While ASBA’s facility design and construction award winners won’t be announced until fall, the association has already seen a record number of entrants. The deadline to enter was June 1, and with all entries received, the Association has released the following statistics:

This year, members entered a total of 126 projects to the awards program, an increase from the previous high of 87.

The breakdown on this year’s projects includes (by category):

Tennis Courts:
Outdoor tennis facilities (these may be municipal, private, etc.): 21
Residential tennis courts (defined as projects for private homes): 16
Indoor tennis courts: 3

Running Tracks:
Outdoor track (school facilities, municipal facilities, etc.): 27
Indoor track: 2

Indoor Multi-Purpose Facilities: (school facilities, community centers, sports arenas, wellness centers, etc.): 4

Sports Fields:
Multi-field (natural or synthetic turf, defined as a group of fields submitted as one project): 21
Single field (natural or synthetic turf):32

Award winners will be notified in August, and formal announcement of winning projects and presentation of awards will be made at the Technical Meeting in December.

Awards are given in each category to recognize facilities that exemplify excellence in design and construction. In addition, there are honors in the 'Green' competition, for athletic facilities that used the most eco-friendly design, construction and operating techniques. This year, multiple entries were received for this award, indicating a surge in eco-consciousness.

In order to be eligible for an award, it must have been entered into the program by the ASBA member who designed or built the facility; facility owners were encouraged to be in touch with their builder or designer to urge them to enter. Also in order to be eligible for this round of awards, projects submitted must have been completed within the current year or within the previous two calendar years (ending Dec. 31). The deadline for entry was June 1.

For the first time, ASBA allowed entries to be submitted electronically. They will be judged electronically as well by those who are members of the Awards Committee. The judging is done by a panel of ASBA members. Presentation of award plaques is made at the Technical Meeting, to take place next December in Palm Desert, California. Winning facilities also are recognized in association announcements and in articles written in various industry magazines. ASBA member companies whose projects win awards are further urged to publicize the award to their local newspapers and others.

Projects are scored individually based on considerations such as layout and design, site work, drainage, base construction, surface, amenities, innovation and overall impression. Winning entries are those whose cumulative scores meet or exceed the standard.

A list of award winners will be posted on the blogs written by ASBA in multiple athletic facility magazines after the Technical Meeting in December. Those interested may go to www.sportsbuilders.org to receive complete information once all presentations have been made.

Information about ASBA or its awards program, including lists of previous award winners, can be obtained by going to www.sportsbuilders.org, and from the toolbar at the top of the page, select "About Us" and then, using the drop-down menu, choose "Awards."