EDMUND, OK – 6 Dec, 2017 – Each year as baseball season begins at the University of Central Oklahoma, so begins the scheduling nightmare. The constant battle with field conditions and the repeated scheduling and rescheduling of baseball games and cancellations of practice due to weather and field conditions will soon be a distant memory. The University has decided to switch Wendell Simmons Field from natural grass at to Matrix® Turf with Helix Technology by Hellas Construction.
The Bronchos baseball team had a great season this year, missing the opportunity to play in the World Series by only one game. UCO Bronchos Head Coach John Martin said, “We play 20-25 games each season on our home field and miss an average of 15 days of practice and games each season because of the field conditions.”
The team has traveled throughout the Midwest, playing a variety of surfaces, including various types of synthetic turf. “We were one of the few that didn’t have artificial turf. The players are used to playing on turf when we travel and they like it,” Martin said. Most of the fields just have the infield covered in turf. “We will be one of the few to have a whole baseball field of turf,” Martin said.
Coach Martin was excited Hellas Construction and their Matrix Turf with Helix Technology was in the running for the baseball facility. “It was my favorite turf we played on,” Martin said. They had played at Broken Arrow where Hellas previously installed its turf on baseball, softball, and football fields. “It was just different, I liked the way it felt and played,” Martin said.
Martin said Hellas was also selected because they can do more than just the turf. “They can do the construction part, like building the outfield wall and bullpen. They can do it all,” Martin said. Hellas will also be adding turf to the batting cages, bunting areas, and existing bullpin.
The university had a private donation that made funding the renovation to Matrix Turf possible. “The donation came at a great time and we are very thankful for it,” Martin said. “This will have a great impact on the players and the team as a whole, making us more efficient and able to do more every day.”
“The players are very excited about it,” Martin said. It will be nice to be able to practice whether it rains an hour or a half an hour,” he said. “This will help with everyday operations and not missing valuable practices,” Martin said. “This is going to give our players the chance to develop and get better.”
About Hellas Construction, Inc.
Hellas Construction, Inc., headquartered in Austin, TX, is one of the largest sports construction contractors in the United States. While specializing in the general construction of sports facilities and synthetic surfaces, Hellas also champions innovative artificial turf manufacturing, base construction, field, track and tennis planning, installation and maintenance. Hellas Construction is the trusted turf provider of the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, The Star at Frisco TX, and Ford Center. Hellas is the Preferred Turf Provider of the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium and exclusive turf provider for the Jacksonville Jaguars at their new indoor practice facility at Daily’s Place, next to Everbank Field in FL.
To learn more about Hellas Construction, visit hellasconstruction.com
About the University of Central Oklahoma
The University of Central Oklahoma was founded in 1890 and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. UCO is located in Edmund, OK on 210 acres and is the third largest university in the state, serving approximately 17,000 students each year and offering 117 undergraduate areas of study and 74 graduate programs. Central was the state’s first public institution of higher learning and continues to cultivate creativity and innovation in every corner of campus, bringing to life its core values of Character, Community, and Civility each day. Wendell Simmons Field was named after the coach Wendell Simmons who coached the Bronchos for 19 years, retiring in 2010.
Visit uco.edu for more information.
Media Contact
Company Name: Hellas Construction
Contact Person: Katrina Suits
Phone: 512-250-2910
Country: United States
Website: www.hellasconstruction.com