St. Ursula breaks ground on turf field

Contributed By: Jill Cahill | St. Ursula Academy

Cincinnati, Ohio, April 29, 2011 – St. Ursula Academy proudly broke ground Wednesday, April 27 on its new synthetic turf field that will replace the grass field on the northwest side of SUA’s campus in East Walnut Hills. Rain couldn’t dampen the spirits as student athletes, donors, school administrators, parents, and supporters came together to launch the turf construction project.

Several key donors and project leaders each took a shovel in the ceremonial groundbreaking that was moved indoors due to the poor weather conditions.

Among those participating were donors Bill Keating, Sr., Mike Keating, Amy and George Joseph, Lisa Grote and John Zerbe, Board of Trustees Chair May Kay Hauser, SUA President Judith A. Wimberg, Trustee and Project Manager Tom Neyer and Joe Motz and Zach Burns of The Motz Group, who will be constructing the field.

The turf field surface will replace the current grass field that is home to SUA's nationally ranked soccer team, state championship Field Hockey Team the Lacrosse team and St. Ursula athletic events.

The new turf will provide a state-of-the-art surface for many purposes. It will be all-purpose, all-weather, safe, durable and affordable.

The new field's rapid drainage and durable soft carpet provide a safe, consistent surface, ready most any time, most any use for practices, games, physical education classes, other school and community events. 

Photo: St. Ursula Academy Turf Field Groundbreaking 2011 Shown L-R: Joe Motz of the Motz Group, Trustee and Project Manager Tom Neyer, Zach Burns of the Motz Group, Lead donors and parents Amy and George Joseph, SUA President Judy Wimberg ’58, SUA Board of Trustees Chair May Kay Pastura Hauser ’68, donors Mike Keating and Bill Keating, Sr. representing the Clement and Ann Buenger Foundation, and major donors and past parents John Zerbe and Lisa Grote.

“We have long dreamed of being able to provide a better field for our students and athletes and here we are today celebrating the accomplishment of that dream,” said SUA President Judy Wimberg.

SUA's senior class co-president and state championship field hockey team member Meghan Winter talked at the event and thanked the donors and supporters for making this all possible.  “Not just the athletes, but all the students will be forever grateful for your support of this field improvement that will allow for so many more school related activities to happen by just walking out the doors of Keller Center and or the Gymnasium/Convocation Center,” said Miss Winter.

Funds to pay for the field conversion to turf were raised through a targeted campaign called “Team up for Turf”. The new field will be complete this summer and will be called Buenger Field at Schottzie Stadium.

To learn more about St. Ursula Academy and its athletic programming, please visit www.saintursula.org.

St. Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women.

St. Ursula is a nurturing Catholic educational community that unleashes the potential of each student to become a women of faith, integrity and courage. In 2002 the academy was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School.


The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910.


The Motz Group is an athletic field construction company that designs and installs world class synthetic & natural turf playing systems all over the globe.  The Motz Group specializes in professional, collegiate and high school athletics as well as parks and recreation. 


The Motz Group will be installing the 24/7® synthetic turf system at St. Ursula Academy.  24/7 provides long term performance under high use conditions in all weather conditions.  To learn more contact Zach Burns at 513.533.6452 or info@themotzgroup.com.

Ohio College Football Senior Bowl II

The Motz Group is proud to sponsor the 2011 Ohio Army National Guard Senior Bowl II. The North Team and the South Team will take the field Saturday April 23rd at 5pm in the Columbus Crew Stadium.

The Ohio Army National Guard Senior Bowl was created to showcase some of the best college football players within the State of Ohio. The Senior Bowl features 90 of the top college football players from the NCAA I-A, II, III and NAIA.

Thousands of passionate fans are expected to fill Crew Stadium for this year’s first Ohio Army National Guard Senior Bowl. Last year, the North Team defeated the South by a touchdown, in what was an exciting defensive battle.

GameDay Management announced that Franklin County Children Services will serve as the event charity. Foster children, under the care of FCCS and other local agencies, will have the opportunity to attend the Senior Bowl free of charge. Senior Bowl participants and coaches will provide a free football clinic, under the direction of FCCS, prior to the game.

Tickets are now on sale at the Crew Stadium Box Office, all central Ohio Ticketmaster retail locations, via Ticketmaster phone at 1-800-745-3000. Fans can also purchase tickets online at www.TicketMaster.com. All tickets are general admission and are $10.00 presale and $12.00 the day of the game. Children under 2-years of age are free.

