TOLEDO, Ohio, July 7, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 80 percent of the 450 students at Ottawa Hills Junior/Senior High School participate in at least one sport, which takes a serious toll on the school's natural grass field. Now, Ottawa Hills is replacing the old field at Niedermeier Stadium with a state-of-the-art surface engineered to stand up to the heavy usage: Mondoturf Ecofill Star artificial turf.
Tim Erickson, Ottawa Hills athletic director, said school officials wanted a replacement that could take a beating and would not harm the environment. "We knew from the beginning that we did not want a rubber surface; we wanted something ecologically friendly," said Erickson. "The recyclability of the infill was a huge reason we selected Mondo -- it's the perfect choice."
The new field will be used by the school's football, lacrosse, field hockey and soccer teams, and by all students during physical education classes. It also it will be available for use by members of the community. Installation will be complete when students return to school in the fall; significant funding for the project was provided by the Ottawa Hills Booster Club.
"We're excited about the addition of the Mondo surface and we know that everyone who uses it will benefit tremendously," Erickson said. "It will make for better play for our athletic teams because of the field's consistent surface conditions."
Mondoturf Ecofill Star was designed through extensive biomechanical research to reproduce all of the properties of natural grass without the problems associated with traditional artificial fields. It uses an environmentally friendly infill called Ecofill Star, which is made from a synthetic material and not the reground tire pellets commonly used by other artificial turf manufacturers. Reground tire pellets are becoming increasingly controversial for their detrimental environmental impact and potential health hazards.
Installed in more than 300 facilities worldwide, Mondoturf Ecofill Star delivers the appropriate amount of shock absorption and energy return for optimal, natural-field-like athletic performance. An environmentally friendly material, Ecofill Star is virtually odor free, even in hot, humid conditions, and it retains less heat than traditional black rubber granules, so it reduces the potential for athletic fatigue and dehydration, and minimizes the need for fields to be watered down prior to use. It also is completely recyclable, which is an industry first.
About Ottawa Hills Junior/Senior High School
Located just outside of Toledo, Ohio, Ottawa Hills Junior/Senior High School is home to more than 450 students in grades 7 through 12. The Ottawa Hills School District, which also includes an elementary school, is ranked first in Ohio based on state performance tests. In 2008, it was named among U.S. News and World Report's list of America's Best High Schools and Newsweek's Best High Schools in America. Also in 2008, the boys' soccer team claimed the Division III state championship title.
About Mondo
Mondo is the global leader in the sports flooring market, manufacturing floor surfaces for virtually every sport. Throughout its 60-year history, the company has invested heavily in research and development to produce cutting-edge products that meet the highest quality standards, deliver optimal athletic performance, are durable, require minimal maintenance and are environmentally safe.
More than 1,100 Mondo tracks and 800 Mondo artificial turf fields are installed worldwide. The official supplier of the athletic track for the past nine Olympic Games, Mondo also is the official supplier or official sponsor of more than 100 sports federations and associations, including FIBA, IAAF, Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, NIRSA, U.S. Track Coaches Association and YMCA.
The company also supplies a wide variety of commercial flooring and is the world's largest producer of sports and toy balls with an average daily production of 450,000 units. In addition, it manufactures large luxury yachts under its Mondo Marine division.
A family-owned business since its founding in 1948, Mondo sells its products in more than 196 countries. The company's global headquarters are in Italy, and it has manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. More information about Mondo is available at www.mondousa.com.
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Mondo and Ecofill are registered trademarks of Mondo.