AusLeisure

On a weekend when rain across Sydney resulted in many Football NSW State League fixtures being called off due to waterlogged pitches, Northbridge FC's newly completed synthetic surface resulted in all grades completing their fixtures.

Installed at the Northridge Oval by Turf One, the fourth generation FieldTurf Tarkett surface will mean that rained off fixtures and training will be a thing of the past for the club. The new surface will also enable the club to generate new revenue streams with off-season competitions.

The surface also includes an innovative cricket wicket which is sunk when football is played on the Oval (and covered with the FIFA 1 Star surface) and then raised hydraulically for the cricket season.

The $1 million project has been a joint initiative of Willoughby City Council and Northbridge FC with funding also coming from the NSW and Federal Government Grants as well as the Kuringai and District Soccer Association (KDSA).

The ambitious club on Sydney's North Shore is one of the largest in Australia, with over 2,000 registered players in NSW State and local KDSA competitions.

As part of the Clubs' long term youth development plans the club has worked hard over the past five years to create a point of difference for local players.

This season has seen the club import four coaches from the Bayer Leverkusen youth academy (of the German Bundesliga) and the Leverkusen region, who together with the club's highly credentialed Director of Coaching Joe Haywood from Sydney's Love Football academy are coaching the boys and men's State League teams, aiming to enhance individual players' technical skills, team strategy and tactics, as well as the intensity of play.

Sadly, the home team's first outing on the new surface saw Northbridge's Under 13s lose 0-5 to St George, formerly of the National Soccer League.

For more information go to www.turfone.com.au 

As of 2015,  FieldTurf Tarkett products are distributed in Australia by FieldTurf Australia.

Click here to contact FieldTurf Australia via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

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