MONTREAL, June 20, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- FieldTurf is a company that has always been heavily involved with the well-being of sport at all levels. FieldTurf's main goal is to provide the safest and best performing sports surfaces in the world to compliment the value of coaching, team play, and athletic ability throughout all levels of sport. According to many, coaching and team play are two of the most important aspects of athletic development.
From a company whose founders are former professional athletes, FieldTurf values the importance of teams and coaches in sport. With over 2000 installations in North America, FieldTurf has played a major part in the improvement of athlete safety, field durability, and increased playing time for teams all over the world. Internally, the company has seen and recognized what dedication and team play can do for a company and an industry. It is now time to pay homage to those that do it on the field.
The FieldTurf Coach of the Year Awards recognize a coach's dedication and hard work both on and off the field. The coaches that have been and will be selected for this award all exemplify outstanding leadership skills and enjoy well-deserved success. Special attention is given to coaches who are able to significantly improve their team's effort, performance, and overall record from previous years along with coaches who enjoy success with young and inexperienced teams.
The FieldTurf Team of the Year Awards acknowledge teams at all levels of sport that show a passion for the game along with dedication to team play. The teams that will be selected for this award will be teams that have enjoyed success and made considerable improvements from previous years within their respective leagues.
The FieldTurf system, like most winning combinations in sport, is fundamentally different from all others. FieldTurf replicates a natural grass surface, but offers the durability and cost benefits of synthetic fields. FieldTurf does not rely on an underlying shock pad for resilience and player comfort. Like its natural grass cousin, FieldTurf's grass fibers are surrounded and stabilized by FieldTurf's patented mixture of smooth, rounded silica sand and cryogenic rubber granules.
Widely praised by coaches, players, and owners because of its forgiving nature, durability and grass-like play for football, FieldTurf has been installed on more than 2000 pitches worldwide. Unlike competing systems, FieldTurf has several pitches in continuous use for almost a decade -- the sign of a true champion.
Final winners for FieldTurf's Coach of the Year and Team of the Year awards are announced based on tabulated votes from designated panel members and/or FieldTurf executives. Below is a list of the award categories that FieldTurf and its partners will proudly announce on a yearly basis.
SOCCER
Awards will be announced based on tabulated votes from the seven member panel and FieldTurf Tarkett executives. The distinguished members of the panel are:
-- Bill Irwin - US U-21 Women's National Team head coach and Director
of Soccer for University of Portland
-- Steve Sampson - Former US National Team head coach and Costa Rican
National Team head coach.
-- Jay Hoffman - US Paralympics National Soccer Team Head Coach,
Virginia Rush Soccer Club director of coaching and Region I Boys
ODP head coach
-- Aly Wagner - US Women's National Team midfielder
-- Steve Shak - All-star defender for the Charlotte Eagles of the USL2
and former #1 draft pick in the 2000 MLS draft.
-- Brian Ching - Veteran forward for the Houston Dynamo of Major
League Soccer and member of the 2006 U.S. Men's World Cup Team
-- Buzz Lagos - Former long-time head coach of the Minnesota Thunder.
Until he retired in 2005, he was the only coach in team history. He
coached the Minnesota Thunder to four A-League Championship matches
(1998, 1999, 2000, 2003) winning the championship match in 1999.
Award Categories:
* MLS Coach of the Year * USL Division 1 Coach of the Year * USL Division 2 Coach of the Year * USL W-League Coach of the Year * NCAA Division 1 Coach of the Year (Men's Soccer) * NCAA Division 1 Coach of the Year (Women's Soccer) * MLS Team of the Year * USL Team of the Year * NCAA Team of the Year
FOOTBALL
Awards will be announced based on tabulated votes from Howie Long and FieldTurf Tarkett executives
Award Categories:
* NFL Coach of the Year * NFL Team of the Year * NCAA Division 1-A Coach of the Year * NCAA Division 1-A Team of the Year * NCAA Division 1-AA Coach of the Year * NCAA Division 2 Coach of the Year * NCAA Division 3 Coach of the Year * CFL Team of the Year * NAIA Team of the Year * High School Team of the Year * Junior College Team of the Year
BASEBALL
Awards will be announced based on tabulated votes from Ripken Baseball and FieldTurf Tarkett executives
Award Categories:
* MLB Team of the Year * NCAA Division 1-A Coach of the Year * NCAA Division 1-AA Coach of the Year * NCAA Team of the Year
LACROSSE
Awards will be announced based on tabulated votes from FieldTurf Tarkett executives
Award Categories:
* NCAA Division 1 Coach of the Year (Men's Lacrosse) * NCAA Division 1 Coach of the Year (Women's Lacrosse) * NCAA Division 2 Coach of the Year (Men's Lacrosse) * NCAA Division 2 Coach of the Year (Women's Lacrosse) * NCAA Division 3 Coach of the Year (Men's Lacrosse) * NCAA Division 3 Coach of the Year (Women's Lacrosse) * NCAA Team of the Year