted in the launch of a world-class AstroTurf field valued at R7-million. This landmark project is a powerful example of how faith, community engagement, and practical action can come together to uplift the next generation. According to Senior Pastor David Grobler, the school upliftment initiative is not just an act of charity, it's a calling. 'We believe the Church should not be removed from society, but right at the heart of shaping it. 'It was our calling to get involved. Our faith must be visible and transformative, like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden,' he said. The school, affectionately known as 'Ovies', is deeply rooted in the community and has strong connections to many church members, including proud alumni. When the church learned of the school's need for a better sports facility, the vision for the AstroTurf field was born. The proposal was presented during a Sunday service, where the congregation responded with unanimous support, demonstrating the church's ethos of collective action and generosity. Before the upgrade, Overkruin's sports field was a standard grass pitch that became unusable during the rainy season, limiting training and competitiveness. With the installation of the AstroTurf, learners will now have access to a professional-standard surface that supports year-round sport and fitness. 'This is more than just a sports upgrade. It's a declaration of hope and value. We want every learner and every player on that field to know they are seen, they matter, and they have incredible potential.' The school's Head of Sport, Heinrich Enslin, echoed this sentiment. According to Enslin, the partnership began through conversations with Unite180 members who were passionate about youth development. The need was clear, and the response overwhelming. 'The AstroTurf will significantly boost morale, encourage participation in sports, and improve physical health. 'Our hockey programme, fitness training, and PE classes will all benefit. It will also open doors to host regional and district tournaments, helping our learners compete at higher levels,' said Enslin. ALSO READ: Pretoria water outage: Where to find water from today Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Nebraska athletic director shows off Memorial Stadium video board and new stadium turf
Nebraska athletic director shows off Memorial Stadium video board and new stadium turf Nebraska's athletic director confirmed that the summer construction season is underway. Troy Dannen showed off the replacement of the panels on the Memorial Stadium video board, the complete reconstruction of the grass practice fields, and the new stadium turf. When speaking to the Husker Online podcast last February, Dannen confirmed that there will be noticeable changes to the look of the playing surface this fall. The team boxes will be black, and there will be a little more flare on the sides. The color scheme, the aesthetic of the turf, and the fact that it's one solid color and not variances of green. That is what the turf will look like at the stadium this fall. He then confirmed that the end zones will be red in 2025, similar to the new paint scheme that debuted at the Hawks Championship Center. The use of red end zones shouldn't surprise anyone. Since becoming the athletic director at Nebraska, Dannen has been vocal in his belief that the university underutilizes the color red. We underutilized red a lot and I don't understand it. We don't light the stadium up from the outside and we should light it red every night. Red is an intimidating color and we should use it a lot more than we use it. I've told the Governor that the road signs, exits off of I-80 should be in red. Not in green. Not in blue, but in red. Little things like that and how we brand ourselves. Having those red end zones and I think it's a strong color. When we put the black letters in the end zone, I think it's a strong look. The upcoming changes to the field are an interesting development and Dannen and head coach Matt Rhule have said they hope to switch Memorial Stadium from field turf to natural grass by 2026. When Memorial Stadium opened in 1923, Nebraska played on natural grass through the 1969 season. In 1970, the Huskers installed AstroTurf, and it has been playing on an artificial surface at home ever since. Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.
Irish Times
21-05-2025
- Irish Times
Boy settles action over alleged fall at DCC AstroTurf pitch for €37,000
A boy who allegedly tripped and fell on an AstroTurf pitch and broke his arm has settled a High Court action for €37,000. Callum Whelan was seven years old when the incident happened at the Dublin City Council -owned AstroTurf pitch in Poppintree, Ballymun, on May 1st, 2019. The boy's counsel Michael Byrne SC told the court it was their case that the boy was playing football when he tripped and fell on a hole on the AstroTurf surface. Counsel said liability was fully contested in the case. READ MORE Callum (13), of Poppintree, Ballymun, had, through his grandmother Josephine McDonagh, sued Dublin City Council over the fall. In the proceedings it was claimed that a hazard had been created by an alleged failure to inspect or maintain the area and there was an alleged failure to take any reasonable care to see the boy would be reasonably safe while on the playing area. There was also an alleged failure, it was contended, to cordon off the area and to have adequate warning signs. It was further claimed there was an alleged failure to ensure the area was inspected or maintained on a consistent basis while permitting members of the public to be there. All of the claims were denied and Dublin City Council contended it did not create the alleged nuisance of which the boy complained. Mr Byrne told the court the boy had a grossly displaced fracture of his right upper arm and he had to undergo surgery. He had a number of pins inserted into his arm but Counsel said he has now made a full recovery. Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was fair and reasonable.
