HEADLINE NEWS ASBA’s Awards Program Now Accepting Entries

Mary Helen Sprecher

And the winner could be…your project, should you choose to enter it. ASBA is now accepting applications for its Facility Awards program.

The purpose of the program is to promote excellence in sports facility construction by recognizing those facilities built or designed by ASBA members which have met the strict qualifications. Awards are given to the facilities with recognition for participating ASBA member companies at the 2023 Technical Meeting.

Start preparing your award submission today! ASBA strongly encourages member companies to carefully review all the information on the Facility Awards including official rules, categories, application and judging process, and costs/deadlines prior to submitting an application. All facilities that meet the standards of excellence determined by the Awards Committee will receive a Distinguished Facility Award.

To qualify for entry, you must be an ASBA member in good standing and projects submitted must have been completed within the current year or within the previous 2 calendar years (ending Dec. 31 prior to the application deadline).

Don’t delay! Application deadline is June 19, 2023, at 11:59pm ET.

ASBA members may submit projects in any of the following categories:

• Tennis: Indoor Tennis Facility, Outdoor Tennis Facility, Residential Tennis Facility

• Pickleball: Indoor Pickleball Facility, Outdoor Pickleball Facility, Residential Pickleball Facility

• Track/Track & Field: Indoor Track Facility, Outdoor Track Facility, Track & Field Facility*

• Field: Single Field Facility, Multi Field Facility, Track & Field Facility*

• Courts & Recreational Facilities: Courts & Recreational Multi-Purpose Field House Facility, Courts & Recreational Multi-Purpose Gymnasium Facility, Courts & Recreational Multi-Purpose Fitness & Wellness

*Note: Track & Field Facility Award is a combination of both the track and field in the same construction project. To be eligible in this category, the entry MUST have included construction of both facilities.

Why submit a project? ASBA’s Facility Awards help further the Association’s mission to do the following:

• Challenge those responsible for sports facility construction to achieve a higher level of excellence

• Bring national recognition to sports facilities designed and built with a high degree of excellence

• Provide notoriety to ASBA member companies in recognition of their commitment to excellence in design and construction

What’s new this year: Certified Builders who complete a successful awards application (meaning whose facility wins an award) can earn one recertification point per award, up to three recertification points in one year and up to six recertification points over three years.

Award winners in all facility categories are notified of their status in late summer. Announcement of the Facility of the Year winners are made during the ASBA Technical Meeting, December 1-4, 2023, in Houston, Texas. ★

Exclusive Survey: Coaches and ADs Weigh in on Athletic Facilities

Mary Helen Sprecher

One of ASBA’s recent projects was a survey of school coaches and athletic directors. The survey, sent to subscribers of Coach & Athletic Director, was designed to gain insight into the current state of athletic facilities nationwide, as well as the plans for future improvements.

ASBA asked a range of questions on topics such as facility types, budgeting, top priorities and challenges for upgrades, as well as respondents’ experiences working with facility designers and installers. The survey results were e-mailed to all ASBA members; however, some of the key findings are as follows:

• A huge percentage of respondents (over 70%) stated they worked in a public high school setting. A little over 15% worked in private high schools and less than 10% worked in public universities and colleges.

• Budgeting was a top concern for respondents, with 82% indicating that funding was a significant challenge when it came to facility improvements.

• Top priorities for upgrades in the next 1-2 years were equipment, indoor facilities, fields (natural and synthetic), and outdoor running tracks.

• More than 80% of respondents indicated that ADA compliance is important to their facilities.

• For most respondents, the timeline for making decisions on upgrading facilities was more than six months.

• More than half of all respondents said they were familiar with ASBA’s membership directory and with its Certified Builder program, and another 42% said they were aware of the Construction and Maintenance Manual series.

The survey included a number of other insights, some facility-specific and some industry-specific. Overall, it makes for excellent and informative reading, and can be helpful in developing strategies to meet the needs of this market. The survey results were sent out to all members on March 28. If you can’t recall getting a copy of the e-mail, check with ASBA’s office to see if you can receive the information again. ★