Water, Water Everywhere
By Fred Manchester, CTCB
Manchester Courts, LLC
The ASBA defines a birdbath as “a minor depression in which water settles on a non-porous court surface after a rain or flooding. Read more...

Editor's Note: Articles in the "Opinion Line" column represent the opinions of their authors and not necessarily those of the ASBA. Readers are invited to respond. Please send comments to ASBA, Attn.: "Opinion Line," 8480 Baltimore National Pike, #307, Ellicott City, MD 21043 or via e-mail to chogan@sportsbuilders.org...

Board Happenings
Winter Board Meeting - February, 2007. Read More...

Committees

May we quote you?
One of ASBA's most important programs is its technical articles, which are written for trade magazines in various segments of the industry, including tennis, track, indoor and fields facilities. Read More...

Important Dates
Mark your calendar for the ASBA Technical Meeting in New Orleans, LA. Read more...

NCAA Change to 3-Point Line
After years of study and debate, the Men’s Basketball Rules Committee of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has voted to extend the three-point line effective with the 2008-2009 season. According to the new rule, the line is a true arc, measured 20 feet, 9 inches from the center of the ring of the basket. The new line should be 2 inches wide and contrasting in color to the current three-point line. There is no change to the width of the lane, nor is ASBA aware of any changes to the NCAA women’s or NFHS lines/rules. Read more...

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It was great to see all of you who were at the Winter Meeting in Tucson. The meeting sessions moved forward with various initiatives – Guidelines, Certification, Book Review, Position Papers, Technical Meeting Topics, etc. There’s no getting around it, this is hard work and takes time.

There was also a lighter side. Whether it was tennis, golf, throwing snowballs (Audrey Welborn), finding a great chocolate chip cookie on Mt.Lemon (Mike Vinton), or the Can Can dancers (Skip Sierks). For those who couldn’t make it, you missed some great weather and lots of fun. We’ll look for you next year.

There was discussion regarding the ever-changing makeup of the ASBA. As member companies move into new areas of endeavor, the ASBA is dedicated to providing the information and education that they require. And, in order to identify those on-going shifts in business activity, we are currently polling members to determine what percent of business we, as a group, are performing in each of the current classifications (Tennis, Track, Fields, and Indoor). I hope to be able to report back to you on this by the next edition of Newsline.

It appears that the Fields Division will soon begin the process of establishing a certification program. The first phase of this process is to conduct a Role Delineation which requires input from existing field builders. During this process, builders collectively identify the functions that they perform and weight the importance of each function. This is an arduous process, and as we begin, we will look to the Sports Turf Managers Association as well as the Synthetic Turf Council to participate with ASBA. ASBA has long sought to strengthen our relationship with STMA and STC to provide a professional certification as we have done for Tennis and Track.

By now, the tennis builders should have received their Tennis Industry Announcement letter. We are coordinating the finishing touches on the questionnaire that, when completed by you, will be mailed to a third party to summarize the results for feed back. Please take a moment to complete and return the questionnaire. This first effort at industry numbers should prove helpful in comparing your individual company to our industry average.

The management transition continues. Fred Stringfellow attended the Winter Meeting and had an opportunity to review the “nuts and bolts” of the on-going operation of ASBA. Carol and her team are going the extra mile to assist King Stringfellow Group in this process and the professionalism of Franklin Thomas and King Stringfellow is evident as we watch them work together.

Our Technical Meeting will be held in New Orleans on December 7-9, 2008. New Orleans is a fun place for our meeting and I look forward to going back. I hope you will mark your calendars for December 2008. The technical sessions are being put together now and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Finally, while we are talking about your calendar, I am happy to tell you that we are once again looking offshore for a location for the Winter Meeting in February 2009. In the earlier days of ASBA (USTC& TBA), Winter Meeting destinations included Jamaica, Mexico and the Bahamas. We are hoping to combine the vacation opportunity of past Winter Meetings with the productive work of recent meetings. We look forward to something a little bit different. Hope to see you there!

