INNOVATIONS
2021 STMA Innovative Award winners announced
STMA and the Innovative Award Committee announced that Esto Retractable and Sports Turf Company were selected to receive 2021 Innovative Awards .
The Innovative Awards program recognizes STMA commercial company members who have developed a product , service , equipment or technology that substantially enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the sports field manager and / or makes the playing surfaces safer and / or more playable for athletes . Chosen
by STMA ’ s Innovative Awards Task Group , entries are evaluated on a wide range of qualities , including whether or not they fill a need ; are creative ; save time and resources ; are cutting edge ; make a task easier or more productive ; improve quality ; protect the environment and improve efficiency .
ESTO RETRACTABLE : RETRACTABLE PITCHING MOUND Esto Retractable offers a patented design for a Retractable Pitching Mound to allow field conversion in as little as two hours – allowing you to play baseball in the morning and play soccer that same evening , for example . Scheduling more events in a stadium is key to maximizing venue utilization , ultimately attracting diverse patrons and allowing for higher revenue potential . Esto Retractable ’ s patented system facilitates simple conversions – minimizing disruption to the integrity of a pitching mound ’ s form or grounds crew efforts .
As venue and stadium operators look to expand their offerings and utilization – without building new stadiums – creating a multi-purpose venue is critical to the ability to attract and schedule various sports such as soccer , lacrosse and rugby , as well as concerts and other activities . Yet , field conversion is a scheduling challenge when a pitcher ’ s mound is involved . To manually remove a pitching mound and rebuild it after a non-baseball event , takes time , expensive materials and labor .
SPORTS TURF COMPANY : ARTIFICIAL TURF SYSTEM Every year , Sports Turf Company strives to bridge the gap between natural grass and artificial turf fields in safety , performance and playability . Sports Turf Company ’ s Artificial Turf System features a shock pad , woodfiber-based infill , and dense three fiber turf system that more closely replicates a natural grass field . Macon-Bibb County ’ s Ed Defore Stadium in Macon , Ga ., was the first field in the country to utilize this system . Here ’ s the breakdown of the technology :
AstroTurf Rootzone Blend HD Artificial Turf – An incredibly dense three fiber turf system that adds a RootZone layer of texturized fibers that encapsulate infill , provide better shock absorbency , and less infill migration than traditional systems . The turf is comprised of both slit-film fibers and AstroTurf ’ s patented Trionic fiber , combining nylon and polyethylene for fiber that lasts up to 50 percent longer . Overall , these systems look great for the life of the field , provide improved play and offer longer durability .
Brock Powerbase YSR shoc pad – The Brock Powerbase YSR shock pad technology features large drainage channels , shock-absorbing structures and 25mm thickness to improve player safety and provide more effective drainage . The system is designed to make artificial turf fields safer , and increase playability for athletes by providing better force reduction under the field surface and ensuring consistency of force reduction across the field surface .
BrockFILL Infill – BrockFILL is the latest in alternative infills . The unique properties of the wood infill decrease field temperatures and give the feel of a more natural surface with increased traction and footing for athletes . The organic infill is incredibly durable and provides a fast , firm field surface with cleat interaction that most closely resembles a well-maintained natural grass field .
Voting for this year ’ s Innovative Awards was extremely close , the committee decided to award STEC Equipment an honorable mention for its VGR Top Changer .
Aqua-Aid Solutions launches Excalibur
Aqua-Aid Solutions launched Excalibur – powered by a new surfactant technology , Potentiated Hydrophobe Technology ( PHT ) – to the U . S . market .
46 SportsField Management | February 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com