The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA), the national organization for builders, designers and suppliers of materials for tennis courts, running tracks, synthetic turf fields and indoor and outdoor synthetic sports surfaces, has announced the date, location and program for its annual Technical Meeting. This year’s meeting will be held December 4-7 at the Marriott Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
One of the meeting’s most popular attractions is its exhibit hall. The exhibit hall is open to all registered attendees of the meeting, and is the place to go for receptions, breaks and gatherings before and after regular programming. Those who are interested in exhibiting can contact the Association directly, or can go to the web site, www.sportsbuilders.org.
This year’s meeting includes state-of-the-art sessions on advanced technique in sports facility design, construction and materials, as well as more rudimentary “how to” programs directed at those who want a more hands-on approach. There also are multiple social events to facilitate networking, golf and tennis tournaments, meetings of board and committees, presentations of industry awards, exams for those interested in the ASBA’s professional certification program, and more.
Participants can hear an update on the Association’s Fields Division by division president Dan Wright, CFB, Sports Turf Company. Those who are interested in taking the Certified Field Builder exam can do so as well; information is available by contacting the ASBA at www.sportsbuilders.org and following the links to the Certified Builder program. Other upcoming fields-related topics are as follows:
“Top 10 Do’s & Don’ts in Sports Field Construction”
Chad Price, CFB, Carolina Green Corp.
“Building Green, Understanding the Philosophy Behind LEED Certification and Tips for Building Green Sports Facilities”
Bahar Armaghani, University of Florida, Facilities Planning & Construction
“Research Update on Synthetic Turf for Sports Fields”
Tom Serensits, Penn State University
“Sports Field Netting”
Tom Pankey, Net Connection, LLC
“Irrigation Design for Sports Fields”
Tom Shannon, Ewing
“Using Adhesives for Sports Turf Installations: How Moisture and PH in Concrete Effects Performance.”
Benny Wood, B.R. Wood, LLC
In addition, other topics of general interest to all segments of the industry include:
“Creative Fund Raising for Athletic Facility Improvements”
William Seymour, P.E., Gale Associates, Inc.
“Meet Management – A General Description of How the Typical High School Track Meet Operates.”
Chris Chisam, Beals Alliance, Inc.
Greg Hull, Tarkett Sports
“Marketing Your Company”
Pete Francesconi, Tennis Industry Association/
Racquet Sports Industry Magazine
Mary Helen Sprecher, ASBA Technical Writer
Business sessions and information pertinent to tennis court and running track professionals, as well as those involved with indoor multi-purpose facilities, will be presented. The meeting will be beneficial to individuals in all segments of the industry.
The American Sports Builders Association is an approved provider of continuing education programs to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) through its Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LACES). Many of the sessions offered at this meeting are applicable for these continuing education credits.
The location for this year’s meeting is Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and the facility is the Marriott Sawgrass, which offers excellent accommodations, golf facilities that are unparalleled, and a host of other excellent amenities. The hotel will offer special discounted room rates to those who book directly and mention the ASBA Technical Meeting. Information is available by contacting the Association at its headquarters via phone, 866-501-ASBA (2722) or 410-730-9595, fax 410-730-8833, or by e-mail at info@sportsbuilders.org.