George Todd, Jr., CTCB
Chairman

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MEETINGS

Winter Meeting 2008
Arizona Again a Winner
If there were a common thread for this year’s Winter Meeting, it would be that of continued progress. Volunteers and staff worked together on association projects, including publications and programs, and made an impressive impact.

The meeting, held at the Hilton El Conquistador in Tucson, AZ from Feb. 21-25, might not have enjoyed particularly balmy temperatures (the first few days were a bit cool), but it did offer sunny skies, a cohesive group of attendees and an intensive program that allowed for work on a number of different levels.

Topics discussed included tennis court certification, revision of the track, fields and indoor books, indoor facility awards, updates to the Construction Guidelines, tennis position papers, taking the certification exams and development of topics for the upcoming Technical Meeting.

Between sessions and after hours, the facility offered enjoyable opportunities for recreation including 45 holes of golf, tennis on 31 lighted courts, luxurious spa treatments, on-site equestrian facilities, hiking off the beaten path, off-road biking, birding and swimming. Attendees enjoyed excellent food in unsurpassed ambience.

The schedule included an opening reception and a closing dinner, and a special breakfast to meet ASBA’s new Executive Vice President. Those who wanted to show off their athletic abilities (or to heckle those who appeared to have less) were able to participate in the tennis and golf tournaments, a staple at ASBA meetings. (For details, see the related article.)

The next chance to catch up with other industry members and contribute to the association’s continued progress – as well as to learn all the newest developments in the industry – will come with the Technical Meeting, to be held December 7-9 at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans. Members will receive information about this meeting automatically. Others should keep checking the website, www.sportsbuilders.org, for more information, or can call Cynthia at ASBA at 866-501-ASBA to be added to the mailing list.

Winter Meeting Sports

Speaking of winning. . .

It’s all about the good, the bad and the “what the….” And it’s all part of ASBA’s Winter Meeting sports tournament. This year’s festivities, held during the February meeting, included the traditional tennis and golf tournaments. And as always, they provided plenty of opportunities for showing off and being shown up.

The golf tournament saw the two-man team of Rob Werner, CTB, CTCB (Sportsline, Inc., Villanova , PA) and Mark Brogan, CTCB (Pro-Sport Construction, Inc., Devon , PA) emerging victorious.

The award for Closest to the Pin went to Lee Narozanick (American Athletic Courts, Inc., Vincentown , NJ). Longest Drive (a total of 310 yards) was won by John Graham (DecoTurf, Andover , MA)

The tennis tournament consisted of two brackets. Within the first or “A Team,” the first place pair was made up of Richard Zaino, CTCB (Zaino Tennis Courts, Inc., Orange, CA) and Randy Futty (Lee Tennis, Inc., Charlottesville, VA). Second place went to ASBA legal counsel David Pettit, Esq. and Tom DeRosa, CTCB (DeRosa Tennis Contractors, Inc., Mamaroneck , NY).

In play on the “B Team,” first place went to Rick Dougherty (Star-Trac Enterprises, LLC, Southfield, MI) and Ted Horstman (RTH Processing, Inc., Delphos, OH). Second place went to David Clapp, CTB, CTCB (Baseline Sports Construction, Knoxville , TN) and Mike Little (Sparton Enterprises, Inc., Barberton , OH).

Extra credit goes to Carolyn Pettit, who won the “Runner-Up” award, literally for running up to the tournament when one more player was needed to complete the match-ups.

Itching for some payback? Burning for bragging rights? Don’t miss your chance to sign up for the next set of competitions, to be held at the upcoming Technical Meeting. Look for information coming to your mailbox, check the website, www.sportsbuilders.org, or call Cynthia at ASBA at 866-501-ASBA.

Technical Meeting 2008
Another New Orleans Meeting On the Radar
When the construction season has slowed to a crawl, what will you be doing?

If you’re savvy, you’ll be using that down-time to make contacts, look at the newest techniques and trends in the industry, catch up on all the great new products and get some good ideas for dealing with those puzzling problems common to all segments of the industry. Which means, of course, that you’ll be in New Orleans for the ASBA Technical Meeting. This year’s meeting, to be held December 7-9 at the Astor Crowne Plaza, has all the tools you need to succeed for the coming year.

