Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

Annual Decoration Days for particular cemeteries are held on a Sunday in late spring or early summer in some rural areas of the American South, notably in the mountains. In cases involving a family graveyard where remote ancestors as well as those who were deceased more recently are buried, this may take on the character of an extended family reunion to which some people travel hundreds of miles. People gather on the designated day and put flowers on graves and renew contacts with kinfolk and others. There often is a religious service and a “dinner on the ground,” the traditional term for a potluck meal in which people used to spread the dishes out on sheets or tablecloths on the grass. It is believed that this practice began before the American Civil War and thus may reflect the real origin of the “memorial day” idea.

To the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this country, AstroTurf thanks you.

HOSTED BY LIBERTY UNIVERSITY ON ITS NEW ASTROTURF FIELD

Tuesday, May 21
Game 1: #2 Coastal Carolina 6, #7 Longwood 1
Game 2: #6 Gardner-Webb 8, #3 High Point 2
Game 3: #1 Campbell vs. #8 Charleston Southern, 4:30pm
Game 4: #4 Radford vs. #5 Liberty, 45 minutes after conclusion of Game 3

Wednesday, May 22

Game 5: #7 Longwood vs. #3 High Point, 9:30am
Game 6: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 45 minutes after conclusion of Game 5
Game 7: #2 Coastal Carolina vs. #6 Gardner-Webb
Game 8: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 45 minutes after conclusion of Game 7

Thursday, May 23
Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7, 3:00pm
Game 10: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8, 45 minutes after conclusion of Game 9

Friday, May 24
Game 11: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9, 10:00am
Game 12: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 10, 45 minutes after conclusion of Game 11
Game 13: if necessary, 5:00pm
Game 14: if necessary, 45 minutes after conclusion of Game 13

Saturday, May 25 – Championship Game
TBA vs. TBA, 4:00pm (TV: ESPN3)

All Times are ET and subject to change

In September, 2003, Jay switched gears in his career and accepted a position with Southwest Recreational Industries as a regional salesman, where his experience in construction and Facilities Administration served him and his clients well.  In 2004, Jay was hired as a regional salesman by Sportexe. Between 2007 and 2012, Jay served as the Eastern U.S. Sales Manager for Sportexe/Shaw Sportexe.

In May, 2012, Mr. Crider accepted an offer from AstroTurf to serve as the Coastal Atlantic Regional Director for AstroTurf.  He brings a wealth of experience in the turf world, construction, and school administration to the company and his clients.

Jay is a father of two grown children, Jeremy and Paige.  While at Boys’ Latin, he coached FS basketball and Varsity golf.  He led the Varsity golf team to the Conference Championships four of the five years he coached it.  Boys Latin won the Golf B Conference Championship in 2002.

Ohio Athletics has selected AstroTurf®’s GameDay Grass™ 3D X52 turf system that is currently being installed at Peden Stadium. The system features a two inch pile height, an artificial RootZone™ and a mixture of sand and rubber infill. The AstroTurf design is a similar model that the Michigan State and Cincinnati football teams utilize on its home fields.

“We went through an extensive research process to find the best playing surface for our student-athletes,” said Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities Jason Farmer. “We’re looking forward to seeing the end result.”

Peden Stadium’s first artificial turf system was installed in the summer of 2002 and has served as the playing surface for Ohio University football for the past 11 years.

“We always strive to give our players the best student-athlete experience possible during their time at Ohio University,” said Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations Jason Grooms. “With installation of this new playing surface, our student-athletes will have a first class surface to play and practice on each and every week.”

How To Help:

Red Cross
The Oklahoma City Red Cross will open shelters as first responders assess damage. The organization says in the immediate aftermath, the best way to help is to donate at RedCross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999.

Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has mobilized a number of emergency relief services in Oklahoma, including Moore, to dispense food, hydration and emotional support to first responders and survivors. Donate online or text STORM to 80888 to contribute $10 to the Salvation Army’s relief efforts or make a donation via phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

Samaritan’s Purse
Samaritan’s Purse, a nonprofit that fights poverty, has sent a disaster relief unit and staff to help people affected by the tornadoes in Oklahoma City.

Operation USA
Operation USA will work with Oklahoma’s impacted community clinics and hospitals to help replace lost equipment and supplies as well as make grants to the extent of available funds from the public to help replace health resources lost.

Feeding America
Feeding America will deliver truckloads of food, water and supplies to impacted areas through its network of more than 200 food banks and 61,000 agencies. The organization’s food banks will also set up additional dropoff sites.

