Richard Montgomery High School “More Than Just A Field”

Why we are installing a synthetic turf field All-weather, all season availability for a variety of events Increased playing hours for use by RM students and for the RM community Fewer injuries to all the athletes utilizing the field Reduced maintenance cost; decrease in man-hours Excellent playability and stability for all sports Environmentally friendly for Montgomery County Cost-effective for RMHS Infrastructure for the RMHS Sports and Event Management Academy (SEMA) activities.

Demographics RM closely represents the county’s demographics in terms of ethnic groups.

Incoming MYP Freshmen

Number of RM Students Taking Advanced Placement Exams

Number of Advanced Placement Exams Administered

Sports and Event Management Academy Students will be exposed to a rigorous program that provides valuable knowledge, and critical hands-on experience, in the ever- growing industry of Sports and Event Management. Students will actively gain both practical and theoretical experience to work in the various fields of athletics, sports and leisure, recreation and sports- and arts-related entertainment. Topics of interest will include: Sports and the Media Sports and the Law Sports Statistics and Data Analysis Kinesiology of Sport Marketing Business and Entertainment Management.

Sports and Event Management Academy SEMA students will become part of one of the following MCPS Career and Technology Education (CTE) Pathways: Media and Broadcast Journalism Business Administration and Management Health Professions (Please refer to the RM web-site for additional program information)

Sports and Event Management Academy SEMA students will be actively working with the RMHS community, as well as other community groups and businesses, to… Plan Implement Monitor Facilitate Advertise …a variety of sport and entertainment events at the new RMHS school and stadium facilities.

To date, all of our planned SEMA program events will be centered on our new artificial-surface stadium field and the adjacent building facilities. Events such as… county and state interscholastic playoff games, state and regional Marching Band competitions, semi-pro. and collegiate soccer and lacrosse tournaments, state and regional recreational league competitions, and Montgomery County Arts Council and recreational program events. …will all be highlighted at our new facilities. Sports and Event Management Academy

Coppin State University Georgetown University University of Maryland Penn State University Washington Nationals Real Maryland Rockville Express Radio America Business and Educational Partners

Third Generation Turf Synthetic turf is guaranteed to resist: Ultraviolet rays (direct sunlight); Rot, mold, mildew, hydrolysis; Airborne contaminants; Microbial attacks (including MRSA); Foot-traffic of non-athletic events; and All types of weather.

Third Generation Turf Today’s synthetic grass surfaces are not the “old Astroturf” you may have heard of. Technology has advanced to a point where the 3 rd generation synthetic surfaces look like real grass, play like real grass, and are proven to be SAFER than real grass.

Third Generation Turf Unlike traditional artificial turf, synthetic turf does not rely on an underlying “shock pad” for safety, resilience and comfort. Like grass, synthetic turf fibers are surrounded by, and stabilized, by a blend of life-like “synthetic earth” – a patented, layered mixture of smooth sand and rubber granules.

Third Generation Turf Quality synthetic turf fields have up to 10 pounds of this rubber/sand infill mixture per square foot of playing surface.

Increased Playing Hours Synthetic turf fields can be used 3,000 hours of “event use” per year (over a four-season window), with no damage to the turf. Natural turf fields become unplayable after 680 to 816 hours per year, and are typically only available only for three seasons of “athletic play” (late spring, summer and early fall).

All-Weather Availability Synthetic turf can be used within hours of the heaviest rain. Synthetic turf can be used year-around. Snow can even be plowed off of a synthetic turf field.

Fewer Injuries Studies have shown that synthetic turf fields are far more uniform and consistent than the natural turf fields schools are able to maintain. Synthetic fields are made of resilient materials that provide a level of impact attenuation that is difficult to obtain on hard, over-used natural grass fields.

Environmentally Friendly Using synthetic turf eliminates the need for chemicals that flows into our streams. Used auto tire rubber (in the infill mixture) recycles 25 million used auto tires per year (otherwise, they end up in U.S. landfills). The EPA regularly encourages the use of recycled auto tires for playgrounds, running tracks and artificial surface athletic fields.

Cost-Effective Natural turf fields require approximately : 70,000 gallons of irrigation water/week, lbs of fertilizer/year per 1,000 sq. ft. of turf, Plus the regular application of herbicides & pesticides.  The average natural grass field costs up $50,000/year to properly maintain. A synthetic grass field averages less than $5,000/year to maintain. Synthetic turf fields are typically warranted for about 3,000 hours of play per year - with no "rest" required. Synthetic turf fields are a consistent, available venue that provides a reliable source of rental revenue for schools and community-use agencies.  The average life-span of a synthetic turf surface is between 10 and 12 years.

“But, artificial surfaces… … are dangerously hot in the summer months.” FACT A synthetic surface (vs. natural grass) will minimally retain the heat during the hotter hours of the summer days (i.e. 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm), but… Synthetic surfaces can be watered down to create a cooler playing surface during this time frame.

“But, artificial surfaces… …retain the MRSA staph virus.” FACT Studies have shown that synthetic surfaces do not retain staph or other microbial bacteria. It is proven that other surfaces found in athletic facilities do carry staph and other microbial bacteria (i.e. locker rooms, towels, training rooms, benches, etc.) Bad hygiene and improper cleaning methods are the prime factors in the transfer of microbial bacteria.

“But artificial surfaces… … contain toxic chemicals in the rubber ?” FACT The human body is unable to digest the rubber material contained in the infill. Any ingested rubber will pass right through the human digestive system. Highway and air transportation, heating, and cooking represent the largest amount of PAHs in the air – not the ground rubber found in synthetic turf infill.

“There are way more injuries on turf!” A 5-year study showed that synthetic turf resulted in : 55% fewer Neural injuries 47% fewer Cranial Cervical injuries 45% less time lost to long-term injuries (22+ days) 38% fewer serious injuries 35% less time lost to short-term injuries (1-2 days)

This opportunity for RM is… “More Than Just A Field!