Abby Wambach Wants Real Grass for Real Athletes
Women’s World Cup Champion Team Co-Captain Joins RISE
to Raise Awareness about the Benefits of Well Maintained Turf
Abby Wambach
Co-captain of the World Cup Championship
U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team
(New York, N.Y., July 29, 2015) — The 2015 Women’s World Cup final match became the highest-rated and most-watched soccer game ever to air in the United States. Not only did it turn the world’s attention to women’s soccer, it also put a spotlight on a concern many people don’t think about – playing on artificial turf.
For Abby Wambach, co-captain of the World Cup Champion U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, well-maintained grass under her soccer cleats isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity for playing aggressively and reducing risk of injury. Wambach’s appreciation for playing on grass has been front and center since the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced the games would be fielded on artificial turf in July 2014.
“There is nothing better than playing the sport I love on a real grass field,” said Wambach. “The ball moves quickly and I’m required to react fast and with precision. Real, well-maintained grass helps me anticipate the ball’s movement and feel better about going all-out.”
Wambach’s appreciation for playing on grass created a perfect partnership with RISE to raise awareness about the value of real grass fields and the products and processes needed to care for them. As part of the partnership, Wambach conducted media interviews from New Jersey Red Bull Arena on July 29. Her voice helped carry RISE’s messages to today’s parents and tomorrow’s next generation of soccer stars.
“Soccer is a great foundational sport, and I want kids to someday be able to experience everything I have,” said Wambach. “That all starts with a natural, healthy playing field.”
“The benefits of real turf playing surfaces bring to life the importance of healthy grass in all the places we live and play, which gives us the opportunity to show the value of products used to maintain healthy turf,” said Karen Reardon, vice president of public affairs for RISE. “Abby’s media interviews and the content shared through social media highlight her professional athlete’s perspective, though the benefits she describes are well known to athletes, parents and communities across the country.”
During the interviews, Wambach told athletes and parents of athletes to think about the following elements before stepping on a playing field:
1. Natural turf is the optimal playing surface: Natural turf provides athletes with an optimal playing surface – real grass. Practice and competition on natural grass creates softer, and up to 40 degrees cooler, fields with less risk of knee and ankle injuries and skin abrasions.
2. Turf care is an integrated game plan: The best playing fields showcase the results of an integrated pest management (IPM) approach to managing weeds, insects, and diseases that harm grass. Well maintained grass offers thick, reliable play; otherwise, grass can become patchy with weeds or dirt, creating tripping and other hazards.
3. Groundskeepers need a complete toolbox: Professional groundskeepers and sports turf managers need access to effective pesticide and fertilizer products that help keep grass healthy. Turf managers use these products judiciously to solve or prevent specific problems.
4. Natural turf is personal: Natural grass fields vary with region, soil type, weather patterns, field use, and more. The approach for all fields should be specific to those conditions to keep the field in great playing shape. With proper maintenance, natural grass fields do not have a fixed life and can be used for more than 20 years without replacement.
To learn more about RISE’s work with Wambach, visit www.debugthemyths.com/naturalturf.com You can also follow Debug the Myths on Facebook at www.facebook.com/debugthemyths and Twitter @DebugTheMyths.
About RISE
Located in Washington, D.C., RISE is the national association representing the manufacturers, formulators, distributors, and other industry leaders involved with pesticide and fertilizer products used in vector control, pest control, turf, ornamental, aquatic and terrestrial vegetation, and other non-food/fiber applications. Learn more about RISE at www.debugthemyths.com.