Amherst Schools: New Field Holds Meaning for Business

Amherst, NY – When the Amherst Tigers take to the field this fall one local company will be watching closely – and it’s not just because it’s their product under foot. No, it’s really the nostalgia that is hitting close to home. When Jim Dobmeier, founder and president of Surface America and it’s A-Turf division, was about the age of those Tigers now, he went head to head with Amherst on the very field his company has been hired to replace as a member of the Maryvale High School football team. “As an athlete who once competed on this field, it’s a thrill to be involved in creating a new field for the many athletes who will play there now,” said Dobmeier. For years Amherst athletes have competed on a natural grass field. After reviewing its options and considering the challenges associated with natural grass, Amherst Central settled on synthetic turf. “For all the great care we gave to our grass field, we were still limited in the amount we could use it and the weather was definitely a factor,” said Mark Whyle, director of administrative services for the Amherst Central School District. “With the A-Turf field, we get a field that can be used back to back without causing damage.” Starting this month, Dimp Wagner Field is getting a facelift as A-Turf installs its Premier-RS rubber and sand infill system. The 79,800 sq. ft. surface, designed with a resilient underpad to enhance the system’s shock absorption, is among just a few synthetic playing surfaces to be installed in the Western New York region. The A-Turf playing surface is expected to be home turf for football, soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey. Using well-conditioned natural grass as its model, A-Turf delivers unmatched shock absorption and optimal footing – two characteristics of a superior playing surface. The denser construction of polyethylene fibers and a high level of specialized rubber and sand infill increase playability and lower the G-max rating, thus increasing shock absorption and reducing the impact to the athlete. In fact, A-Turf’s systems have the most fiber strands per square yard, a claim no other synthetic grass manufacturer can make. An increased amount of fibers means less movement of the infill components, creating greater playability and durability. A-Turf is a division of Surface America and is headquartered in Cheektowaga.