Indoor FieldTurf Installation Nears Completion

9/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football

Sept. 11, 2008

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Installation of a new indoor FieldTurf surface to replace the old Astroturf field in the Kirby-Flanagan Practice Room for the football team is nearing completion. Northwestern has been in the midst of a number of facility upgrades, including new team meeting rooms and a new players' lounge in the locker room.

"There have been some major improvements within our facilities since last fall," said head coach Pat Fitzgerald. "What we are most excited about is that all four of these upgrades, from the weight room to the FieldTurf to the new lounge, are improvements that benefit our players directly, and that was really our first concern."

Kirby-Flanagan's new surface will be the second FieldTurf field available for practice use, joining the outdoor field currently used by the football team. FieldTurf is designed to reduce stress and wear on players' bodies compared to the older Astroturf surfaces.