RINGGOLD HIGH SCHOOL REBUILDS WITH SHAW SPORTEXE December 30, 2011
Ringgold High School in Ringgold, GA recently completed football field renovations after an April tornado nearly destroyed it. The tornado directly crossed its path ripping up the field with debris and lumber. As part of the $1.5 million field renovation, the school chose local company Shaw Sportexe to replace the existing surface.
“The determination for choosing Shaw came down to the professionalism of Shaw employees, the trust we had in them to do what they said they would do, Shaw’s immediate reaction to our devastation, and the sacrifice that was made in working with us to get the best price available. It was one of the best decisions that we have ever made,” said head football coach Robert Akins.
One of the key factors the school looked at when deciding on the artificial surface was maintenance requirements. With the new synthetic field, they look to eliminate the need to mow, aerate and paint the field.
“Our coaches can concentrate on coaching once again,” said Akins. “The time saved will produce teams that are more prepared, playing on a surface that is safer and aesthetically beautiful.”
Other deciding factors of the Shaw Sportexe synthetic turf system included safety and durability. The school needed a surface that could handle all the play hours required and the high traffic from all the different sports activities. Several programs, including high school, middle school and recreational, will use the field. The soccer team will be the first to officially practice on the new field.
In addition to game schedules and practices, Ringgold will use their field for physical education classes on a weekly basis.
“We were honored to be part of this project,” said Tom Enright, Divisional Vice President of Shaw Sportexe. “Just eight months ago, the community of Ringgold suffered so much loss. It is great to see the rebuilding take shape and the hope restored.”
The stadium renovation is still under construction with work left to be done on the stands, press box, scoreboard, fencing and landscaping. According to the school, everything should be in place by the end of January.
“The people of Ringgold, Georgia will be eternally grateful to Shaw Sportexe for the wonderful job that was done on our field,” said Coach Akins. “It is the most beautiful field anywhere and will provide joy to our community for years to come.”