Strong Field of Community Donors Make Strongsville Turf Project Possible

The "Excellence in Athletics" fundraising campaign started in August 2015 has raised more than $1 million through corporate and individual donations. A portion of the money raised will be used to remove the natural grass at Pat Catan Stadium and replace it with synthetic turf reports Cleveland.com. Plans are also in the works to install synthetic turf at the new Strongsville Middle School.

District Communications Coordinator, Dan Foust told Cleveland.com, "It's been a fantastic response and we are very pleased, it is a testament to the corporations and the community to be able to partner with the school system this way."

The advantages to turf over natural grass include the ability to offer a wider variety of programming, plus these other advantages that Andy Jalwan, Strongsville High School athletic director shared with Cleveland.com.

"The synthetic turf fields at both the high school and new middle school will continue to help us enhance the district's athletic program. The fields will also provide us the ability and flexibility to host numerous events and activities, while maintaining the integrity of the playing surface, which has not been the case at our stadium."

Serpentini Chevrolet earned the title sponsor for the field thanks to a $400,000 donation said Foust. Other donors include:

• Southwest General Hospital with more than $280,000
• The Pat Catan family with $100,000
• Shoreline Trucking
• GPD Group
• Hammond Construction
• Strongsville's athletic booster and music booster clubs
• Strongsville lacrosse
• Strongsville administration and board members
• Strongsville PTA

"One of the reasons for going to turf was the ability to host several different activities and events back-to-back without damaging the field," Foust said.

The turf at Pat Catan Stadium is expected to be complete in August, just in time for the beginning of the Mustangs football season. The Strongsville Middle School field is scheduled to be complete in September 2017. Foust says he doesn't expect there to be any scheduling interruptions.

Strongsville School board President Carl Naso told Cleveland.com, "A better, safer surface for all who use the field, including athletes and band members, is a very positive end result."