Team Rubicon
Team Rubicon, a nonprofit that deploys military veterans to respond to disasters, is sending teams to help with assessment and home repair.

Due to high traffic volumes, the live video has been set to refresh every 15 minutes.

Jennifer joined AstroTurf in 2010 and broke into the California market with a sales increase of 500% over the previous year. She followed this up with an astounding additional 500% increase in 2011 and impressively doubled sales in 2012, earning her the Most Improved AstroTurf Sales Rep award that same year.

Jennifer was drawn to AstroTurf by the company’s family environment coupled with its traditional commitment to doing good business. She continues to be impressed by the southern hospitality of the Peeples family. She is proud that at AstroTurf they say what they do, and do what they say. It is as simple as that.

The City of Gatlinburg, in association with Sevier County, last week announced the groundbreaking of Rocky Top Sports World, a $20 million multi-sport complex that will feature seven state-of-the-art synthetic fields from AstroTurf®, whose manufacturing facilities and headquarters are three hours away in Dalton, Georgia. Construction of the facility, billed as a destination for sports tourism, is scheduled over the course of a full year with plans for an official opening in the spring of 2014.

The 80-acre site will be developed in stages, beginning with the conversion of four existing fields to synthetic AstroTurf playing surfaces. Three new artificial turf fields will then be installed, followed by the construction of an 86,000 square foot indoor facility. Coupled with the area’s existing appeal, Rocky Top Sports World will present one of the most unique sports tournament destinations in the country when completed.

“This promises to be a truly one-of-a-kind venue for tournament sports” said AstroTurf President Bryan Peeples. “Nothing but the premier synthetic playing surfaces in the world would suffice. It’s a privilege to be involved with such an exciting project.”

The idea for the project was hatched a few years back and in 2010 a feasibility study was commissioned by city and county agents in collaboration with the private business community. The results were encouraging, but the challenges of economic development within the constraints of limited geography (the City of Gatlinburg is bounded on three sides by Great Smoky Mountains National Park) demanded a creative solution. City and county officials decided to utilize existing public parks, augmented by the purchase of adjacent land, to create a contiguous site large enough for the complex. And while the City of Gatlinburg and Sevier County will be jointly funding the project, they enlisted The Sports Facilities Advisory (SFA) – the nation’s leading resource for youth and amateur sports facilities – to handle development, opening, and ongoing management of Rocky Top Sports World.

With the development stages underway, the team at AstroTurf is gearing up for installation and conversion of the seven fields on the site plan. The originators of the synthetic turf industry will be rolling out their next generation GameDay Grass™ 3DH product for this project. The field combines the innovative Horseshoe fiber with AstroTurf’s patented RootZone ® technology. The Horseshoe fiber refers to the omega-shaped (Ω) “blades of grass” which cover the playing surface and offer a high degree of resiliency because the fiber bounces back and holds its shape longer than a traditional monofilament fiber. The RootZone is AstroTurf’s infill stabilization system, a thatched layer of textured nylon which holds the sand and rubber infill in place to radically reduce infill migration, splash, and deep-cleat penetration.  In extensive testing, AstroTurf GameDay Grass systems perform more like natural grass in several metrics than any other synthetic field on the market. It’s a signature surface for AstroTurf with high marks for durability, speed, playability, aesthetics and perhaps most importantly, safety.

“The development of Rocky Top Sports World has been a collaborative effort” said Mike Werner, Mayor of Gatlinburg. “And the decision to go with AstroTurf was unanimous. We felt that the quality of their product, the technology behind it, and the experience of their team were unrivaled among synthetic turf companies.”

One would be hard pressed to find a sports tourism destination that rivals the unique setting of Gatlinburg and Sevier County. Known as the “Gateway” to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the area is brimming with attractions that include Dollywood and Ripley’s Aquarium, as well as fine dining, shopping, fishing, camping, skiing, hiking, along with several museums and art galleries, all nestled in among the breathtaking natural environment of the most visited national park in the country. The existing allure and well established tourism industry were key points cited by CEO Dev Pathik in expressing SFA’s enthusiasm to be involved with Rocky Top Sports World, which hopes to add a new dimension to the area’s appeal.

Those hopes are founded in building a premier multi-sport tournament complex that offers top-notch facilities, modern amenities and the capability to host a wide array of events across the broad spectrum of sport. Court sports will be housed in the 86,000 square foot state-of-the-art indoor facility to be constructed during the final phase of the project. This multi-sport venue will have basketball courts oriented for both standard youth and AAU regulation courts, with convertibility for volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics. Additional features of the building include a climbing wall, concessions, team training rooms, and an indoor/outdoor café. Field sports will be accommodated by the seven AstroTurf fields, designed with multipurpose functionality to enable soccer, football, lacrosse and even ultimate Frisbee, band and other turf-based competitions. All seven fields will be lighted to permit night games, and plans include a championship field with press box and seating for up to 1,500 spectators.

