CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., Nov. 5, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mondo, a global leader in the sports flooring market, has signed a five-year strategic partnership agreement with renowned University of Maryland men's soccer coach Sasho Cirovski.
Cirovski, who led Maryland to NCAA championships in 2005 and 2008, will endorse Mondoturf Ecofill Star, Mondo's premier artificial turf, through a number of mediums, including at speaking engagements, trade shows and meetings.
"Sasho's accomplishments as a soccer player and coach are impressive and his stellar reputation in the industry is well deserved," said Federico Stroppiana, president, Mondo North and South America. "With his soccer knowledge and experience, he is an ideal person to help us convey the proven performance benefits of Mondo's artificial turf solutions to other coaches and athletic administrators."
A former professional player, Cirovski has helped transform Maryland into one of the nation's elite soccer programs. "In everything I do, I want to be the best or associated with the best, and the Mondoturf Ecofill Star system is the premier soccer surface on the planet," he said. "It plays more like a perfect grass field than any other artificial surface I've been on. The Ecofill Star system offers a real competitive edge and it's environmentally friendly-there's no question that any soccer team with its players' best interests in mind should look to Mondo first."
Born in Yugoslavia, Cirovski grew up in Macedonia before immigrating to Canada at age 8. After a standout soccer career at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Cirovski played professionally for several years before becoming a coach, first at his alma mater and then at University of Hartford, where he led his team to two consecutive NCAA berths.
Since becoming head coach at University of Maryland in 1993, Cirovski has guided the Terrapins to two national championships and four Atlantic Coast Conference titles. Cirovski was named chairman of the National Collegiate Coaches Association in 2004 and National Coach of the Year in 2005.
Installed in more than 300 facilities worldwide, Mondoturf Ecofill Star is ideal for soccer. Since its introduction in North America in 2006, it has been selected as the artificial turf for soccer-only facilities at a number of colleges, universities and high schools, including the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Northern Illinois University, Quest University, University of Sioux Falls, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and Albuquerque Public Schools. Mondo is an official sponsor of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, the largest coaches organization in the U.S.
Ecofill Star, the turf's infill, was designed for soccer. It overcomes the problems of excessive energy return, excessive ball bounce, infill splash, heat absorption, and granule migration-the loss of infill granules during rain-all of which are challenges associated with soccer fields that have infill made from ground tires.
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 Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, FIBA, IAAF, 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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