NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 11, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FieldTurf is proud to announce that it is continuing its long-standing partnership with the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as an official major sponsor of the 2009 AFCA Convention in Nashville. In addition, FieldTurf will present the 2008 FieldTurf & Howie Long football awards tonight, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, which is the site of this year's AFCA Convention. FieldTurf is located at booth #458 in the exhibit hall.
"FieldTurf is one of the leading turf manufacturers in the industry," stated Mel Pulliam, Director of Marketing & Development for the AFCA. "We are pleased to have them as sponsors of our general session which features some of the country's best coaches. We commend FieldTurf for their passion for football and for honouring some of our members with their annual FieldTurf/Howie Long football awards."
"We are extremely proud to be a sponsor of the nation's most prolific association of football coaches," stated FieldTurf Tarkett CEO Joe Fields. "FieldTurf's innovations have been a big part of many AFCA member programs and we look forward to continuing our relationships with the best coaches in football this week in Nashville. The input of the AFCA-member coaches has always been vital for our organization. We are honoured to play a central role at this year's convention."
In just a little more than a decade, FieldTurf has proven to be one of the great success stories in the annals of football. FieldTurf's nearly 3000 installations are in more than 40 countries worldwide. FieldTurf has revolutionized the turf industry while single-handedly changing the perception of artificial turf by coaches, players, athletic administrators and fans. There have been many imitators and knockoffs, but there is only one FieldTurf.
FieldTurf and Howie Long present the winners of their Football Awards every year at the AFCA. Award winners are named in 19 different categories and are based on tabulated votes from Howie Long and FieldTurf Tarkett executives, which includes a group of former NFL stars.
This year's winners are:
NFL Coach of the Year - Jeff Fisher, Tennessee Titans (TN) NFL Team of the Year - Tennessee Titans (TN) NCAA Division 1-A Coach of the Year - Mike Leach, Texas Tech University (TX) NCAA Division 1-A Team of the Year - University of Florida (FL) NCAA Division 1-AA Coach of the Year - Andy Talley, Villanova University (PA) NCAA Division 2 Coach of the Year - Chuck Martin, Grand Valley State (MI) NCAA Division 3 Coach of the Year - Larry Kehres, Mount Union (OH) CFL Team of the Year - Calgary Stampeders (AB) NAIA Team of the Year - Carroll College (MT) Junior College Team of the Year - Snow College (UT) National High School Team of the Year - St. Thomas Aquinas High School (FL) Southwest HS Team of the Year - Cascia Hall (OK) Northwest High School Team of the Year - Bellevue HS (WA) Midwest High School Team of the Year - Wayzata HS (MN) Northeast High School Team of the Year - Longmeadow HS (MA) Southeast High School Team of the Year (2) - St. Thomas Aquinas HS (FL), Myrtle Beach HS (SC) Great Lakes Region High School Team of the Year - St. Ignatius HS (OH) Metro High School Team of the Year (2) - Don Bosco Prep HS (NJ), Livingston HS (NJ) Mid-Atlantic High School Team of the Year - Steelton-Highspire HS (PA)
FieldTurf Tarkett, a Division of the Tarkett Group, is the largest entity in the sports surfacing industry and offers unparalleled leasing capabilities, engineering, manufacturing resources, and environmental standards. In addition to its world-renowned FieldTurf and Prestige brands of artificial turf, FieldTurf Tarkett provides an equally impressive range of sports flooring 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 high performance indoor and outdoor running tracks including the Beynon track surfaces, playground surfacing, commercial and residential landscaping, and a complete range of tennis and golf surfaces. All of FieldTurf Tarkett's surfaces are developed, produced and installed with a concentration on sustainability and a commitment to protecting the environment. The company calls it 'Environmental Intelligence' and lives by this principle in every way. For more information, visit www.fieldturftarkett.com.