Browns to install high-quality synthetic turf field at Garfield Heights High School (3.15.24)

For Immediate Release

March 15, 2024

BEREA, Ohio – Today. the Cleveland Browns and Garfield Heights City Schools hosted the Groundbreaking for the new field surface at Garfield Heights High School. As part of the Browns commitment to education as well as youth and high school football, the organization will install ForeverLawn high-quality synthetic turf in association with Ohio Cat at the high school this spring.

It marks the 15th field surface provided to Ohio schools and communities by the Browns, courtesy of the Haslam and Johnson families as well as Browns Give Back, since the team’s long-term field initiative launched eight years ago in May 2016.

“We are thrilled to have officially broken ground on our 15^th field surface project here at Garfield Heights High School and provide this great resource for the community,” said Cleveland Browns Executive Vice President and Partner JW Johnson. “This new field will not only enhance the student-athletes’ playing experience but also the development and growth of the students, athletes, and provide residents of Garfield Heights with a place to learn and play.”

A primary focus of the Browns’ field project is to offer youth educational tools through “outdoor classrooms,” which offer opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities that support attendance, school engagement and overall personal growth. The construction of the project at Garfield Heights High School is expected to be completed by the start of the 2024 fall sports season.

“The Garfield Heights City Schools has a motto, and that is Every child… Every day… TOGETHER,” said GHCS Superintendent Dr. Richard D. Reynolds, “This morning’s event, along with the generosity of the Cleveland Browns and Haslam Sports Group, we have experienced the power of what TOGETHER truly means. This field turf will empower and enrich not only our students, but our community for generations to come.”

Garfield Heights City School District has been a partner of the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network since 2021and is committed to improving school attendance. Student engagement is a driver of student attendance, and through the installation of the new turf field at Garfield Heights High School, the district aims to create engagement opportunities to help students get excited to attend school every day.

ForeverLawn, which is the Official Synthetic Turf Partner of the Cleveland Browns, is a premium synthetic turf provider based out of Louisville, Ohio. It will provide high-performance synthetic turf from its SportsGrass line of products for the Garfield Heights HS renovation in association with Ohio Cat, as well as future sites selected by Browns Give Back.

All of the new fields created through the program are lined for multiple sports, including but not limited to football and soccer, and serve as a resource to further engage athletes and students in their respective districts and programs. Given the stability of the surface and less maintenance needed compared to natural grass, the fields are also more readily available year-round to youth and community groups.

Haslam and Johnson families and Browns Give Back field project summary:

Roye Kidd Field (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 2016)
James F. Rhodes Field (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 2016)
Bump Taylor Field (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 2016)
John Adams Field (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 2017)
John Marshall Field (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 2017)
Roy C. Start High School (Toledo Public Schools, 2018)
George Daniel Field (Lorain City Schools, 2018)
Boys and Girls Hope of Northeast Ohio (2019)
Ellet High School (Akron Public Schools, 2019)
Shaw High School (East Cleveland City School District, 2021)
Archbishop Hoban High School (2021)
Buchtel Stadium (Akron Public Schools, 2022)
Vitamix Field at Charles Harding Memorial Stadium (Olmsted Falls City Schools, 2022)
Lou Groza Field (Berea City School District, 2023)
Garfield Heights High School (Garfield Heights City Schools, 2024)*

*Completed in Fall 2024

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About Browns Give Back:

The Cleveland Browns are committed to championing youth football, education and social justice in our community

and throughout Ohio. To learn more visit, https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/community/.

About ForeverLawn:

ForeverLawn® improves spaces and communities through innovative synthetic grass solutions. Beginning in 2004 as the daring entrepreneurial venture of two brothers, ForeverLawn has consistently led the synthetic turf industry through groundbreaking approaches to products and practice. As the premium choice for synthetic surfacing, each product is engineered to solve unique consumer needs and desires while maintaining superior standards and natural aesthetics. Today the company services over 90 localized markets through their dealer network with an impressive regional, national and international project portfolio. To learn more about the ForeverLawn family of products and how to be a person of impact through business ownership opportunities, visit foreverlawn.com.

About Ohio Machinery Co.:

Ohio Machinery Co., dba Ohio Cat, is the authorized Caterpillar® dealer operating from 14 locations throughout Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeastern Indiana. The Equipment & Power Systems Division of Ohio Machinery Co. includes Ohio Cat, Ohio Cat – The Cat Rental Store, and SITECH Ohio. For over 75 years, Ohio Cat has provided sales, parts, and service solutions for businesses in support of their equipment and power system’s needs. Specializing in rental services, Ohio Cat – The Cat Rental Store provides Cat® and non-Cat equipment rental, along with rental trench shoring and pump solutions. SITECH Ohio is part of a global distribution network built specifically to provide the most comprehensive CAT and Trimble construction technology solutions in the industry.

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