WASHINGTON, June 15, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Washington D.C. Public Schools have significantly enhanced their facilities with the addition of five state-of-the-art FieldTurf fields and two high-performance 'Le Monde' track systems. These major enhancements demonstrate the school board's continuing commitment to provide top quality facilities for its student-athletes.
The FieldTurf Duraspine monofilament fiber features a durable "spine" which runs vertically through the center of each fiber. The spine gives each fiber unmatched "memory" and thus resistance to matting. This system also enhances ball-roll properties, bio-mechanics and aesthetics while featuring FieldTurf's patented infill, a proven success in over 2,000 installations worldwide. The schools that will be receiving the world's most trusted turf system are Coolidge Senior High School, Dunbar Senior High School, McKinley Technology High School, Roosevelt Senior High School, and Woodrow Wilson Senior High School.
"Compared to the other turf systems we examined, it was not even close," explained Dunbar Senior High School Coach Marvin Parker. "We thought our kids deserved the best and we're sure they will like these fields because of FieldTurf's safety, playability, and traction. It feels so much like grass. They can plant, cut, and release without having to worry. This turf product will make the game much faster, provide us with big maintenance savings, and these FieldTurf fields are a beautiful sight. In addition to the obvious product benefits, FieldTurf's warranty was leaps and bounds ahead of the competition."
"We could not be more pleased that the Washington D.C. Public Schools have shown confidence in our company and our products," said FieldTurf Tarkett CEO John Gilman. "The students at each one of these high schools will be playing on the safest turf on earth and the highest performing track surface available. As the industry's 'One Stop Shop', our focus is on providing the highest quality sports surfacing systems along with unmatched after sales service. Our clients can always depend on the highest level of service and professionalism from the FieldTurf Tarkett family."
The 'Le Monde' track systems will be installed at the 8-lane Championship track venues at Dunbar Senior High School and Coolidge Senior High School. Designed by a remarkable team of engineers with emphasis on speed and safety, this system delivers the perfect amount of energy restitution and energy absorption while providing a consistent response and a top layer that features an aggressive texture for unparalleled traction. Having an extremely durable and athlete-friendly product in place will benefit Washington D.C. Public School athletics tremendously.
"We saw Princeton's 'Le Monde' track surface and it was fast,' added coach Parker. "The engineering that went into this product is top notch. What I like about it is that it doesn't puddle like the Mondo tracks. The drainage is perfect and it is distance-runner friendly -- something the Mondo track is not. We are lobbying to host high school championship events and having top of the line track and turf systems will go a long way towards us accomplishing our goal."
FieldTurf Tarkett is the largest entity in the sports surfacing industry and provides unparalleled leasing capabilities, engineering and manufacturing resources. In addition to its world-renowned FieldTurf and Prestige brands of artificial turf, FieldTurf Tarkett provides an equally impressive range of products that includes synthetic and hardwood basketball, volleyball and gymnasium flooring, squash and racquetball courts, floor protection and covering systems, and weight room flooring. Also in the range of FieldTurf Tarkett products are indoor and outdoor running tracks including the high performance 'Le Monde' track system, playground surfacing, and a complete range of tennis and golf surfaces. For more information, please visit www.fieldturftarkett.com