Artificial Turf in Retirement Communities

By Sean Lowry

Artificial turf can be used in a multitude of settings: sports complexes, businesses, home landscaping, golf greens and pet areas. Furthermore, the quality and selection of synthetic grass materials have vastly improved over the past decade, and new uses for artificial turf are frequently found.

One new trend is the use of artificial grass in retirement communities. People using wheelchairs, scooters and walkers find artificial grass to be smoother and easier for navigation (eliminating soft spots and holes which can cause falls). In addition, community management improves the appearance of its property, while also reducing their maintenance costs.

Most residential artificial grass also meets or exceeds the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which all senior living communities in the United States must be compliant with. Synthetic grass makes it easier for retirement communities to create an environment that looks professional, is easy to maintain, and meets government regulations.

Managing hundreds of aging patients is not an easy task. Replacing grass with synthetic turf helps retirement community owners save time. Once the turf is installed, the lawn becomes a hassle-free asset that helps attract new customers and saves owners money in maintenance fees.

Top 10 Benefits of Artificial Turf

By Sean Lowry, On Deck Sports

Homeowners are discovering many of the benefits of installing artificial turf on their lawns. The benefits which accompany installing synthetic grass at home include:

10. Quality of Grass/Options: There are wide varieties of colors, lengths and thickness to meet personal preferences. Synthetic turf is a high-quality, durable solution (often lasting 10+ years) commonly used for sports fields, home lawns, golf greens, pet areas, and retirement community centers.

9. Time Savings: No more cutting the grass. No more shopping for lawn mowers. No more going to get gas to put in the lawn mower. No more changing the oil in the lawn mower. No more weed-whacking. No more weeding.

8. Great Drainage: Mud is no longer a problem. The yard stays much drier than grass yards, making outdoor activities easier for the families.

7. Fresh-Cut Grass: Homeowners always have a “perfect yard” appearance. Many people driving by won’t realize the yard is artificial. No more rushing to mow the lawn before guests arrive.

6. Financial Benefits: Artificial turf increases the value of your home. It will also help you save money. Duke University environmentalist Bill Chameides reports that over $30 billion is spent on lawn care annually in the U.S. Each day, more than 7 billion gallons of water are used for residential irrigation. Turf eliminates the need to spend thousands on watering, lawn care equipment, gasoline and fertilizers.

5. Kid Safe: Kids and pets won’t be playing in toxic chemicals anymore. A detailed study by the Toxics In Action organization shows the danger of using fertilizers to acquire a “perfect” lawn. In addition, artificial lawns are much safer for recreation. The Department of Health and Human Development found that artificial turf results in 74% fewer muscle tears and 42% less ACL trauma.

4. Dogs Love It: Dogs love the comfort of synthetic grass. It’s also easier to clean up after pets, and there is no discoloration from pet waste. Also, pets will no longer be tracking dirt and grass into your home.

3. Pest-Resistant: Moles and insects are no longer multiplying in your backyard. Having dinner outside? Now, it’s less likely insects and bugs will bother your house. They’ll move to the neighbor’s yard, where they can live in a natural grass environment.

2. Environmentally Responsible: No more toxic chemicals, pesticides or lawn mower emissions. In addition, artificial grass uses recycled tires for its rubber filling, and saves water. Recycled synthetic grass is also now an option, giving a second life to discarded turf fields.

1. Not What It Used To Be: Artificial turf is no longer what is used to be: hard, carpet-like material with cement underneath. You will enjoy the benefits of a comfortable, easy-to-maintain lawn, while also saving money and helping the environment.

http://www.real-estate-info-articles.com/instantly-increase-the-value-of-your-home-with-synthetic-grass/

http://www.refusetousechemlawn.org/uploads/12/Refuse_to_Use_Chemlawn_Be_Truly_Green.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyOEImcsbaE

http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/thegreengrok/lawns

Facility Profile: In the Zone, Fall River, Mass.

Located next to the Nokona bat factory in Fall River, Mass., the In the Zone training center was opened by area baseball coach Ron Westmoreland in October 2009.

The 12,000-square-foot facility includes six batting cages with retractable netting, soft toss stations, and three pitching lanes. On Deck Sports helped to outfit the facility with ATEC Junior pitching machines, screens, netting, batting tees and more.

Individual, group and family memberships are available at the facility throughout the year. In the Zone also operates a travel baseball program for teams from U9 to U17, and travel softball squads from U12 to U17.

A part-owner of the New England Collegiate League’s Newport Gulls, Westmoreland coaches the varsity baseball team at nearby Portsmouth High School. He is the father of Boston Red Sox prospect Ryan Westmoreland (right), who is scheduled to return to action in 2012; he missed the entire 2010 and 2011 season after suffering a brain aneurysm.