Spectacular multi-sport complexes, although a new and emerging trend, are by no means unfamiliar to the team at AstroTurf. Within their portfolio you’ll find clients such as Starfire Sports, whose complex located just outside of Seattle, Washington is considered the premier dedicated soccer campus in the country, as well as the training home for MLS’ Seattle Sounders FC. You’ll also find Spooky Nook Sports, whose massive 800,000 square foot indoor complex located in Pennsylvania Dutch Country will be surrounded by 8 multipurpose AstroTurf fields when it opens to the public this summer.

The spectacular design for Rocky Top Sports World’s indoor facility is the product of BarberMcMurry Architects. Knoxville’s oldest architectural firm is no stranger to the area, having designed Smokies Stadium in Sevierville which houses both the Double-A Tennessee Smokies baseball team as well as the Sevier County Welcome Center. Plans for the Rocky Top Sports World facility include utilizing large stones and exposed timber in order to maintain harmony with the local architectural aesthetics. One of the more advanced functional design elements call for partitioned spectator seating for the express purpose of separating NCAA coaches and scouts from the amateur athletes. That kind of attention to detail should go a long way in attracting the attention of coaches and tournament organizers and helping Rocky Top Sports World establish itself as a premier sports tourism destination.

With good reason to be optimistic, the city and county officials in collaboration with SFA have released their projections for Rocky Top Sports World’s performance. They’re expecting 26 events in the facility’s first full year growing to 46 events by year five. The five year projections estimate cumulative totals of 400,000 visitors, $60 million in direct spending, and an overall economic impact of $100 million. All told, this project looks to be quite a boon for the small town of 3,500 souls in the heart of Tennessee’s mountain region.

About AstroTurf

For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf 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 first 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.

# # #

The artificial surface is AstroTurf’s GameDay Grass™ 3DH product line. The field combines the innovative features of the Horseshoe™ fiber with AstroTurf’s patented RootZone® technology. The monofilament Horseshoe fiber has an omega shape, which is more resilient and bounces back, helping it stay upright longer. The RootZone is an infill stabilization system comprised of a thatch layer of textured nylon which radically reduces both infill migration and deep cleat penetration. These elements combine to make the 3D system a signature surface for AstroTurf, with top marks for speed, performance, consistency and perhaps most importantly, safety.

“The challenges presented by hosting two high school football teams, numerous UIL events, and daily spring practice meant we needed a field that could handle a heavy workload,” said JISD Athletic Director Mike Miller. “The technology behind our new AstroTurf field gives us the confidence to know that D.W. Rutledge Stadium can stand up to frequent use and still look and perform great under the Friday night lights.”

The stadium hosts home games for both Judson High School and Wagner High School during the fall football season. It is the site of daily spring practices for the Judson High football team, and UTSA played its annual spring scrimmage at D.W. Rutledge on March 23^rd. Upcoming events at the stadium include the UIL Region IV 2A Track and Field meet on April 26^th and 27^th, as well as numerous AAU track and field events this summer.

That busy spring schedule made it imperative that the field be in place and ready to use on time, and the certified installers at Texas-based AstroBuilders obliged by installing the synthetic turf during the winter break. Installation involved a reconfiguration of the existing stone base for proper drainage and laser-grading to ensure a level playing surface. Owner Kevin Swank admitted that it was a fairly standard project; bear in mind this is coming from the team that recently converted the Alamodome to an AstroTurf baseball field for a historic weekend of Major League Baseball in San Antonio.

Historic terms are required to describe the stadium’s namesake and the football program he helmed so successfully. Currently the Executive Director of the Texas High School Coaches Association, D.W. Rutledge coached the Judson High football team to unprecedented heights during his tenure from 1984 until his retirement in 2000. The Rockets amassed a record of 198-31-5 during his 17 seasons while winning four state titles. The former Judson Stadium was renamed in his honor following renovations in 2008.

Starting with his predecessor Frank Arnold, Judson High has won a remarkable six 5A state championships, a feat matched only by Katy High School outside of Houston. Dating back to 1977, the Rockets have compiled 36 consecutive winning seasons, a record they share with Plano Senior High School. Plano’s streak is no longer active, meaning Judson can set the new standard with a winning campaign in 2013.

About AstroTurf

For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf 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 first 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.