The Program Committee has been working to develop a list of topics of interest to all facets of the industry. (See the adjacent tentative program for details). Programs will address the new technologies, trends and developments that everyone wants to know about. At the same time, there will be an emphasis on problem-solving and brainstorming on those issues that all industry members face.

The ability to learn about the newest products and services in the industry has also been one of the Technical Meeting’s most valuable components, and it returns again with the trade show in the exhibit hall. The exhibit hall is used as the site for receptions and breaks, allowing for maximum contact with the people you need to meet the most.

What else makes this meeting valuable? You get the chance to recognize the industry’s finest construction each year with the presentation of the ASBA awards for construction excellence. You get the chance to meet new members and those attending the Technical Meeting for the first time. You get the chance to catch up with suppliers, contractors, professionals and others whom you might know only through phone or e-mail conversations. You get the chance to challenge those people on the tennis court or golf course, and to enjoy their company between sessions and after hours. You can meet ASBA’s new association staff and put faces with those new names.

Oh, and let’s not forget the location. New Orleans manages to combine history, mystery, nightlife and some of the most unique ambience in the world. Our host hotel, the Astor Crowne Plaza, is located right at the corner of Bourbon and Canal streets – the epicenter of N’awlins, and is within walking distance of all the great cultural attractions, restaurants, bars, shops and more in the French Quarter. (In fact, this is the same hotel ASBA used during its last Technical Meeting in the Big Easy). Deluxe amenities include well-appointed guest rooms, a complete health and fitness center, a 24-hour lounge, great meeting rooms, concierge services and more. Special ASBA room rates will be announced as the meeting date nears. For now, just block off December 7-9 in your calendar: it’s the most important appointment you’ll make, and the one you’ll never regret keeping.

Members will receive information about the 2008 Technical Meeting automatically. Others should keep checking the website, www.sportsbuilders.org, for more information, or can call Cynthia at ASBA at 866-501-ASBA to be added to the mailing list.

ASBA Technical Meeting
December 7-9, 2008
New Orleans, LA
(Tentative program)

The tentative program includes sessions of interest to all, including:
· Safety issues on the jobsite
· Communications
· Marketing your business
· Rewarding senior employees/employee incentive programs
· Liquidated damages in construction contracts
· CSI Specifications/ASTM standards
· LEED/Green design

There will be sessions for each division as well, including:

Tennis
· Fencing materials and installation
· Acrylic manufacturers panel
· Taking the CTCB exam
· Renovation of existing clay courts
· Surfacing concrete tennis courts
· Tricks of the trade (including bird bath repair)

Track:
· Asphalt for tracks
· Taking the CTB exam
· Running track design from a meet manager’s point of view
· Track roundtable

Fields:
· Update on the Penn State study of synthetic turf fields
· Liners – Purpose and installation
· Skinned areas
· ASTM and synthetic turf standards
· Rubber panel
· MRSA
· Baseball 101

Indoor:
· Demystification of DIN and EN norms
· Vapor treatments
· ASTM F710 – Standard practice for preparing concrete floors to receive
· Resilient flooring
· Problem-solving roundtable
· Indoor Construction Manual

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Committees

May we quote you?
One of ASBA's most important programs is its technical articles, which are written for trade magazines in various segments of the industry, including tennis, track, indoor and fields facilities. We are always looking for our members to comment on, and be quoted in these articles. This is an excellent chance to help raise ASBA's profile, and in an ancillary capacity, to increase visibility for your company. If you would like to be quoted in these articles, please send an e-mail to Mary Helen Sprecher at mhsprecher@verizon.net

Please indicate your area(s) of expertise: Tennis, Track, Indoor, Fields so that we do not bother you with excess e-mail.

If you have previously sent Mary Helen an e-mail asking to be added to her e-mail list, please confirm now that you would like to remain on the list. In addition, if your e-mail has changed and you have not been receiving questions, please contact her with your current e-mail address.

Thank you -- we look forward to hearing from you.

