ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., June 4, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For about 1,000 Albuquerque Public Schools varsity soccer players, even home games have been away games. Until now, most APS high schools have "hosted" their varsity games at fields in Bernalillo, N.M., about 20 miles from Albuquerque.
Now, thanks to a new, soccer-only complex, that is about to change. Across the street from Volcano Vista High School, APS is building four fields with more than 300,000 square feet of Mondoturf Ecofill Star artificial turf. The state-of-the-art surface is made by Mondo, a global leader in the sports flooring market, and is being installed by Robert Cohen Co., LLC, of Albuquerque.
School officials selected Mondo for the new complex in part because of their positive experience with the company. Mondo installed a multipurpose Mondoturf Ecofill Star athletic field at the district's Highland High School in 2007.
"The soccer and football fields at Highland have performed very well," said Brad Winter, chief operations officer, APS. "In addition, the district has realized a considerable savings in both maintenance costs and water use versus what would have been required for natural grass fields."
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.
"Respect for the environment and the health of our students top the list of considerations when we select materials and products for our schools," Winter said. "Our students are very pleased with the Mondoturf and the district is especially glad that APS schools will soon host games at home."
The school district estimates that it will save close to $40,000 annually by eliminating transportation costs and rental fees for the Bernalillo fields. APS broke ground on the new venue in March, and the complex is scheduled to be completed in August. It will include a ticket and concessions building, restrooms, parking, lighting and seating for 200.
All APS high schools will use the fields, and the complex will be open to local youth soccer teams. In addition, district officials have said they will consider adding middle school soccer programs after the venue opens.
Ecofill Star, the turf's infill, was designed for soccer. It overcomes the problems of excessive energy return, excessive ball bounce, granular splash, heat absorption, and granule migration-the loss of infill granules during rain-all of which are challenges associated with ground tire infills on soccer fields.
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 Albuquerque Public Schools
One of the largest school districts in the nation, APS provides educational services to more than 87,000 students.
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.
Mondo is a registered trademark of Mondo.
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