A number of area youth coaches are instructors at the facility, as is Craig Albernaz (below), a Fall River native who has spent the last three seasons at the Triple-A and Double-A level in the Tampa Bay Rays’ system. Daniel Nava, who played for the Boston Red Sox in 2010 and the Pawtucket Red Sox, their Triple-A affiliate in 2011, worked out at the facility during the past season.

In the Zone offered a Pro Scout Clinic for talented players during the 2011 off-season, administered by Major League Baseball scouts from the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers. Among the instructors were Matt Antonelli, currently on the Baltimore Orioles’ 40-man roster, and Mickey Wiswall, a Boston College standout who completed his second season in the Seattle Mariners’ organization in 2011.

Based in Brockton, Mass., On Deck Sports is the leader in designing, installing, and supplying indoor sports facilities throughout North America. For more information, visit the Facility Portfolio page on OnDeckSports.com.

On Deck Sports facilities with big-league connections

Once their playing careers are over, many professional baseball players turn to coaching as a way to stay in the game. While some stay at the professional level, others work with college, high school, or youth baseball, either coaching entire teams or giving one-on-one instruction.

On Deck Sports has worked with several former major-leaguers to develop their own indoor training facilities, helping players of all ages throughout the country improve their baseball skills.

New Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine (left), who also piloted the Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and the Japanese major league’s Chiba Lotte Marines, worked with On Deck to develop Bobby Valentine’s Sports Academy in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Valentine designed many of the drills and training methods used at the facility, which offers year-round baseball and softball instruction, as well as weight training in the facility’s separate gym.

Brian Turang, who played for the Seattle Mariners in 1993 and 1994, is the owner and an instructor at Turnin 2 Training Center in Corona, Calif. Mike Diaz, a first baseman with Pittsburgh, the Chicago Cubs, and the Chicago White Sox from 1983 to 1988, is also an instructor at the facility. On Deck designed and provided the premium nylon netting for the facility’s eight batting cages at the 13,000-square-foot facility.

Darren Bragg, an outfielder for nine different major-league clubs in 11 seasons, is the Head of Player Development at The Hit Club in Thomaston, Conn. Currently the outfield coordinator for the Cincinnati Reds’ minor-league system, Bragg is an instructor at The Hit Club during the off-season. On Deck Sports provided the facility with 1,200 square feet of PM34 turf, as well as premium nylon netting for The Hit Club’s batting cages.

17-year major-league veteran Rudy Seanez (left) owns and operates the Seanez Sports Academy in Imperial, Calif. The 15,000-square-foot facility features full-service, enclosed cages with state-of-the-art automated equipment, as well as cable-mounted retractable netting so that the batting cage area can be opened up into an indoor practice field. On Deck Sports also provided Premium Series L-Screens, ProMounds clay mounds, and the Jennie Finch Pitching Lane Pro.

In Bradenton, Fla., the Big League Experience is owned by two former Pittsburgh Pirates teammates, catcher Mike LaValliere and pitcher Don Robinson. The facility includes three ProMounds, six Iron Mike automated pitching machines, one Jugs machine and seven 67’ x 15’ tunnels on an artificial turf field. The hitting tunnels can be pulled back at any time to allow for team or individual fielding practice.

For the complete facility portfolio, visit OnDeckSports.com.

Facility Profile: Rams Athletic Complex, North Reading, Mass.

On Deck Sports recently outfitted the new Rams Athletic Complex in North Reading, Mass., which opened in October 2011.

The 30,000-square foot facility features eight batting cages, a full playing field that can accommodate youth-league games, and a dedicated weight-training area. The building is equipped with OD Plus artificial turf, #36 nylon netting for the cages, ProMounds Pro Model green mounds, ATEC Casey 2 pitching machines, and custom wall padding.

The Rams Athletic Complex is staffed by several coaches and players with ties to the area. The project was developed by Cary McConnell, the head baseball coach at Suffolk University in Boston, and Jeff Mejia, Suffolk’s assistant coach. The two founded the Boston Junior Rams AAU program in 2007; the club’s numerous teams call the facility home during the off-season.

Two of the facility’s instructors played professional baseball during the 2011 season. Matt Antonelli, a native of nearby Peabody, Mass, spent the 2011 campaign with the Washington Nationals’ AAA affiliate in Syracuse, N.Y., and played part of the 2008 season in the majors with the San Diego Padres. Currently on the Baltimore Orioles' major league 40-man roster, he was a first-round draft pick of the Padres in 2006 out of Wake Forest. Steve Palazzolo, originally from Winchester, Mass., pitched with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the independent Atlantic League in 2011, his eighth professional season. Palazzolo also pitched collegiately at nearby UMass-Lowell.

Instructor Roberto Valdez also played professional baseball in the California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers' systems, and spent over 15 years as a coach for several major-league organizations.