Half Price TIA Associate Membership for ASBA Members

As a result of an agreement between the Tennis Industry Association and ASBA, TIA will offer a special half-price Associate membership for just $195.00 per year for court contractors and facility designers. TIA Associate members receive the Tennis Marketplace Report (twice a year) along with the Tennis Health Index. In addition, TIA will pursue three new research initiatives targeted at construction:

· Court Construction Hot Leads Report – A survey of facilities to cover plans for renovation, construction, surfaces, lights, fences and buildings over the next two years.
· Court Contractor Cost of Doing Business Study – A survey to enable benchmarking of key operating data and ratios: P&L, revenue, cost of goods sold, expenses, net profit/loss, marketing/sales methods, business expenses, % split: wages, equipment, marketing, insurance maintenance, etc. Capital expenditure plans, compensation study: number/type of employees, wage structure.
· Court Construction/Renovatoin Census – Contractors will submit data confidentially for each contract in the last 12 months: location, new or resurface, # courts, indoor/outdoor, public/commercial/private/school, lighted/unlit, value to quantify the market.

Research reports will be available only to Associate Members who contribute survey data.

Also available at no cost to ASBA members is an Individual Membership in TIA. Individual Members receive the Tennis marketplace Report twice a year as well as various TIA affinity benefits such as merchant card services, shipping, travel, insurance and publications discounts, but will not have access to the special research.

To choose a complimentary TIA Individual Membership or the special offer TIA Associate membership go to www.tennisindustry.org/onlinepayments and use the access code ASBA.

Awards Application Available Online

ASBA’s 2008 awards application is now available in the Members Only Section of the Association’s website at www.sportsbuilders.org. The application can be downloaded at no charge. Deadline for submission of completed applications is July 1.

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FEATURED ARTICLES

Note: ASBA welcomes articles on industry topics from its members, and from others in the industry. Please contact the ASBA if you are interested in writing or submitting an article.

Water, Water Everywhere
By Fred Manchester, CTCB
Manchester Courts, LLC

The ASBA defines a birdbath as “a minor depression in which water settles on a non-porous court surface after a rain or flooding. An accepted industry method of determining a birdbath is the flooding of courts, and waiting one (1) hour in minimum 70-degree Fahrenheit in sunlight. Then, if remaining water covers the thickness of a five cent piece (American coin), it can be considered a reparable birdbath.”

When discussing birdbaths with customers terms like minimize, improve, reduce, lessen, correct, etc. are used because “elimination” may not be possible. The best way to locate and mark birdbaths is to be on site right after a good rain. Since this is virtually impossible, flooding the court(s) with a water hose is the next best option. Have patience, flood starting from the high side or end and soak the area until the excess water runs toward the low side/end. Try to flood the court when the surface is still “cool” as evaporation will impact the accuracy of your results. Once the excess water has run off and the appropriate time has elapsed mark the areas of standing water with a lumber crayon. Observe how the water “runs” across the court; try not to create “dams” when filling in the birdbaths. This will result in you “chasing” the birdbath around the court. As a rule most birdbaths will need more than one filling.

The most common materials to patch birdbaths with are asphalt emulsion, acrylic resurfacer, and patch binder. There are several ready-to-use products as well; however, they are typically used for small and very shallow birdbaths.

Asphalt emulsions can be used for patching on asphalt courts. When used as a patch; sand, cement, and water are added to the concentrate. Although emulsions are easy to apply they tend to “mud crack” and remain soft even after curing.

Patch binder is used as the liquid median for several patching formulas and applications. For patching low areas up to 2” deep patch binder can be added to “bagged concrete” in place of water. For areas up to 1” deep it can be added to “sand topping mix”. The advantage in both of these instances is a fast drying patch that does not need to cure out like concrete and water would. It can be coated over in 24 hours. For birdbaths up to ½” a mixture of four parts silica sand (50-60 mesh) to one part by volume Portland cement can be used. Add binder to produce a workable consistency. Patch binder can be used on asphalt or concrete bases. Patch binder makes the hardest patches and has a short pot life and working time. In hot weather this can be as little as five minutes.

