WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Soccer Foundation today announced that AstroTurf will join the Foundation as a national partner of its Safe Places to Play program. Through this partnership, both the Foundation and AstroTurf seek to grow the sport of soccer and positively impact communities throughout the U.S. by building synthetic turf fields across the country.
By building these fields, the Foundation and AstroTurf are working to increase the number of safe and accessible places where both youth and adults can play soccer. This partnership is part of the Foundation’s Safe Places to Play program, a field-building and enhancement program that creates safe playing spaces by transforming underutilized spaces into state-of-the-art soccer fields.
“Soccer is a vehicle for immense, positive social change. The efforts of the U.S. Soccer Foundation over the past 20 years provide children and aspiring players access to fields, acrylic courts and programming that makes a direct impact in local communities,” said AstroTurf Director of Soccer, Anthony DiCicco. He continued, “AstroTurf, by partnering, first, with the National Soccer Coaches’ Association of America (NSCAA) and now with the U.S. Soccer Foundation, is proud to provide support, resources and our 50-plus years of field-building expertise to these incredible organizations doing the work of improving soccer for all.”
“We are very excited to have AstroTurf as a national partner for the Foundation’s Safe Places to Play program,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation. “AstroTurf is a leader in synthetic turf and construction and we look forward to working together to give children safe environments where they can play soccer and enjoy the game’s many health and social benefits.”
As a national partner, AstroTurf will provide the means to assist non-profit organizations looking to build synthetic turf fields in their respective communities by supplying them with all necessary turf needs. Non-profit organizations can apply for Safe Places to Play grants from the Foundation to cover a portion of the costs of synthetic turf fields. The Spring 2017 cycle for these grants is now open for organizations, with letters of interest due February 3. Other Safe Places to Play grant opportunities for lighting, irrigation and sport court with national partners Musco Sports Lighting, Hunter Industries, and Sport Court are also available.
Organizations that do not receive a grant, but want to build a synthetic turf field in their community, can also work with the Foundation to get preferred pricing. For more information about the grants and preferred pricing, visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org/grants.
AstroTurf joins another SportGroup company, APT, as a National Partner of the U.S. Soccer Foundation. APT, using their Laykold Masters acrylic surfacing system, are underway building an estimated 500 courts across the country as part of a relationship that began in the Fall of 2015.
About the U.S. Soccer Foundation
The U.S. Soccer Foundation’s programs are the national model for sports-based youth development in underserved communities. Since its founding in 1994, the Foundation has established programs proven to help children embrace an active and healthy lifestyle while nurturing their personal growth beyond sports. Its cost-effective, high-impact initiatives offer safe environments where kids and communities thrive. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Soccer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org or follow us on Twitter at @ussoccerfndn and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ussoccerfoundation
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and soccer enthusiasts, AstroTurf® is redefining how synthetic soccer fields are built and perform. The brand offers advanced, state-of-the-art synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. A growing number of clubs, high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf’s LigaTurf-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority, and safety. To learn more, visit the company’s recently redesigned website, www.astroturf.com/soccer. For questions or inquiries, contact Anthony DiCicco at [email protected].
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