Turface Athletics, a leader in the sports field construction and maintenance industry, is proud to announce its participation in the 67th PONY League World Series, marking the company’s 15th year of involvement.
The annual tournament, hosted by PONY Baseball and Softball is an international event that gives the best teams from the PONY 14-and-under league the opportunity to travel to Washington Pennsylvania for a chance to win the series.
With donations from Turface Athletics, PONY’s turf management and field maintenance partner, the tournament takes place at Lew Hays PONY Field—the very first PONY league field in the world—which requires extensive rehabilitation ahead of the series. This year, Turface donated pallets of Turface Pro League Red for infield skin conditioning and moisture management; along with pallets of Turface MoundMaster Blocks and Professional Mound Clay for preparation and maintenance of the batter’s box and pitcher’s mound.
While the field is owned by the city of Washington, PA, PONY takes over the maintenance of Lew Hays from local Washington youth baseball program in mid-July. At this point the field has been subjected to months of baseball games and requires a full overhaul—from the field, grass and playing surface to the fence and facilities.
“We want the field to play true, we want the field to be safe, and we want an aesthetically pleasing environment,” comments Abe Key, President and CEO of PONY Baseball and Softball. “The partnership with Turface allows us to accomplish all three of those things. In addition to our partners, we have a great team of dedicated volunteers that come together to make the World Series a huge success for our young athletes.”
A group of over 30 volunteers act as the maintenance crew for the tournament, some of which are second and third generation PONY supporters. The group not only donates their time to get the field ready prior to the first game, but the team is also on standby all day, every day throughout the tournament to maintain the fields for the players.
“PONY Baseball and Softball is an incredible organization,” adds Jeff Langner Brand Manager, Turface Athletics. “We’re proud to support PONY in its mission to develop the next generation of baseball and softball players, and provide global opportunities for young athletes to enjoy the game. There’s a great undertaking that goes into preparing Lew Hays PONY field, and it’s fantastic to see volunteers and organizations rally together to give these young athletes a safe, fun and rewarding tournament.”