Results / Click HERE

2011 Search for the Real Field of Dreams™

The Synthetic Turf Council (STC) is holding its annual Search for the Real Field of Dreams™contest, and The Motz Group wants its partner fields to be rewarded. This contest aims to discover why your synthetic turf field, and the story behind the synthetic turf field, is the best in America. 

The STC recognizes the power that synthetic turf has to transform the lives of America's youth and enhance public wellness. The Search for the Real Field of Dreams is a national contest open to schools (K-12 and college), parks, businesses and public spaces in the United States and Canada that have the most compelling stories about the impact of their synthetic turf field or installation.  

Since the contest started in 2009, The Motz Group's 24/7® synthetic turf system has seen many national finalists.  All of these schools received national recognition on the STC  website, as well as The Motz Group's site, for their compelling stories about their synthetic turf field. Read their stories...

2010 National Finalist

Tri-Valley High School

2009 National Finalists

Oak Hills High School

Walton-Verona High School

Wyoming High School

Zanesville High School 

The Motz Group takes great pride in the accomplishments and unique stories of our partner schools.  We hope that you will consider telling the story behind your synthetic turf field.

Ready to submit your entry?  Please complete the online form or download an entry form to participate.  The deadline is June 15, 2011 and the winners will be announced September 15, 2011.  

Founded in 2003, the Synthetic Turf Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving as a resource for trustworthy information about each synthetic turf field. The Motz Group is proud to be an active member in the STC where we are recognized as a synthetic turf field Certified System Builder. Our involvement is not just limited to membership.  Our President, Joe Motz, has served two terms as  Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Best of luck! We hope your TMG synthetic turf field wins!

Please feel free to contact us at 513-533-6452 or info@themotzgroup.com with any questions.

Opening Day on Triple Play

Summit at bat during their home opener on Triple Play Turf

Just as the Cincinnati Reds won opening day on a Motz Group turf field, so did Summit Country Day.  The Men's varsity team beat New Miami 15-5 on the first game of their season, on their brand new Triple Play™HP synthetic turf system.

The afternoon started with a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony led by Head of School, Rich Wilson.  The ceremony concluded with Cincinnati Reds owner Bob Castellini throwing the inaugural first pitch!

Just one day earlier Cincinnati experienced quite a bit of rain.  Enough rain that would have rained out the game if it weren't for their new synthetic turf field.

Triffon Callos, Summit's head baseball coach, remembers all too well what rain outs can do to a season.  Just last year, Summit was scheduled to play a playoff game on their home field.  Unfortunately field conditions were too wet and muddy and they lost the home field advantage - and they lost the playoff game.   


That certainly will not be the case this year.  Over the winter months The Motz Group installed a new Triple Play HP turf system for the Silver Knights.   Gone are the muddy infields, gone are the worries of weather conditions - here to stay is clean, high performance turf.  


Triple Play™ Synthetic Turf Baseball System
The Triple Play brand is the newest addition to The Motz Group's lineup of quality synthetic turf systems.  Conceived specifically for baseball, Triple Play's durable, all-weather surface means less rainouts, more games throughout the year and greatly reduced maintenance costs.  The system is available in two styles tailored to meet your budget and performance requirements. 


Triple Play is a value engineered product and has widespread appeal across all levels of baseball.  It's manufactured using the highest quality, wear resistant pile fiber available and infilled with crumb rubber and sand.  It's designed for extended play and minimal maintenance.  


Triple Play HP, the same system installed at Summit, is a high performance model and includes a premium, dual-fiber turf, Envirofill® acrylic coated sand infill and a shock-absorbing underpad.  The system delivers MVP performance in the areas that are key to field playability: natural, consistent ball bounce, smooth and straight ball roll and a fast, firm and sure-footed surface.  Triple Play HP delivers the superior field characteristics expected by those competing at the highest levels of the game. 


For photos from the event, please click HERE

Video: Bob Castellini throwing the first pitch, please click HERE
Video: Summit Silver Knights in action, please click HERE
Video: Ribbon cutting by Head of School, Rich Wilson, please click HERE


For more information on synthetic turf for your sporting field, contact Zach Burns at 513.533.6452 or info@themotzgroup.com

Groundbreaking at University of Dayton

Board of Trustees approves renovations of Stuart Field, turfing to begin this month. Groundbreaking on Stuart Field is scheduled to begin in early April, according to Mark Hoying, University of Dayton assistant director for intramurals and sport clubs.

