Welcome to AstroTurf
Since 1965, the AstroTurf brand has been driven by forward thinking ingenuity. Today AstroTurf continuously improves its system design to deliver playing surfaces with the most realistic, sport-specific performance, longest lasting durability, and sound player protection.
Welcome to the Second Half of the AstroTurf Century!
Latest News
Claremore High School’s new AstroTurf Field has Everything from A to Z
Claremore, OK – Claremore High School has recently resurfaced their football stadium field and it has just about everything from A to Z, or should we say AstroTurf to Zebras? Lantow Field now sports bright, and bold striped end zones and a new AstroTurf® playing...
UCONN Field Hockey Sticks with AstroTurf
Storrs, CT – You can’t mention the elite programs of field hockey without beginning with the University of Connecticut. The same is true for AstroTurf® when discussing premier playing surfaces for the sport. It’s just natural for the two iconic names to team up yet again as the Huskies have installed a new field hockey turf system at the George J. Sherman Family-Sports Complex.
UCONN Field Hockey has one of the most accomplished field hockey programs in the country with 16 Big East Conference titles, 15 Final Fours, 2 National Runner-ups, and 5 National Championships. Even more impressive are their 3 National titles in the last 6 years. For a program with this type of continual success, it is important to keep all of the elements of the formula at the same high level, and the field is no exception. This is a big reason why the Huskies chose to go with AstroTurf® once again.
The field itself is a world class Poligras Platinum system. Poligras Platinum is a complex, high-tech, tufted system. This surface utilizes non-directional, polyethylene sports yarn to provide optimum ball surface interaction. This system is the same as the one used at the last Olympics in Rio. Actually, under the Sport Group umbrella, AstroTurf & Polytan collectively has been the surface for 75% of the Olympic Field Hockey games.
The system sits over a 10 mm E-Layer® that was installed by Nagle Athletic surfaces. The E-Layer® is a paved-in-place monolithic pad that has excellent shock absorbency and is totally solid underfoot. Nagle is a premier installer having achieved a reputation for providing unparalleled quality, outstanding service and exceptional value to their customers.
UCONN’s legendary coach had some kind words about the system and the workmanship. “We’re really excited about this product from AstroTurf®. It is called Poligras and it was used in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio”, said Nancy Stevens, UCONN Head Field Hockey Coach. “They got the field done in about a month which is a tribute to the team that put it in. They are hard workers and they did a beautiful job.”
Coach Stevens is considered field hockey royalty in her own right with the most wins of any field hockey coach in D1 history with 572.
AstroTurf General Manager, Dave Wheaton added, “This is our top of the line, world-class field hockey system and it provides the highest level of performance and playability that is available in the market today.”
While AstroTurf does enjoy almost 80% of the Division 1 market and is the choice of organizations at the highest level of the game, it still offers high-performing field hockey surfaces to meet every need and budget.
AstroTurf fields have long been regarded as the unequivocal standard for field hockey performance and are the favorite among coaches and players alike for their playability, durability and low maintenance requirements. It’s no wonder AstroTurf is recognized as the Official Artificial Surface Provider of both USA Field Hockey and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association, as well as a preferred supplier for FIH. By supporting FIH, USA Field Hockey, and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association for years, AstroTurf has demonstrated time and again its commitment to growing the game and providing access to more high-quality pitches at all levels of the sport.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. 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. To learn more, visit AstroTurf’s newly redesigned website at www.astroturf.com.
Video Courtesy of the University of Connecticut
AstroTurf Adds Climate Positive Hockey Turf System to Product Portfolio
Dalton, GA – AstroTurf didn’t become the most trusted playing surface in the world of field hockey by keeping the status quo. The brand that changed the sport of field hockey continues to pour resources into research and development in order to provide the latest and greatest elite surfacing for hockey athletes. AstroTurf, the inventor of synthetic turf and the clear market leader in the sport of field hockey, is using its leading fiber technologies, unsurpassed labs, and modern manufacturing plant to lead the way in field innovation once again.
AstroTurf and Poligras are clearly the most recognized and trusted field hockey surface providers in the world. The two brands are members of the Sport Group family, the largest sports surfacing company in the world. Field Hockey organizations can now benefit from the expanded product lineups from the combined system portfolios of both of these legendary brands.
Wellesley College
There are two offerings that AstroTurf is especially excited to present to its United States customers in 2020, Poligras Platinum and Tokyo GT 20. Poligras Platinum is a complex, high-tech, tufted system that lays over an E-Layer®. This surface utilizes non-directional, polyethylene sports yarn to provide optimum ball surface interaction. This system is the same as the one used at the last Olympics in Rio. Actually, under the Sport Group umbrella, AstroTurf & Polytan collectively has been the surface for 75% of the Olympic Field Hockey games. Poligras Platinum is already gaining a foothold in the United States with recent installations at the University of Connecticut and Wellesley College.
