Shaw Sports Turf has opened its new PEAK Performance Lab in Calhoun, Georgia, a research facility designed to analyze how athletes interact with synthetic turf surfaces. The lab's name represents its three focus areas: Playability, Environment, and Athlete Kinetics (PEAK).

The facility utilizes motion capture technology to study how athletes move on different turf systems, providing data that company officials say offers more comprehensive insights than standard mechanical testing methods used throughout the industry.

"The PEAK Performance Lab represents how Shaw Sports Turf continues to lead the industry and put customers at the center of innovation," said Chuck McClurg, Vice President of Shaw's Turf Division.

“Most companies rely on the assumption that mechanical tests of surface performance simulate how athletes will interact with the surface," said Chuck McClurg, Vice President of Shaw’s Turf Division. "By shifting from this mechanical testing to an athlete-driven approach, we can better understand how surfaces impact real athletes in terms of their movement, risk factors for injury and performance. This facility allows us to quickly turn insights into value, delivering real benefits to athletes as well as our distributors, partners, and end-use customers.”

 "Athlete testing turf surfaces in the product development phase provides us with invaluable information that far exceeds what we get with standardized mechanical tests," added Trey Brindle, director of research and innovation, Shaw. 

The company states the lab will help develop turf systems optimized for specific sports, environmental conditions, and athletic performance requirements. Shaw Sports Turf indicates this research approach aims to enhance both product development and safety considerations for synthetic playing surfaces.