WELCOMING A GREAT NEW SOCCER VENUE
Dedication of NIKE synthetic fields at Lafayette Community Center


Los Angeles - The Department of Recreation and Parks, in partnership with the NIKE Corporation, the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles (AAF) and the Heart of Los Angeles Organization (HOLA), dedicated two new NIKE synthetic soccer fields at Lafayette Community Center on Thursday, September 28, 2006.

NIKE and the AAF donated $300,000 for three "Joga Bonito" soccer fields to be built at two different Department parks in Los Angeles. NIKE's "Joga Bonito" fields, Portuguese for "Play Beautiful", are designed to introduce the Brazilian futsal-style of small-field soccer that emphasizes ball control and foot skills to youth.

The two "mini-pitch" fields at Lafayette have replaced a dirt field at the southwest portion of the park. Each field is 75 feet by 100 feet and located adjacent to one another. This side-by-side configuration allows for 3-on-3 play within each individual field and 5-on-5 play by combining both into a 150 foot by 100 foot soccer field.

The new soccer fields have a synthetic surface known as FieldTurf. FieldTurf Inc., a leading producer fo synthetic turf, creates athletic surfaces by using NIKE Grind material recycled from footwear manufacturing and worn out or outdated shoes. For each field constructed, approximately 75,000 pairs of shoes and many pounds of rubber waste will not end up in landfills.



MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jane Kolb: (213)928-9294, or cell, (323)816-6712
Harvey Drut: (213)928-9296, or cell, (323)816-6711