Acrylic resurfacer is perhaps the easiest to patch with. It can be used for patching bird baths up to ½” deep. The formula for the resurfacer patch mix is:

5 gallons of concentrated resurfacer
100 pounds silica sand (50-60 mesh)
2 ½ gallons of water
44 oz. by volume Portland cement

This will make approximately 13 gallons. The formula can be cut in half doubled or any amount you require. The ratios are critical, measure do not guess! Pot life is about 30 minutes.

When applying patches the area to be patched needs to be primed. The material I use is a mixture of one part patch binder to one part water. This can be brushed on or sprayed on with a garden sprayer. While spreading and leveling the patch you can mist the top of the patch with the primer mix to improve workability and slow “surface skinning”.

Depending on the size of the patch a variety of tools can be used to spread and level it. A 2 by 4 is readily available and can be cut to the proper size. Aluminum straight edges are more durable and precise. For many of the patches I install I will use a squeegee to spread out the material and then “flip” it over to smooth out the patch and feather the edges.

The following photos are of a two court battery. All of the patches were applied using acrylic resurfaces and a 3’ squeegee. Over 500 gallons of patch mix was applied. Approximately 150 man hours was logged. Not all of the standing water was eliminated but all of the birdbaths were “minimized”.

These methods are not appropriate for all circumstances and may not be right for you.

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BOARD HAPPENINGS
Winter Board Meeting
February, 2007

During our most recent Board Meeting, the members of the Board undertook the following actions:

1. Agreed to conduct a poll of the membership to determine the level of involvement in tennis, track, fields and indoor as well as recent and projected trends in their involvement.
2. Agreed to approach STMA, STC and/or turf manufacturers requesting cooperation and/or support for a fields certification program.
3. Agreed to determine the difficulty of securing provider status in order to provide AIA continuing education credits for Technical Meeting programming.
4. Agreed that ASBA has a responsibility to provide public information on sensitive topics such as MRSA, SBR and silica sand. Mr. Pettit will draft language on such topics for inclusion in construction manuals.
5. Selected Puerto Rico for the 2009 Winter Meeting.
6. Agreed to the following changes in the Association’s bylaws and directed Mr. Pettit to draft appropriate language:

- Eliminate the Affiliate category and move specialty contractors to the Builder category, consultants and test houses to the Professionals category.
- Define “build” for the purpose of Builder membership as an individual or entity which takes legal responsibility for some portion of a construction project and appears in the contractual chain.
- Encourage applicants to participate in the category that represents their principal business focus, but allow additional memberships in other categories at full dues.
- Provide no grandfathering to companies which, under the newly defined membership categories, should be placed in divisions other than those in which they now are placed.
- Delete the restriction against professional members representing any product.
- Eliminate the provision that only one representative of a member company can serve on the Board at any time.

7. Approved a draft Technical Meeting program.
8. Adopted a compressed Winter Meeting schedule for 2009:

Friday – All day Board Meeting; Opening Reception
Saturday – Work Sessions 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon; Tennis Tournament
Sunday – Work Sessions 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon; Fishing Tournament or free time
Monday – Golf Tournament; Optional Group Activities

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MEMBER NEWS

Editor’s Note: Information contained in Memberline is submitted by members and is published without verification. Its publication does not constitute an endorsement.

Stantec Designing Athletic Complex at Castleton State College
Design firm Stantec (Boston, MA) is planning a new athletic complex for Castleton State College in Castleton, Vermont, as part of the school’s $25.7 million initiative for new and improved facilities.

Stantec has provided the site planning, landscape architecture, and athletic field design for the new complex, which includes a 1,500-seat stadium with sports lighting, a synthetic turf field, a press booth, restrooms, and a concessions stand. In addition to the stadium, the plan calls for new natural grass baseball, softball, and multi-purpose fields, as well as barbecue areas and a skate park.

Stantec also completed the permitting and environmentally friendly storm water design plan for a new recreational complex that includes tennis courts for college and community use.

The new complex is expected to be complete by the fall of 2009 for the college’s inaugural football season.

FieldTurf Tarkett Appoints Fields
FieldTurf Tarkett (Montreal, PQ) has appointed Joe Fields as Chief Executive Officer. He is taking over the position from David Moszkowski, who will remain the Chief Operating Officer of the company. Moszkowski succeeded the late John Gilman, who was an industry icon and a pioneer of the sand and rubber infilled FieldTurf system.

