KOMPAN, LA84 and NIKE to Build Eco-Friendly FREEGAME Courts
KOMPAN, Inc. KOMPAN has teamed up with NIKE and LA84 to introduce the multisport concept of FREEGAME using Nike Grind surfaces to communities throughout parks in the City of Los Angeles.
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) December 10, 2008
Tacoma, WA (PRWEB) December 10, 2008 – KOMPAN, Inc. has teamed up with NIKE and LA84 to introduce the multisport concept of FREEGAME using Nike Grind surfaces to communities throughout parks in the City of Los Angeles. FREEGAME is a new concept to the recreation market and can be used for soccer, volleyball, basketball, field hockey or any game players create.
Patrick Escobar, Vice President of Grants and Programs for the LA84 Foundation, stated, "The LA84 Foundation and Nike have a goal to improve 84 sports facilities in the Los Angeles area in the next couple of years. We share the commitment to provide the opportunity for youth in Southern California to have a quality sports experience.” Escobar continues, “In addition to good coaches and equipment, youth should have safe, adequate facilities to play the sport of their choice. The FREEGAME court provides an environment where youth can concentrate on skill development and play. We are pleased to be working with KOMPAN to bring FREEGAME courts to communities in Southern California.”
Alicia Procello Maddox, Corporate Responsibility Manager of Nike West stated, “At NIKE we understand that at the heart of sport is play. With the LA84 Foundation, we’re helping to bring to communities in Los Angeles a fun, eco-friendly, multi-sport solution that makes everyone an athlete and let’s people play. Nike Grind surfaces, utilizing recycled shoes, represent NIKE’s innovation for considered design and an important part of our commitment to sustainability. Combining NIKE Grind and FREEGAME creates a sports arena that is as good for the athletes as the environment they play in.”
Tom Grover, President of KOMPAN, Inc. added, “KOMPAN’s commitment to building healthy communities through sustainable play is at the core of our company. KOMPAN products are built using non-toxic, recyclable materials, in compliance with the most stringent environmental standards.” Grover continues, “FREEGAME’s multi-sport concept gives all athletes, regardless of age or ability, a place for sport and play – a combination that energizes everyone’s time at the park and helps build a healthier community.”
The first FREEGAME court has been completed at the Algin Sutton Recreation Center and was dedicated with the help of the community and Mexican soccer star, Jorge Campos.
Mark Mariscal, Superintendent of the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks Pacific Region stated that, “We’re using the FREEGAME court to run young (ages 4-8) youth soccer clinics and a league for ages 5-15. The FREEGAME court is heavily used for basketball pick up games seven days a week. The court provides a safe environment for recreation activities. Projects including FREEGAME are an asset to the Department and are well received by the communities we serve. This type of public-private partnership sometimes is the only reason we are able to make park improvements such as this court.”
About The LA84 Foundation
The LA84 Foundation is endowed with surplus funds from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Its mission is to serve youth through sport and to increase knowledge of sport and its impact on people’s lives. The LA84 Foundation supports a wide array of youth sports programming. We award grants to youth sports organizations within the eight southern most counties of California. We also conduct our own youth sports and coaching education programs, a number of which have become models for similar programs nationwide
The LA84 Foundation operates the largest sports research library in North America, the Paul Ziffren Sports Resource Center. It is a state-of-the-art research facility and learning center dedicated to the advancement of sports knowledge and scholarship.
The LA84 Foundation is a private nonprofit institution. The Foundation has committed more than $177 million to accomplish its mission since 1985. To date, two million boys and girls, and more than 1,000 youth sports organizations throughout Southern California have benefited from the endowment. They will be joined by many more in the years ahead. For more information, visit http://www. la84foundation. org (http://www. la84foundation. org).
About NIKE Reuse-A-Shoe Program
As part of Nike's commitment to reducing its environmental impact, the Reuse-A-Shoe program has provided Nike Grind recycled material to nearly 300 sport and playground surfacing projects donated by Nike programs in communities around the world – in addition to the thousands of commercial projects completed by our surfacing partners. By partnering with Nike's social responsibility programs, Nike has added an innovative, sustainable focus to important community-building projects from their own backyard of Portland, Oregon, to inner cities, small towns and rural areas in nearly a dozen countries.
For more information on Nike's responsibility initiatives, as well as details on community support programs and to apply for a Bowerman grant, visit http://www. nikebiz. com/responsibility (http://www. nikebiz. com/responsibility).
About KOMPAN
KOMPAN, Inc. is a world leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of sustainable commercial playgrounds and multi-sport athletic equipment. KOMPAN specializes in designing unique, age-appropriate, and high quality recreational products that combine the highest environmental standards and exceptional play value. KOMPAN offers unique and challenging products for every stage of development. For more information about KOMPAN, our products and our environmental stance, please visit our website at www. kompan. com.
Contact:
Terra Moreland
Kompan, Inc.
(800) 426-9788
(866) 943-6254 - fax
Www. kompan. com
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