West Australian
19-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Hay Park Cricket Club to miss out on funding for net upgrades as council only promises ‘minor maintenance'
The training nets at the Hay Park Cricket Club will not be receiving a $42,000 upgrade despite early suggestions the City of Bunbury would fund the project, with money allocated in the draft budget. The city will, however, commit to minor maintenance works and said they completed other upgrades in recent years which meant the suggested $42,000 commitment would be withdrawn. The current infrastructure is damaged and Hay Park Cricket Club president Aaron Worley said it posed a threat to players and passing drivers. He said the artificial turf was replaced but refuted the city's statement some fencing and netting was improved in the 2023-24 financial year. Those nets are still currently broken and Mr Worley saying the nets 'required more than minor repairs' and expressed disappointment they weren't fixed with the original works. 'I just want to be clear that no repairs to netting were carried out when the artificial turf was laid,' he said. 'We had some of the AstroTurf replaced in 2023 and they did some work on the frames of the nets, but not the actual netting itself. 'The current state of the nets, as you can see in the photos, has been like that for some time. 'Last season I spent half a day patching the holes as best I could to make them safe.' The club was expecting $42,000 to come their way because it was outlined in the draft budget, but have since been informed only minor works would be completed, subject to the finalised 2025-26 budget. City of Bunbury chief executive Alan Ferris told the Herald 'the city has not committed funding to upgrade the Hay Park cricket nets'. 'We have written to the club to inform them that maintenance works will be undertaken, subject to the upcoming 2025-26 budget,' he said. 'This would be part of the city's operational maintenance of existing infrastructure. 'Given it is minor maintenance work and depending on estimated costs along with budget considerations, we anticipate maintenance work could be undertaken in the first quarter of the 2025-26 financial year.' According to Mr Ferris, the city replaced artificial turf and repaired some fencing and netting at the club in the 2023-24 financial year. He denied the claim the city had pulled out of a $42,000 commitment. 'While there was originally some money put aside in the draft financial plan, based on priorities across the entire budget and the fact that works had already been largely carried out in 2023-24, the project was withdrawn,' he said. Last month, the city agreed to allocate an additional $115,000 to upgrade the practice nets for Colts Cricket Club at the Bunbury Recreation Ground — which will see the three existing nets replaced with five new ones. However, a similar deal for Hay Park appears to be off the table. 'It's great for them to get the work done,' Mr Worley said. 'It's definitely not Hay Park against Colts, it's more the city being aware that ours were quite run down and they needed the work done.' Mr Worley said he hoped the city acted to ensure the nets were made safe for the community.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AstroTurf Names Matthew Strother General Manager of the Northwest Region
DALTON, Ga., May 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AstroTurf®, the industry leader in synthetic turf innovation, is pleased to announce Matthew Strother as the General Manager of the Northwest Region. With more than 30 years of experience in construction, facilities management, and strategic development, Strother brings a powerful combination of leadership and operational expertise to this new role. A second-generation general contractor, Strother has overseen more than $1.5 billion in construction, infrastructure, design, and entitlement projects over the course of his career. His professional background includes a unique blend of construction oversight, debt and funding strategies, and coordination of large-scale teams, particularly within the educational sector across the western United States. Strother's extensive experience includes work on K-12 school campuses, athletic fields, special education facilities, high-end residential developments, commercial buildings, and public-private partnership projects. His proven ability to deliver high-quality results on time and within budget makes him ideally suited to lead AstroTurf's continued growth throughout the Northwest. In his new role as General Manager, Strother will lead regional business development and operations efforts, strengthen customer relationships, and help schools, municipalities, and sports organizations design and build premium athletic facilities powered by AstroTurf's advanced turf systems. Philip Snider, Chief Operating Officer of AstroTurf, expressed strong confidence in Strother's capabilities:"Matt is a seasoned professional who understands every angle of the construction and athletic facility world. His ability to bridge funding, design, and execution is unmatched. We're excited to see him lead the Northwest region, where his leadership will drive continued success for our clients and our team." AstroTurf continues to grow its national footprint by investing in regional leadership and delivering sport-specific systems that meet the highest standards of safety, performance, and sustainability. About AstroTurf®AstroTurf® is the original innovator in synthetic turf, trusted by top-tier athletic programs and organizations for over 60 years. As a proud member of the SportGroup family, AstroTurf provides high-performance surfaces backed by a legacy of excellence in research, design, and customer service. Learn more at Media ContactGary Jones800-723-8873 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE AstroTurf Sign in to access your portfolio
