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Cruyff Court Everton is kick started by Koeman.

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The sun was shining in Walton on Wednesday for the opening of Cruyff Court Everton. The fifth of its kind in the UK, the artificial grass pitch, funded by The Johan Cruyff Foundation and The People’s Postcode Lottery will be operated by Everton in the Community (EiTC) and will provide members of the local community in the area a safe place to play sport.

Everton FC manager and Cruyff Foundation ambassador, Ronald Koeman, was guest of honour and declared the pitch officially open by scoring a penalty watched on by EiTC members and local school children. After watching a game played by the Everton FC disability team, Ronald, a close friend of Johan Cruyff remarked that it was an incredibly proud day and that he is equally as proud to be a part of the project and of the foundation itself.

The pitch is located at EiTC People’s Hub, a community centre opened in November 2016 that is home to many of the charity’s community projects and offers local people a safe haven to socialise and to access vital services. The Cruyff Court will enable Everton in the Community to continue to provide a wide range of programmes for the whole community, as well as introduce new programmes such as, walking football and disability sessions delivered by the charity’s coaching staff and volunteers.

The Cruyff Foundation’s overall aim is to provide children in the UK and abroad with a safe place to play sport, but as Nieeils Meijer, Director of the Cruyff Foundation mentions, the court will offer so much more: “The Cruyff Court offers the community of Everton a playfield that stimulates physical activity, but it is designed to be so much more than just a football pitch. It is a place where pupils learn about respect, responsibility and integration through sports.”

After the successful completion of Cruyff Court Everton the Foundation are now looking forward to the opening of more Cruyff Courts in the UK this year.

To find out more about the Cruyff Foundation please click here.

TigerTurf publishes guide to selecting and maintaining artificial grass tennis courts

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Leading artificial grass manufacturer, TigerTurf UK, has launched a new guide dedicated to helping tennis club managers and school facilities staff through the full specification process of an artificial grass tennis court.

Bringing together the latest thinking from within the industry, TigerTurf’s A break from tradition: how to select and maintain the best artificial grass tennis courts makes the case for investing in an artificial grass facility – and explains how clubs and schools can get the most from their surface once they have invested.

The guide gathers expert opinion on the installation of artificial surfaces, featuring the thoughts of tennis court contractors, Tennis 2000, on the most important considerations for a new installation, a column on choosing suppliers by the Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA), and even comment from Tennis Coach Ireland on the playability of artificial surfaces. Those who download the guide will also be able to read about tennis clubs who have successfully installed artificial tennis courts of their own.

The result is a comprehensive look at the reasons why artificial grass is an increasingly popular option within the tennis community, and is designed to help clubs and schools to take advantage of a relatively new, but rapidly evolving market.

Paul Langford, Managing Director at TigerTurf UK, commented: “Tennis is a sport which is developing all the time, and the latest generation of artificial tennis surfaces is furthering this progress no end. So many clubs are looking to do the best thing for members as well as distinguish their facilities from competitors, but it can seem quite a big step without the right information. We’ve produced our guide to put club managers at ease and map out exactly how they can take full advantage of the benefits on offer from an artificial grass court for years to come.”

For more information, or to download the guide, click here.

TigerTurf bolsters overseas operations with new Export Manager

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TigerTurf UK has bolstered support for its overseas operations with the appointment of its first ever Export Sales Manager.

Bringing over 10 years of experience within the sports surfacing sector, David Hook will head up TigerTurf’s newly-expanded export sales team as the business looks to further grow its presence in mainland Europe and the Middle East.

David forged a career in the textile industry through various technical, operational and sales roles, before a love of sport led him to a succession of business development roles in the manufacture of artificial grass. Having developed an eye for improving product quality and business efficiencies, David’s focus then moved on to developing new export sales markets, building sustainable relationships across Europe, Scandinavia and as far afield as Japan and Canada.

