Interview: Paul Clark, Lead Supervisor, Rekortan Northeast America
Penn Relays, special projects and powering the region’s track scene.
The Northeast of America is a track haven, driven by a large population and a rich history of the sport spearheaded by the US’s oldest and largest track and field competition, the Penn Relays Carnival. As the Official Track of the Penn Relays since 1988, Rekortan’s tracks have powered the sport across colleges and high schools from Pennsylvania to New York, New Jersey to New England. Paul Clark, Rekortan’s lead supervisor for the Northeast, has overseen this track growth for two decades. We caught up with him at Franklin Field, home of the Penn Relays and the third edition of Grand Slam Track to find out more.
Tell us about your track career?
I started building tracks 20 years ago, right out of high school and now, as Rekortan’s lead supervisor in the Northeast region, I oversee all the crews and coordinate the logistics for our track projects here. We service the region through our Rekortan Direct team and our partner network of expert installers, so I get to interact with a cross section of people across the track building world and it’s really rewarding work.
You have deep reserves of internal track building expertise within Rekortan. How did this come about?
Our Syracuse-based Rekortan Direct business was established in 2018 when AstroTurf Corporation acquired Nagle Athletic Surfaces. It was a meeting of decades of expertise and trust with the most chemically advanced products. Nagle had been installing tracks for 25 years and came with such strong resources and experience. The trust they had built up in the track community here over that time was second to none. When they partnered with Rekortan, the chemistry and materials in our products, coupled with their installation expertise, helped to establish Rekortan as the leading track installer in the region.
This quote from founder, Paul Nagle Athletic (who was also the former President of American Sports Builders Association) when we joined forces says it all:
“Rekortan tracks are trusted around the world and right here in the Northeast. Rekortan track systems use proprietary materials and advanced chemistry, engineered to work together. This fully integrated design delivers greater durability, consistent performance, and long-term value.”
What’s the size of the operation you oversee today?
We have over 100 people in the region which gives us decades and decades of track building experience. My team includes projects managers, project administrators, estimators, facilities and logistics coordinators.
From Syracuse, New York, we run nine crews who cover the region doing new installations, resurfacing and maintenance. These crews are probably the most experienced track builders in the world with several thousands of track installations under their belts.
Over the last five years alone we have installed hundreds of Rekortan tracks in the region.
“We run nine crews who cover the region doing new installations, resurfacing and maintenance. These crews are probably the most experienced track builders in the world.”
Of those hundreds of installations, which ones stand out for you?
Shenendehowa High School is one of the largest public high schools in the state and has won numerous NYS Kerr Cups which recognize the schools with the most successful athletic departments in the state.
We have also installed tracks for some of the top high school track programs in upstate New York including Liverpool HS, Fayetteville Manlius, and Skaneateles. Providing tracks for the next generation of athletes is always special.
You’ve completed some pretty special projects out of state too haven’t you?
Yes, a highlight of this year was installing the inaugural track for Grand Slam Track in Kingston, Jamaica. A legend in our team, Doug Stone, who has been building tracks since the 1980s, was on site for the duration. We supplied the materials and equipment in record time to ensure this stunning track was ready for Michael Johnson’s new league starting.
Being part of the biggest innovation in track in decades was an honor and proves that our Northeast team is Grand Slam Track quality.
What expertise do you have beyond the internal team?
We have an excellent installer partner network in the region including ATT Sports, the installers behind the iconic Franklin Field track that is home to the Penn Relays.
They build tracks across the whole of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware and installed the tracks at Princeton University, Rutgers University, Rhode Island College, Duquesne University and many hundreds of high schools throughout the region.
Partners like ATT Sports are invaluable to our track offering in the region.
What tracks are really starting to fly in the Northeast?
Our Gel tracks are becoming more and more popular because the market wants greener solutions that provide better athlete welfare and performance.
Syracuse University is a good example. We have just installed a Rekortan Gel sprint runway at the indoor practice track at Manley Field. The Gel technology is as good indoors as it is outdoors so we expect to see more interest from indoor facilities.
How long-lasting are the Rekortan Gel benefits?
At Lincoln Park in Jersey City, New Jersey we recently re-tested a Rekortan Gel G13 track that was installed seven and a half years ago. This was one of the first gel tracks installed and still has 35% force reduction.
World Athletics mandates that tracks must have force reduction between 35% and 50% to achieve Class 1 Certification and therefore host major events such as the Olympics.
Lincoln Park achieving this after more than seven years is testament to Rekortan Gel’s superior technology. The Gel layer features trillions of liquid bubbles which provide superior force reduction and energy return, and unlike traditional polyurethan which is a solid mass, these liquid bubbles don’t go hard over time.
Why do Rekortan Gel tracks perform so well in the northern climates?
Our extreme northern climates do provide a specific challenge in the region. Going from very hot to very cold means that our tracks have to cope with the resultant freeze and thaw. The advanced science and quality of our materials combined with decades of experience building to these conditions mean we can offer excellent performance with our Gel systems.
The Gel, as a liquid inside a solid matrix, delivers more stable force reduction over a wider temperature range, which enhances the athlete experience. Importantly the gel layer is more temperature stable than standard polyurethanes. This allows it to offer consistent force reduction across a wide range of temperatures – from 10 degrees Celsius in the winter to 35+ degrees Celsius in the summer.
Athletes don’t like tracks that go hard or soft as the temperature changes so this provides a genuine performance advantage and supports better athlete welfare.
How do you ensure the tracks you install are maintained to last?
With such an established and experienced team working in the region we are very committed to servicing our tracks and looking after the customers who have trusted and chosen us for many years. Our crews regularly maintain and clean the tracks we have built to help increase their lifespan, the years of enjoyment they provide and to keep them out of landfill.