Fields, a native of Ravenswood, West Virginia, is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and holds a masters degree from the University of Oklahoma. He has held a number of senior positions in sports related industries, including Senior Vice President, Adidas North America, and President of Speedo International.

" The synthetic turf industry is continuing to see rapid growth and FieldTurf Tarkett is the dominant force in the North American market and is the only global player," said Fields. "I am absolutely thrilled to take on the leadership role at FieldTurf Tarkett."

For more information, please visit www.fieldturftarkett.com

Bothman Adds Synthetic Turf to “Green” Headquarters
As part of its program of sustainable, green actions, Robert A. Bothman Inc. (San Jose, CA) recently completed the installation of 2,000 square feet of FieldTurf at its company headquarters. The installation of synthetic turf will allow RAB to maintain year round “curb appeal” while significantly reducing water, chemical and energy consumption.

According to Richard Lemus, Executive Director of Facilities and Operations, “I expect the synthetic turf will impact our water bill by at least 20%. When you factor in $300 per month on maintenance, savings soon add up.”

Bothman’s corporate headquarters also features a solar roof and many of its project managers now are driving hybrids and small fuel efficient vehicles. The company promotes carpooling among employees, recycles all plastics, glass and paper, and uses motion sensing lighting.

DecoTurf Chosen for US vs. Germany Fed Cup
When the USA defeated Germany in the Fed Cup Quarterfinal February 2-3 at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club in California, the match was played on DecoTurf. The USTA constructed a temporary stadium for the two-day, best-of-five match. The color chosen was US Open Blue for the inbounds playing areas and US Open Green for the out of bounds, the same colors used at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

More News from FieldTurf
· When the New England Patriots met the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, AZ on February 3, the game matched two teams both of which play their home games and practice on FieldTurf.

FieldTurf has increased the aggregate limit per policy year on its prepaid warranty insurance to US$10,000,000. Under the policy, all FieldTurf fields are automatically covered; there is no deductible, no limit per claim, no retention and no retention period.

GSV Gets US Communities Contract
GeneralSports Venue (GSV) (Raleigh, NC) has been awarded the Synthetic Turf and Other Athletic Surfaces contract by the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance. US Communities is a nonprofit organization that helps government agencies, school districts (K-12) high education and other nonprofits reduce the cost of purchased goods by pooling their purchasing power. It currently serves more than 30,000 public agencies. GSV is the exclusive U.S. licensee for the AstroTurf brand.

New to US – Flexible Solutions
Following a research program over five years, Melos/BRG (Germany/England) is offering Flexible Solutions – Turf Infill Granules to the US. The Flexible Solutions program includes all options for artificial turf infill, from SBR to EPDM to flame retardant Thermoplastic Elastomers, depending on budget, usage and performance requirements. For information, contact Dave Morgan at BRG International, #44 (0) 161 477 4487 or Martin Oakes at Melos GmbH at +49 (0) 54 22 . 94 47-0

Pacific Life Open Played on Plexipave
The first major tennis event of the season on U.S. soil and the largest attended tournament outside of the Grand Slams, the Pacific Life Open, was played on a Plexipave IW System March 10 – March 23 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The tournament is part of the official ATP Masters Series as well as the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. The court featured the unique ATP Masters signature Pro Purple® court color.

VASCO Acquires Nidy
ASBA member Vasco Asphalt Company (Massillon, OH) recently acquired the Florida-based Nidy Company, a sports surfacing company specializing in tennis court and shuffleboard surfacing and construction.

Company president Mike Vinton, CTCB, said that “Vasco’s strategy is to grow through acquisition.” The Nidy Company, renamed the Nidy Sports Construction Company, will be added to Vasco other two divisions: Vasco Sports Contractors and FlexStar Track & Tennis Court Surfacing.

Matthew Wilson was promoted from Assistant Manager of the FlexStar Surfacing Division to General Manager of The Nidy Sports Construction Company.

