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TigerTurf Installs Country's First Synthetic Football Pitch to Launch FIFA GOAL Project in New Zealand
13/03/2007
The new pitch will be of huge benefit to football in this country. "Good quality grass pitches deteriorate through usage and can only be used for a certain number of hours per week. This one can be used for a considerably longer period per day. It will be primarily used for practice and training and our underage squads, our national squads and local teams.
- CEO, Graham Seater
- CEO, Graham Seater
New Zealand Soccer has unveiled the country's first synthetic football pitch following the installation of a NZ $1million TigerTurf surface at North Harbour Stadium as part of FIFA's worldwide GOAL Project.
The new TigerTurf surface was unofficially opened on Thursday 22nd February when the New Zealand U-17 women's team played a team of media representatives.
The match was the culmination of a week-long venue inspection tour by FIFA delegates, headed by Executive Committee member Chuck Blazer, ahead of the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup to be hosted by NZ Soccer in late 2008.
New Zealand Soccer CEO Graham Seatter says a reliable pitch is fundamental to the game of soccer and is an invaluable investment.
"Fields for sports such as rugby and rugby league are more forgiving in terms of being level," Seatter said. "Soccer grounds are required to be totally flat to ensure predictable and consistent ball bounce and this is the major benefit of the synthetic TigerTurf surface."
TigerTurf's own Ron Armstrong was in on the action playing for the media representatives' team against his daughter who was a member on the NZ U-17 women's team.
Ron says the TigerTurf staff is a team of sports enthusiasts - many athletes who played at the highest levels - who are always keen to be involved in innovative, sports development projects.
"It is great for TigerTurf to be able to provide surfaces on which young skills can be formed and talent can be developed," said Armstrong. "The pitch is quality and hard wearing, which will boost the hours in which players can play. Many events and training sessions are cancelled due to bad weather, especially in the winter months, so it is crucial to have a sophisticated pitch that can deal with all the elements."
TigerTurf is the only New Zealand synthetic surfaces company that manufactures its products in this country.
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