The Board of Trustees passed plans for the project earlier in March, said Teri Rizvi, associate vice president for communications.

The field, located between Virginia W. Kettering Hall and the RecPlex, will be equipped with Twenty Four Seven® brand synthetic turf. The Motz Group, a Cincinnati-based firm, will oversee the turf installation.

"Friday nights, next fall, we're playing lacrosse, we're playing soccer, we're playing rugby out on that field," Hoying said.

The new field will feature permanent lines for four recreation league soccer and flag football fields, along with two softball fields, Hoying said. Temporary lines will be placed for ultimate Frisbee, club soccer, recreation, and club field hockey and rugby.

"If you wanted to come out and play intramural football or a rec pick-up game with [the] people on your floor, the lines are down," Hoying said. "It eliminates the 'Hey, pile up your sweatshirt over there and pile your shoes over there, and we'll have a field.'"

Hoying said expected lifespan of the field is about 10 years, depending on frequency of use and environmental factors such as damage from the sun. The field will be surrounded by an asphalt walkway and fence, and a portion of the land will remain undeveloped for a "phase two" project, which could possibly include bathrooms.

In Nov. 2010, Flyer News reported that Campus Recreation records show approximately 2,600 students each year play nearly 1,500 intramural games each semester in Campus Recreation's outdoor programming.

Zach Burns, sales and marketing director for The Motz Group, said the company is thrilled to be working with the university on the project. He said the project will probably be the single largest installation for the company this year in terms of square footage.

Burns said the Motz Group has partnered with the university on other projects, including Baujan Field. The company also worked on the field at Welcome Stadium, home of the Dayton Flyers football program, according to Burns.

Hoying said he expects to see an increase in the number of students playing intramural sports on the new field, much like when numbers of students utilizing indoor campus recreation activities increased with the opening of the RecPlex.

According to Hoying, Campus Recreation plans to be able to schedule about 28 games a day on the field, but said the number could run higher for club sports tournaments.

The field is expected to be finished by the beginning of the 2011-2012 academic year, he said.

"We've told them it's got to be done when [students] come back," Hoying said. "I think everyone's hope is you don't see a bulldozer, a carpet machine, we're not putting lines in; it's there, it's shiny, it's done, it's 'Welcome to UD.'"

Original article from University of Dayton’s Student Newspaper – www.flyernews.com  Article written by staff writer, Will Garbe.

Emerging Recreation Market

It’s becoming increasingly apparent that recreation facilities are noticing the value of installing synthetic turf.  Blue Ash Recreation Center, Anderson Township Park District’s Riverside Park, Wyoming Recreation Center are just a few of the many recreation / multi use fields that The Motz Group has recently installed.  “Our new All Weather Field facility at Riverside Park has enabled the ATPD to continue our mission of providing quality fields for our residents” says Ken Kushner, executive director of Anderson Township Park District.  Among other assets, synthetic turf allows recreation facilities to maximize rental dollars since weather related field conditions are no longer a factor.

24/7®

Twenty-Four/Seven® is the most popular and durable, all-weather, all-purpose turf system that The Motz Group installs. Made with the highest quality slit film yarn available, 24/7 delivers a winning combination of affordability and superior wear-ability.  You won’t find a better multi-use synthetic sports field turf system than 24/7, or a better team to deliver it than The Motz Group.

The Motz Group 

The Motz Group designs and installs world-class, high performance synthetic and natural sports field systems.  They provide quality products and personal service, backed by a 34-year history of building trust.

For more information on synthetic turf, contact Zach Burns at 513.533.6452 or info@themotzgroup.com

Reds owner Castellini to throw first pitch at new Summit ball field

Cincinnati Reds Owner Bob Castellini will throw out the first pitch Tuesday at The Summit Country Day School’s first home game of the season. The occasion marks the first game played on The Summit’s new high-performance artificial turf. Mr. Castellini is one of the donors who made the new field possible

The Motz Group of Newtown installed the Triple Play™ HP synthetic turf baseball system this year, making the field a first-of-its kind model for baseball fields. The entire infield is covered with this improved high-performance artificial grass and advanced underlayment system. Among the benefits are a truer bounce of the ball and speeds close to the experience of a high performance natural turf field, cooler surface temperatures, and elimination of rain-outs due to poor field conditions.

