News

FOREST HILL, MD -The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA), the national organization for designers, builders and suppliers of materials for athletic facilities, has made the decision to combine its Tennis and Courts & Recreation divisions into one “Courts” division in 2021.

After much consideration by the Board of Directors and a special exploratory task force, the Board has voted to move forward with a single Courts division that will represent the interest of builders, designers and suppliers of tennis courts, pickleball courts, indoor and outdoor basketball and volleyball courts and a cadre of emerging sport surfaces in which ASBA members are involved.

Many of the programs and services that had been “housed” under the former Tennis and Courts & Recreation divisions will remain intact, such as the publications and certifications. Tennis Courts: A Construction & Maintenance Manual will stand as a separate publication; and the Certified Tennis Court Builder program will continue as a distinct professional credential.

Consumers visiting the ASBA website will likely find it easier to navigate the site and locate the appropriate resources. For example, someone seeking a builder will choose from one of three landing pages for: Courts, Running Tracks or Sports Fields, all of which are named for the surfaces/venues on which sports are played.

According to ASBA’s Courts & Recreation Division President Randy Resley, of Sport Court of the Rockies, “it was time to combine these two divisions. More often than not, we found ourselves planning separate tracks of programming for members who were interested in both tennis courts and other recreational courts. There is tremendous overlap among the suppliers, designers and builders in these two divisions. By combining them into one Courts division, we’ll be able to streamline our efforts and resources for the benefit of all.”

Tennis Division President Matt Strom of Leslie Coatings added: “With the continued popularity and growth of Pickleball and the recent surge in Tennis this past year due to its social distancing attributes, business is very strong. In most cases, ASBA members are involved in both sports and will be helped by this combining of resources.”

ASBA will be implementing the change over the coming year, with a combined “Courts” track of programming at its 2021 Technical Meeting being held in Orlando, Florida next December 3-6, 2021. In the meantime, committees and task forces will be working toward that end.

The ASBA is a non-profit association helping designers, builders, owners, operators and users understand quality sports facility construction. The ASBA sponsors informative meetings, publishes newsletters, books and technical construction guidelines for tennis courts, sports fields, running tracks, pickleball courts and court and recreational facilities, and keeps its members aware of the latest developments in the industry. It also offers voluntary certification programs in tennis court, running track and sports field construction.

Available at no charge is a listing of all publications offered by the Association, as well as the ASBA’s Membership Directory. For information on the ASBA, as well as on its publications, activities and upcoming meetings, please contact the Association at 2331 Rock Spring Road, Forest Hill, Maryland 21050. The toll-free phone number is 866-501-ASBA. The ASBA also may be reached electronically via its website: www.sportsbuilders.org, or via e-mail at [email protected].