Welch Tennis Announces 2008 Clay Court Maintenance Seminars
Welch Tennis Courts (Sun City, FL) has announced the schedule for its 2008 Clay Court Maintenance Seminar Series. These popular seminars are geared toward anyone who has anything to do with maintaining clay (Har-Tru) tennis courts, whether the traditional overhead-irrigated fast drying courts or subsurface-irrigated HydroGrid or Hydrocourts. Emphasis is given to solving court maintenance problems and how recent innovations can be used to protect and enhance the overall tennis court investment. Cost is $159.00 per person ($125.00 for each additional person from the same facility) and includes breakfast, lunch, breaks and a happy hour. USPTA members earn 3 credits of continuing education.

Spring Seminars
May 2, 2008 – Tampa, Florida – Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club
May 9, 2008 – Ft. Myers, FL – Colonial Country Club

Fall Locations
October 3, 2008 – Jacksonville, FL
October 10, 2008 – West Palm Beach, FL
October 17, 2008 – Ft. Myers, FL

Call Deb Caron at Welch Tennis for invitations or questions, 1-800-282-4415.

Superior Court Supplies Offers Junior System
Superior Court Supplies, LLC (Kennesaw, GA) offers a Junior Tennis Net System which meets or exceeds all the specifications required by USTA and its Quick Start Program. It has quickly become one of the top sellers for the tennis court supply company founded in 2005. For more information on its products, check out www.superiorcourtsupplies.com or call 770.590.0001.

Larson Associates Becomes Warner Larson; Moves to Boston
Larson Associates, Inc. (Arlington, MA) today announced on April 1 that the firm is changing its name to Warner Larson, Inc. and moving to a new office in Boston. The new name and location reflects new leadership by David Warner, President of the organization since July 2006.
Located on the edge of Boston’s Fort Point Channel district, Warner Larson’s new address is 130 West Broadway, Boston, MA 02127. Warner explains, “This move is part of our firm’s focus on sustainability being on the Red Line and close to most of our clients. Our location among other design professionals in the city creates exciting new possibilities for the company’s future.”
Please visit www.warnerlarson.com for more information.

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The following companies have joined the ASBA or renewed their membership since the last newsletter. Please add their names to the appropriate section of your membership directory.

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Congratulations to the following member of ASBA who has become newly certified since the last issue of Newsline:

Corey Hardick, CTCB
C. H. Court Tech

John Henzel, CTCB
John Henzel Tennis Court Systems, Inc

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CALENDAR  

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FYI

NCAA Change to 3-Point Line
After years of study and debate, the Men’s Basketball Rules Committee of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has voted to extend the three-point line effective with the 2008-2009 season. According to the new rule, the line is a true arc, measured 20 feet, 9 inches from the center of the ring of the basket. The new line should be 2 inches wide and contrasting in color to the current three-point line. There is no change to the width of the lane, nor is ASBA aware of any changes to the NCAA women’s or NFHS lines/rules.

AMI Consulting Releases Study on Global Turf Market
Applied Market Information, LTD in the UK has published its report on the 2007 global market for artificial turf. According to the study, “around the world demand for artificial turf is growing at 20% p.a.” John Nash, author of the study says, “Soccer and residential landscaping applications were the hot spots in 2007, but strong demand was enjoyed in most regions of the world and in most applications for artificial grass.”

Highlights of the report:
· The industry now accounts for over 600,000 tons of product ranging from the polymers used for the grass carpet through the elastomeric rubber infill to the underlay.
· The value of the grass carpet alone is estimated at €1,250m (almost 2 billion US dollars).
· Trends include technical developments such as the use of TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) infills as well as a substantial number of mergers and acquisitions within the industry.

For a copy of the full report or for more information on the findings, contact John Nash at AMI, jsn@amiplastics.com or +44 117 924 9442.