David will now be tasked with helping TigerTurf to build on existing partnerships abroad, as well as identifying new opportunities amidst a growing level of global competition. In this he will be supported by Suzi Cowen, who becomes Export Sales Co-ordinator following a successful period strengthening TigerTurf’s landscape sales.

David commented: “The opportunity to represent one of the major brands in the industry was one I couldn’t resist, and I’m delighted to be working within such a strong team backed up by excellent product range and quality of service.

“This is still a relatively new industry with a vast number of opportunities, especially for companies who focus on product development, quality and service. We will be looking to tap into these potential markets, by supplementing strong relationships with continued innovation.”

On the decision to create the new position, Managing Director, Paul Langford, added: “With TigerTurf having established itself in the domestic market, we are seeing an increasing number of opportunities for growth overseas – even during the uncertainty of the Brexit period. David’s experience in this sphere will be invaluable to the business as our focus on export grows and we take advantage of our strong position as a British manufacturer with international support from our parent company, TenCate.”

TigerTurf blog receives RIBA CPD approval

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The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has granted CPD approval to a blog by leading artificial grass manufacturer, TigerTurf UK.

Thanks to its RIBA approved status, a range of posts on the TigerTurf blog, which aims to enhance readers’ understanding of how artificial grass can be specified for different sport and landscape-based applications, can now count towards the annual CPD requirement for architects and other construction professionals.

As well as offering regular sport-specific guides to the specification process and guidance on the design and construction of artificial grass spaces, the blog also offers insight into its uses, maintenance, and how sports clubs can increase their chances of submitting a successful funding application.

Architects eager to benefit from regular insight from the world of artificial grass can even sign up to a tailored newsletter, which highlights articles specifically geared towards the interests of RIBA members.

Those wishing to enhance their knowledge of artificial grass further can also take advantage of a RIBA-approved CPD seminar offered by TigerTurf, which explains what it means to specify synthetic grass for a 3G football or rugby project. Upon request, the one-hour session can be delivered at registered practitioners’ offices free of charge, and covers a plethora of topics ranging from what a 3G pitch is and the sports’ governing bodies testing and accreditation processes, to installation, maintenance, and environmental considerations.

Paul Langford, managing director at TigerTurf UK said: “Our blog reflects our belief that, as a manufacturer, we have a responsibility to offer information and advice as well as our range of products. Architects know only too well how important the specification process is to any construction project, and the content posted on our blog is there to help those considering the use of artificial grass.”

Joni Tyler, Head of CPD at the RIBA added: “There can never be a ‘cookie cutter’ approach to professional development, and TigerTurf’s blog is the perfect example of how a manufacturer has delivered useful content in a format architects can turn to in order to learn about a chosen topic.”

To visit the TigerTurf blog, visit http://tigerturf.com/uk/media/blog, or to book a CPD seminar session, email UKmarketing@tigerturf.com or call 01299 253966.

TigerTurf publishes quick guide to choosing the right tennis surface.

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Artificial grass manufacturer, TigerTurf has published a new guide, aimed at helping those considering new tennis courts to decide which type of surface is best for their facility.

TigerTurf’s quick and easy comparison of the different types of tennis courts weighs up the pros and cons of grass, clay, hard, and artificial surfaces to give key decision makers all the information they need when trying to establish which is most appropriate.

Covering the way each surface plays, maintenance considerations, and physiological implications, the guide is the ideal resource for anyone looking to plan either a new or replacement tennis court installation.

Scott Milne, Sales & Account Manager (South) at TigerTurf commented: “Like the installation of any new playing surface, there is a long list of factors which need to be taken into account when deciding which tennis court is most suitable for a particular facility. By publishing our quick guide, we’re hoping to offer assistance which is as objective as possible and talks potential investors through the various opportunities and challenges posed by each type of material.”

To read TigerTurf’s guide and decide whether a grass, clay, artificial, or hard surface is best for your tennis court installation, click here.