New sports surfaces from Polytan make the Horststadion in Herne a real eye-catcher:
The ideal solution for two sports with a lot of ground contact
Herne is a large city situated between Gelsenkirchen and Dortmund, in the middle of the Ruhr district. Sport has always been a major phenomenon in Herne; the city has multiple renowned football teams, such as SC Westfalia 04.
Today, the local sports association Stadtsportbund Herne e.V. (SSB) represents 170 sports clubs in Herne with more than 30,000 active members, including the Spielvereinigung Arminia Holsterhausen e.V. and the Herne Black Barons e.V.. The home ground of both clubs is the “Horststadion”, which was founded in 1930 and has been used for a wide variety of sports over the decades, including, football, handball and cycling. In early 2021, the stadium was fully renovated, during which the former gravel pitch was replaced with synthetic turf and a new athletics facility and mini playing field were built. These will not only be enjoyed by the two clubs, but will also be used for PE lessons by local schools such as the Horstschule, Sonnenschule, Erich-Fried-Gesamtschule, Hiberniaschule and the Schule am Schwalbenweg. Several daycare centres will also use the facilities.
Polytan supplied the corresponding surfaces for the various sports facilities. For example, the large playing field for football and American football features our LigaTurf Cross with cork infill – the ideal solution for both sports. Why? Our turf combines straight and textured filaments. The result: the look and feel of a real football field, which is already used successfully in professional sports, as well as simplified maintenance, increased infill stability and a high turf volume. Thanks to its excellent shock absorption, skin-friendliness and non-slip properties, LigaTurf Cross is also a perfect match for American football, a sport with a lot of ground contact. The visual highlight is undoubtedly the two club crests integrated into the turf.
The infill consists of pure cork, a natural, renewable raw material. It boasts good cushioning properties and is applied over a layer of sand. The material is sourced from the bark of cork oak and is completely biodegradable.
The small football pitch in Holsterhausen is equipped with our LigaGrass Pro with sand infill, which is exceptionally well-suited to school sports facilities, training facilities and miniature playing fields, and can be used all year round. The running track on one side of the large playing field is fitted with Polytan’s Rekortan M in classic brick red. Rekortan M stands out for its excellent acceleration and step elasticity. It is extremely fast and offers high shock absorption. The poured in-situ surface is waterproof and is optimally suited for sport shoes with spikes.
Today, the large playing field is used by footballers from the Spielvereinigung Arminia Holsterhausen and the Herne Black Barons, the American football club founded in 2016, with a senior team and multiple youth teams. The Herne Black Barons are also an official supporting club for integration, in accordance with the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). The club demonstrates this through its social commitments, for example by supporting the Herne palliative care station or the SSB’s “Pink against racism” campaign. Its motto is: “Herne sports clubs stand for openness and tolerance.” All Polytan’s managers and employees are fully on board with that!