Participation Report Available

The National Federation of State High School Associations has issued its report on The State of High School Sports Participation. Among the findings:

Additional participation figures are available online; the full report can be ordered through www.nfhs.org

Quick Clips

Ten Years with AT&F
American Track & Field and, now, Coaching Athletics Quarterly, which together reach 30,000 high school and 5,000 college coaches and facilities managers, continue to carry ASBA articles on track construction and maintenance issues. Published by Shooting Star Media, American Track & Field has supported ASBA for a decade. In addition to publishing ASBA articles, American Track & Field sponsors ASBA’s track awards and offers complimentary subscriptions to members along with special offers on advertising.

Gator Blood Cure?
Concerned about MRSA? A recent report on National Geographic Explorer said that because crocodiles and alligators have been around for millions of years, living in tepid pools, their blood has become highly effective at fighting infection. Scientists have tried some experiments using the most highly resistant strain of MRSA and found that alligator blood was able to limit or control the growth of the bacterium.

Synthetic Turf Changing Dalton
According to an article in the New York Sun reported in Athletic Turf News, the incredible growth of the synthetic turf industry has transformed Dalton, Georgia. Dalton’s population has grown 20% to about 38,000 since 2000. Additionally, while less than 10% of the city’s population was classified as Hispanic 15 years ago, today, the growing number of Hispanic workers in the mills brings that figure to between 40-50%.

NFHS Distributes Track Books
In an effort to educate coaches and athletic directors on proper track construction and maintenance, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has distributed a copy of ASBA’s publication, Running Tracks: A Construction and Maintenance Manual to each of its member associations.

Seaward Honored
Eddie Seaward, head groundsman at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, Wimbledon, has been awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his service. Seaward, a former Technical Meeting speaker, has been a grounds professional for 48 years, the last 17 of them as head groundsman at Wimbledon, where he oversees the preparation and maintenance of 41 grass and nine hard courts.

ASTM Dictionary Enhanced
Launched in 2007, ASTM’s online Terminology Dictionary has been enhanced by this addition of more than 46,000 terms defined in ASTM standards. Search options also have been expanded to include the ability to search for keywords as part of a term or within a standard. Access to the dictionary is available only to ASTM members, who can log into the My ASTM section, click on My Committees and find the Terminology Dictionary under My Tools.

ASTM International Releases New Fencing Standard
ASTM International has released a new standard, F2631, Practice for Installation of Chain-Link Fence for Outdoor Sports Fields, Sport Courts and Other Recreational Facilities. The new standard addresses fence use and installation requirements for soccer, football, field hockey, lacrosse, rugby and sports courts including handball, paddle tennis, basketball, volleyball and badminton. It also has requirements for archery, golf driving, batting cages and track. Among the most important aspects of the new standard are safety distances from the fence or other barriers to playing and out-of-bounds lines. ASTM International standards can be purchased online at www.astm.org or by phone at 610-832-9585.

Company Claims Synthetic Turf is 100% Recyclable
IntelliTurf, Inc., a manufacturer of turf for golf greens, lawn systems and play areas, claims that its turf, featuring a backing of Olefin, is 100% recyclable.

New Password – Members Only Section
Effective April 15, 2008, the password for the Members Only Section of the ASBA website will be “pavement.” To log in to the Members Only section, use the employ name “Member” and this password until the next Newsline.

Louisiana State Licensing Board Uses ASBA Manuals

From a letter received at ASBA headquarters in February:

“Our agency, the Louisiana State Licensing Board for contractors, is vested with the authority and responsibility for licensing all contractors in the state of Louisiana who perform any public or private construction contracts in the amount of $50,000 or more.”

“Due to the increase in activity and interest in these areas in the recent past, we have begun to develop two new exams: the first for the classification of “Tennis Courts and Running Tracks: the second for the classification of “Construction of Recreation Facilities.” In reviewing the available literature, I see that your organization publishes a book that seems very relevant to this work entitled Tennis Courts: A Construction and Maintenance Manual. We already have a copy of the books you offer called Running Tracks: A Construction and Maintenance Manual, and Synthetic Turf Sports Fields: A Construction and Maintenance Manual, but the tennis courts book was unavailable when we made the purchase order to Amazon.”

“If we develop questions from this source, we would most likely include it in our study reference sheets which we send to each license applicant to let them know which publications they should study in preparation for the exams.”

Doug Traylor, Applications and Examinations
Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors

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