When the University of Rhode Island (URI) realized its baseball field needed resurfacing, the program searched for turf that could mirror the playability of a natural field. That search led them to Shaw Sports Turf.
“The most important factor for choosing Shaw Sports Turf was their turf played more like a natural grass and dirt surface,” said Raphael Cerrato, the head baseball coach at URI. “The ability to execute intricate designs was another deciding factor for us.”
Here, Cerrato explains the advantages from the partnership, his experience working with the Shaw Sports Turf team and more.
Have you seen any advantages from a recruiting aspect?
The recruits we bring on campus love it. They go out there and we tell them it’s a higher quality field than everyone else. I think it’s the best surface in New England. It’s certainly an area that helps our recruiting.
What type of feedback have you received from your athletes?
Our players love it. It’s definitely a much different feel compared to our old field which was very bouncy and hard. The new field is much softer, and our infielders love it. Our team actually broke our season record for fielding percentage this year. The new field is definitely easier to dive and slide on. It includes the shock absorption pad, and our players love it.
What was your experience like working with Shaw Sports Turf?
Shaw Sports Turf did a good job and everything went well. Some issues came up with redoing some surfaces and the mounds, but they did a great job taking care of it. I thought they were outstanding.
Is there anything else you’d like to add about the field or your experience working with Shaw Sports Turf?
They did a great job. We were looking at several companies to do our new field, and we thought Shaw Sports was the best turf company out there. We wanted to have an advantage over other schools, and going with Shaw Sports Turf was an advantage for our players, program and recruiting. Also the quality of the field came out as expected, if not even better.
