COMMUNITY RALLIES AROUND TAOS HIGH SCHOOL WITH A STUDENT-DESIGNED FIELD DEDICATED TO A COMMUNITY LEGEND

TAOS, N.M., Oct. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Taos High School officially revealed its brand-new football field named after the school's beloved former maintenance supervisor Loren Anaya. Used and designed by the entire community of Taos, the new Loren Anaya Field and track surface represents more than a love of sports.

"This facility represents not just a physical space, but our community's dedication to health, athleticism, outdoor learning space, and camaraderie," says Taos Municipal Schools Superintendent Valerie Trujillo.

The design of the field was chosen by the student body at Taos High School. Included in the design is the signature of Loren Anaya emblazoned on the 25-yard line of the home side of the field. Integral to the design of the track and field was a commitment to providing athletes with the safest surfaces possible.

"Safety was our number one priority," says Taos Municipal Schools Athletic Director Hernando Chavez. "The community could see that it was time for a change. We did our absolute best to make sure we had safe surfaces for our athletes."

Bringing the design chosen by the student body to life meant an entire renovation of the track and field. Once the old surfaces were removed, a paved-in-place e-layer was installed for the field. Known as  Cushdrain^®, this e-layer is rated with the highest safety standards when it comes to shock absorption and field drainage. On top of the shock pad is Matrix Helix monofilament turf made from curled fibers with shape memory technology that spring back into place after impact rather than lying flat. Additionally, the shape of the fibers holds the infill in place. For safety purposes, this provides athletes a consistent surface to play on, with sure footing and even shock absorption across the field.

For the new track surface, Hellas crews installed an Q3000 epiQ track system^®. Made from eco-friendly, non-petroleum-based materials, Q3000 EpiQ Tracks are impermeable, poured-in-place running track surfaces installed by Hellas in a multi-layered application. The result is a durable and resilient 10mm track surface that is safe for the student-athletes and built to last at least ten years.

"We are going to have a spring in our step," Mitchell says. "When you come to Taos you are coming to one of the best backdrops in New Mexico. The kids are excited to show the community what they can do on our new surfaces," adds Mitchell. Taos has won 8 state track and field titles since 2013.

The community rallied together at the dedication of Loren Anaya field at Tiger Stadium as Anaya's granddaughter, Wanda Lucero had the honor of cutting the ribbon during the dedication ceremony.

For more information regarding the official ribbon cutting and field dedication of Loren Anaya field, be sure to check out the following video link edited by Hellas. https://youtu.be/E2PP-A4XVR8

About Hellas – Located in Austin, Texas, Hellas is the largest vertically integrated sports contractor in the United States, specializing in the manufacturing, construction, and installation of sports surfaces and amenities. In addition to completing hundreds of K-12 and collegiate sports projects across the nation, Hellas has also installed fields at game day or practice facilities for the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington Commanders, and Green Bay Packers. The Hellas Group has multiple offices located around the world. For more information about Hellas and its industry-leading turf solutions, please visit HellasConstruction.com

About Taos High School, founded in 1917, is a public high school in Taos, New Mexico, United States. It is located outside of Taos Pueblo, at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Media Contact: Jeff Power 
Hellas Director of Communications
[email protected]

SOURCE Hellas