The baseball field dedication will begin at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 5. Head of School Rich Wilson, School Chaplain Rev. Phil Seher, Director of Athletics Greg Dennis and Upper School Director Dr. Pat White will join Varsity Baseball Head Coach Triffon Callos for remarks, a ribbon cutting and the first-pitch. Afterward, The Summit will host New Miami for the first home game of the season.

The baseball field is located at The Summit’s Athletic Complex, 5580 Ehrling Rd., accessible from the Interstate 71 Red Bank Road exit.

Article written by Nick Dudukovich of The Community Press

For more information on synthetic turf contact Zach Burns at The Motz Group / 513.533.6452 /info@themotzgroup.com

Great American's Turf is Ready for Opening Day!

Great American Ball Park just days before Opening Day 2011.

In just three short days Great American Ball Park will be alive with fans cheering on The Cincinnati Reds when they take the field against The Milwaukee Brewers. The seats are ready, the concessions are ready, the players are ready and the turf is ready...


The turf system at Great American Ball Park was developed and installed by Cincinnati's Motz Group.  It's made up of HPG® (High Performance Gravity) Natural Turf and surfaced with TS-II® (Synthetic Stabalized Turf).  

HPG
HPG® is the acronym for our High Performance Gravity custom-designed natural turf field systems. Each field is specifically engineered to fit your performance standards, projected usage patterns, local environmental conditions and budget.


HPG® Advantages

• Meets your project-specific objectives and requirements
• Custom designed and engineered to fit your budget and site conditions
• Maximizes owner/contractor interaction to deliver on-target project results

TS-II

TS-II® is a patented combination of natural grass growing in a unique stabilizing mat. The combination produces a system that delivers the manageability, playability and flexibility demanded by today’s world-class venues.

TSII® Advantages

• 100% Natural grass playing surface meets all governing body regulations
• Dramatically increased wear tolerance compared to conventional grass
• Horizontal stability, even on pure sand rootzones
• Decreased devoting, shearing and displacement damage
• Meets the aesthetic and athletic demands of today’s sport field market
• Provides the flexibility to rapidly replace logos and change out worn areas
• Immediate playability upon installation or rotation

Go Reds!!  

For more information on HPG or TS-II or other natural or synthetic turf systems contact Zach Burns, Sales and Marketing Director of The Motz Group at 513.533.6452 or info@themotzgroup.com.

New Turf - Triple Play HP - Offers Realistic Play

Summit Country Day School will open its baseball season on a brand new field - A Motz Group Triple Play HP system. A field that is not only unique but one of a kind.

The (infill that’s laid in on top of the synthetic turf) is made from (an) acrylic (coated sand) which is different from the conventional rubber (infill), said varsity baseball coach Triffon Callos.

According to The Motz Group, who installed the field, the acrylic (infill) provides a more realistic playing surface. It is also one of the only baseball fields in the world to use a non-elastic infill called Envirofill. “With (Envirofill), it’s a true game like speed,” said Callos. “A ground ball will take a true natural hop.”

Summit Country Day School varsity baseball coach Triffon Callos stands in front of the school's new baseball field. (Forrest Sellers/Staff)

Athletic director Greg Dennis said the new field will also alleviate the problem of rained out games, which had been an issue last season.

“We had drainage issues with the other field,” he said. “If it rains we can still have a home game.”  Dennis also said the new field is environmentally-friendly.

He said the parents were instrumental in looking into alternatives for a new field. Parents asked what could be done after the playoffs had to be played away because of the field conditions, said Dennis.

They approached us with some suggestions on turf, he said.

Work began on the project in December. The field was completed in January.

The players have been practicing on the field and will play their first game on it Tuesday, April 5.

A special dedication of the field, which is located at the Summit Country Day School Athletic Complex, 5527 Ehrling Road, will be at 4:15 p.m. The game will follow at 4:30 p.m.

Original article can be found HERE.

Contact Zach Burns at The Motz Group to learn more about designing and installing a synthetic turf field that includes Triple Play™HP using Envirofill.  513-533-6452 / info@themotzgroup.com

Synthetic turf helps the environment

While millions of people, businesses, schools and homeowners use synthetic turf for landscape and play, one of its major beneficiaries is the environment.