The complex is already busy, hosting a variety of five-week baseball clinics in several different disciplines (catching, hitting, fielding, arm strength) for 13- to 18-year olds, as well as camps for 6- to 12-year olds. Antonelli recently led a Thanksgiving Weekend camp for players age 8 to 15 which included video analysis of each player, and will host infield range and quickness clinics over winter break. Area youth football teams also use the indoor facility during inclement weather, while hour-long strength training lessons take place three times a day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Based in Brockton, Mass., On Deck Sports is the leader in designing, installing, and supplying indoor sports facilities throughout North America. For more information, visit the Facility Portfolio page on OnDeckSports.com.

Facility Profile: Dirt Dawg Sports, Canton, Mass.

Seven miles from the company’s headquarters, On Deck Sports worked alongside the owners of Dirt Dawg Sports in Canton, Mass., to develop and furnish their facility, which opened in October.

The complex has sixteen batting tunnels and eight 90-foot pitching tunnels, which include adjustable pitching machines, A-Screen pro pitching screens, and ProMounds indoor pitching mounds. Three of the batting cages feature coin-operated pitching machines, which throw baseballs and softballs at a variety of speeds, and are open to the public on a walk-in basis any time the facility is open.

The netting between the cages can be moved and rearranged to create any size tunnel necessary, giving ample space for pitching, hitting, baserunning and defense lessons. Tunnels can range from 45’ x 15’ to a 90-foot infield or full-size youth field.

With cold weather’s arrival in the Northeast, Dirt Dawg has a busy schedule, featuring baseball and softball clinics over Thanksgiving and Christmas school vacations. A 6-on-6 indoor softball league is already under way, and the facility hosts drop-in dodgeball on Friday and Saturday nights for middle- and high-schoolers. Players looking to come to the complex on a consistent basis can purchase monthly or yearly memberships, while private lessons are available in both baseball and softball.

The 17,000-square foot facility was developed by owners Don Connors, Rich Jasmin and T.J. Fisher, longtime American Legion, Babe Ruth and youth coaches in neighboring Stoughton. With a limited number of months conducive to outdoor instruction and playing time in New England, the three conceived the idea of building an indoor facility 10 months ago.

Construction began after the owners visited over a dozen other training centers, and met with their operators to learn about the successes and challenges of running similar facilities. Once plans were developed, the build-out of Dirt Dawg was well-supported by members of the community, who donated their time and skills to do electrical and carpentry work.

Dirt Dawg’s operators will also be overseeing a new AAU team; players receive a 20% discount on baseball activities at the facility, and the full range of training and coaching from its staff.

With the main area complete, Dirt Dawg Sports’ future plans include an apparel shop and a strength and conditioning area within the building, as well as more flexibility for indoor games.

Based in Brockton, Mass., On Deck Sports is the leader in designing, installing, and supplying indoor sports facilities throughout North America. For more information, visit the Facility Portfolio page on OnDeckSports.com.

Facility Profile: Metro West Sportscenter, Ashland, Mass.

The On Deck Sports team recently worked with the staff at Metro West Sportscenter in Ashland, Mass., to design and supply their new facility, which opened in September 2011.

Renovation of the 15,000-square-foot building, which previously housed a car dealer and auto repair shop, began in May. On Deck outfitted the space with five 70’ x 12’ batting cages, each of which have customized nylon netting, windscreen barriers, premium L-screens, pitcher’s mounds, and the Clay Batting Mat Pro. Four of the five cages include adjustable Jugs pitching machines, while the other uses an auto-feed machine.

On Deck also furnished the facility with netting that can divide the 5,000-square-foot turf floor into as many as three smaller fields.

With the onset of cold weather in New England, Metro West already has a busy winter schedule. Four- to nine-week baseball clinics are ongoing for a variety of ages and skill levels, while 3-week softball clinics with a variety of focuses (basic fundamentals, pitching, catching and slap hitting) are on tap. A 4-on-4 softball league for high school players starts in December, and a pair of one-day lacrosse camps were recently held. “Empower” one-hour fitness workouts take place at the complex four mornings per week.

The facility will also host the new Metro West Vipers AAU baseball team and the Abbey Villa youth soccer organization for off-season workouts.

A pair of former baseball teammates at Colby-Sawyer (N.H.) College helped to develop the complex: Ashland native Joey Magnani, who previously worked at the On Deck-supplied Extra Innings facility in Wrentham, Mass., and Mike Croatti, who grew up in neighboring Framingham and is the head baseball coach at Algonquin Regional High School. The two teamed with Metro West’s business and accounting manager, Chris Billings, to see the project to completion.

The facility’s staff also includes Rich Piergustavo, a former associate scout with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, as the baseball and softball supervisor. A pair of four-year starters from Roger Williams (R.I.) University, as well as the head coach of an area showcase team, are among the softball instructors.

Based in Brockton, Mass., On Deck Sports is the leader in designing, installing, and supplying indoor sports facilities throughout North America. For more information, visit the Facility Portfolio page on OnDeckSports.com.