Tokyo Olympic Committee visiting our Manufacturing Plant
The Tokyo GT product is truly ground breaking for the sport and the industry. The Tokyo 2020 Games has set itself the goal of organizing the first ever carbon-neutral Olympic Games. Poligras Tokyo GT (Green Technology) is a new sustainable hockey turf, developed by Sport Group to help Tokyo meet this goal. This new sustainable hockey turf is the first of its kind to feature filaments made from over 60% re-growable raw materials. Sport Group companies are using Bio-Based PE to add a sustainable dimension to the outstanding playing properties of its tried-and-tested polyethylene monofilament fibers. To develop the technology and the product we engaged a wide range of Sport Group resources from Europe, the US and Australia. This included chemical engineers, testing- materials scientists, extrusion-technology specialists, chemists, and process engineers. And to ensure the turf was good for ‘laying and playing’ we also worked with our construction engineers and with sports-mechanical experts and hockey players.
Sugar Cane had to be introduced into the supply chain
This premium playing surface is composed of 60% Sugar Cane, saves CO2, and uses less water. These hockey turfs are making a positive contribution to the environment and creating an entirely new category of hockey turf that we like to refer to as “Climate Positive Hockey”. The playability and performance is top notch and the system has been getting rave reviews in recent tests. Teams from Australia and Japan competed on the Poligras Tokyo GT surface at the Ready Steady Tokyo test event recently and they had some nice things to say about the pitch.
“The field tested really well,” said Emily Chalker, a Striker for the Australian team. “It’s a great thing for the future of our sport so that we will be able to play anywhere in the world on quality pitches and not impact the environment.”
Georgie Morgan, a Defender for the Australian team added, “It plays really quick for a new pitch. The ball is moving around nice and quick on the surface, it gets a big thumbs up from our team.”
When Tokyo challenged the sporting world with the idea that it would be the world’s first carbon-neutral games that posed a big problem for a sport like hockey which is played on perfectly smooth, synthetic grass. But thanks to Sport Group’s dedication to transforming the business of sport and space, along with their industry leading initiatives in green technology, this dream is soon to become a game-changing reality with the world’s first truly sustainable hockey turf at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Learn more about the approach and process of creating “Climate Positive Hockey” here: www.turfresponsibly.com
The Tokyo GT system will be available in the United States in the Spring of 2020. Contact AstroTurf’s Director of Field Hockey, Melissa Vassalotti-Twist for more information about Tokyo GT as well as our complete line of high quality hockey systems for every budget. Contact Melissa at 267-872-0589 or email her at mvassalotti@astroturf.com
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. 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. To learn more, visit AstroTurf’s newly redesigned website at www.astroturf.com.
National Champion Vanderbilt Trusts AstroTurf Once Again
Nashville, TN – Fresh off their second Baseball National Championship in six years, Vanderbilt University continues to invest in their elite program by once again trusting AstroTurf® as the preferred synthetic turf system for their baseball program. Vanderbilt is updating the AstroTurf® at Hawkins Field with one of the most technologically-advanced playing surfaces in the turf industry.
Since AstroTurf® originally turfed Hawkins Field, Vanderbilt has piled up some incredibly gaudy numbers. The Commodores have a record of 329 wins and 137 losses with 2 SEC championships, 6 NCAA Tournament Region Championships, 3 Super Regional Championships, 1 National runner up, and 2 National Championships. The high-caliber performance of the Vandy Boys and the consistent, reliable play of the AstroTurf® Diamond series have complimented each other nicely during this span of tremendous success.
Vanderbilt’s new field will feature the AstroTurf® Diamond Series RBI System which includes multiple artificial turf components that have been specifically engineered to emulate the look, feel, and performance of both the grass and clay portions of a baseball field. Diamond Series turf systems from AstroTurf® are well-known throughout the sport of baseball for delivering the ultimate in playability, durability and ballpark aesthetics. Well over fifty Division 1 Baseball schools are playing on the Diamond Series which accounts for over 75% of all D1 baseball schools with artificial turf.
“When we set out to consider upgraded options for the playing surface at Hawkins Field, AstroTurf® made the most sense to our program for a variety of reasons. Since our first installation prior to the 2013 season, we have experienced a vast amount of success on our AstroTurf surface, and the product and technology behind it have only continued to improve. We are always looking to provide a cutting-edge experience for our student-athletes, and we are confident that AstroTurf® and their team will continue to exceed our expectations with their product and customer service.” Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt Head Baseball Coach.
“Having the trust of a top-shelf program like Vanderbilt means the world to us”, said AstroTurf Director of Baseball Operations, Aaron Klotz. “This helps to serve as confirmation that our recipe for baseball systems is the best in the business. Coach Corbin is wonderful to work with and together we are finely tuning the field at Hawkins Stadium to meet the highest standards.”
The installation of the field is well underway and will be ready for the 2020 season as Vanderbilt Baseball begins the defense of their Southeastern Conference and National Championships.
Vanderbilt is a member of a long list of AstroTurf Diamond Series customers that include elite programs such as Michigan, Kentucky, Duke, Ohio State, Washington State, West Virginia and many, many more.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. 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. To learn more, visit AstroTurf’s website at www.astroturf.com.
