The Only FIFA 2-Star Field Of It's Kind. December 13, 2010
The Only FIFA 2-Star Field of Its Kind
Taos Eco-Park Becomes the Highest Altitude FIFA 2-Star Training Facility in the World
Dalton, GA - December 9, 2010- The Taos Eco-Park featuring Shaw Sportexe synthetic turf, located in Taos, New Mexico, has become among the elite four fields in the U.S. to achieve FIFA 2-star recommended status. It is currently the highest altitude FIFA 2-Star training facility in the world. Located 7,000 feet above sea level, Taos Eco-Park will be used to aid professional and international soccer teams and players with training in high altitude environments, in addition to youth and community events in various sports including, but not limited to, American football, rugby and lacrosse.
“The Shaw Sportexe team helped transform the vision of Taos Eco Park into a world class football pitch,” said Joel Israel, Executive Director of the Taos Sports Alliance. “Players and coaches from New Mexico and around the world can utilize Taos Eco Park’s high altitude training location at 7,000 feet, with the benefit of a FIFA 2 Star Field Certification.”
The FIFA 2-star certification process requires a stringent series of testing for performance criteria such as ball roll, vertical rebound, force reduction, rotational resistance and several additional tests designed to mirror the playing characteristics of professional soccer. The testing is performed by FIFA’s very own testing agent and consists of both on-field and lab trials.
The Taos Eco-Park field features Shaw Sportexe’s PowerBlade HP+ turf system which consists of a 2.5” monofilament fiber and a mixture of sand and rubber infill. The new surface will provide both consistency and durability for years to come.
“Credit for the FIFA 2-Star Field Certification goes to the entire Shaw Sportexe team,” says Israel. “The Town of Taos received excellent customer service from our salesman Craig Edwards to Phil Stricklen in R & D, and of course, the boots on the ground that installed the field.”
Shaw Sportexe R&D Director, Phil Stricklin commented after hearing of the news last Friday from FIFA. “Achieving the FIFA 2-star certification is no easy task. This is a tremendous accomplishment for our company. By conducting these rigorous tests, we can ensure that both athlete-surface and ball-surface interactions are mirroring the surface of that of natural grass. It just continues to showcase our ability to create turf systems that meet the highest performance levels in the industry.”
“We are very proud of our entire team, said Shaw Sportexe Divisional Vice President, Tom Enright. “I think this just solidifies the commitment we have towards engineering and installing fields with the best combination of durability, playability and safety. While all of our fields have not been tested for the FIFA 2-Star designation, we hold these same standards to every field we do. Our systems are designed around the same criteria and ultimately strive for the same performance level.”
Enright commented further, “We congratulate the City of Taos for this outstanding accomplishment. Their commitment to build a first-class facility with international recognition shows the commitment they have for their families and community.”
Taos Eco-Park is a multi-field initiative by the Town of Taos to increase the quality of life, while creating an economic drive for the region. The facility will feature the use of a solar power lighting system to house night events. Other features will include restroom and locker room facilities and stadium seating capacity for 1,500 people. The city plans to unveil the facility in a grand opening celebration in the spring. During the event, the new Shaw Sportexe field will endure its first usage as a FIFA 2-star field as the University of New Mexico men’s soccer team takes the stage during an exhibition game. Programming for high altitude training is already underway for 2011. The city reports it has already met expectations from team training, sports camps and sport leagues scheduled events.
About Shaw Sportexe
A subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Shaw Sportexe is one of the leading synthetic turf companies in North America. Shaw Sportexe has demonstrated industry leadership in both quality and innovation for more than two decades with over 700 successful installations, including an impressive list of high-profile field installations such as the Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, LSU, University of Arkansas, and many others. For more information on Shaw Sportexe, visit www.shawsportexe.com.