7 Mar, 2011
By: Rick Doyle, Synthetic Turf Council
Athletic Turf News

As of 2011, the estimated total amount of synthetic turf installed in North America annually conserves more than three billion gallons of water, significantly reduces smog emissions and eliminates close to a billion pounds of harmful fertilizers and pesticides. The industry has also recycled more than 105 million used tires.

Synthetic turf’s numerous eco-friendly benefits empower users to reduce their carbon footprint. For example, the El Paso Independent School District in Texas estimated its 10 new synthetic turf sports fields will save 80 million gallons of water each year, and $832,000 in water, mowing, repairs, and general maintenance. Switching to synthetic turf has also allowed the West Hollywood Sports Complex in Florida to conserve eight million gallons of water annually and eliminate the need for mowing, fertilization and pest control.

Environmental impact

— Conserves over three billion gallons of water. Water is one of our most precious resources. More than 6,000 synthetic turf fields are currently being used in the United States, with each full-sized field saving between 500,000 to 1,000,000 gallons plus of water each year. During 2010, that meant at least three billion gallons of water, and perhaps as much as six billion or more, was saved through the use of synthetic turf fields.

— Eliminates the need to water lawns. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over one-third of residential water is used for lawn irrigation nationwide, totaling more than 4 billion gallons of water a day. The Southern Nevada Water Authority also estimates that every square foot of grass replaced with synthetic turf saves an additional 55 gallons of water per year.  Therefore, an average lawn of 1,800 square feet will save 99,000 gallons of water a year if landscaped with synthetic turf – about 70% of a homeowner’s water bill, or up to $500.

— Eradicates the use of almost a billion pounds of pesticides and fertilizers. The EPA has identified runoff of toxic pesticides and fertilizers as a principal cause of water pollution.  In Florida alone, the EPA estimates that about 1,000 miles of rivers and streams, 350,000 acres of lakes and 900 square miles of estuaries are impaired by runoff of pesticides and fertilizers. Synthetic turf eliminates the need for nearly a billion pounds of harmful pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides and herbicides which are used to maintain grass.

— Keeps more than 105 million used tires out of landfills. Most of the synthetic turf sports fields and landscape applications in use incorporate crumb rubber infill recycled from used tires, keeping more than 105 million used tires out of landfills.

— Depending on field usage, synthetic turf can lower consumption of energy, raw materials and solid waste generation. BASF Corporation performed an Eco-Efficiency Analysis measuring environmental and economical impacts of synthetic turf athletic fields with professionally installed and maintained grass alternatives.

According to BASF, among the major findings of the study was that the average life cycle costs over 20 years of a natural grass field are 15% higher than the synthetic turf alternatives, even when factoring in a replacement synthetic turf field during that time. Released in November 2010, the life cycle assessment found that with typical field usage, synthetic turf had a lower consumption of energy, raw materials and solid waste generation than natural grass fields. BASF’s eco-efficiency analysis is an award-winning and strategic tool, based on the ISO 14040 standard for lifecycle analysis, which quantifies the sustainability of products or processes.

— Prevents smog and noxious emissions.  According to the EPA, lawn mowers are a significant source of pollution that impairs lung function, inhibits plant growth, and is a key ingredient of smog.  A gas-powered push mower emits as much hourly pollution as 11 cars, and a riding mower emits as much as 34 cars.  In addition, the EPA estimates that over 17 million gallons of gas and oil are spilled each year from refueling lawn equipment; that is more oil than was spilled by the Exxon Valdez.

— Reduces grass clippings. The EPA estimated in 2002 that 12% of what goes into landfills is yard waste.  During the summer months, clippings can account for nearly half of a community’s waste.  Switching to synthetic turf reduces this significant source of environmental pollution.

Schools, parks, businesses, municipalities, homeowners, golf courses and others using synthetic turf can receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits for Water Efficient Landscaping, Stormwater Design, Recycled Content and Rapidly Renewable Materials from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Many synthetic turf companies have also created products that are 100% recyclable.  ‘Green’ options also exist for recycling, reusing and disposing of infill and the synthetic turf itself. The industry is working hard to develop further eco-friendly end-of-life disposal solutions.