November/December 2024 - 22

lines appear to be wavy,
indicating that infill might have
shifted or become compacted.
* On outdoor courts (tennis,
pickleball, basketball, etc.): Look
for discolorations on the surface
that could indicate the growth of
algae, something that could
cause injury to athletes or even
community users. Cracks in
courts should also be identified
and addressed.
* Damage, vandalism, or other
problems: It's not a pleasant
thought but it should be kept in
mind since it is far better to
identify and deal with a problem
right away than to become
aware of it at game time.
These are, of course, not the only
problems that can befall facilities.
Keep open the lines of communication
with your players and any community
users and inspect all venues
immediately, even if only one person
complains. As noted previously, there
ROBOTIC FIELD MARKERS
Remember how coaches and
athletic directors, or even maintenance
staff members, at schools with grass
fields, spent their time marking those
fields with a measuring wheel, string
is no substitute for making regular
visits to all facilities.
NEW SPORTS NECESSITATE
NEW GAME LINES
Rising sports like pickleball and
small-sided versions of traditional
sports like soccer, field hockey, and
lacrosse, are gaining in popularity,
meaning coaches, athletic directors
and facility managers should reevaluate
where new playing lines are
needed. In indoor facilities or on
synthetic turf, professional installation
should be the first choice. Additionally,
as communities become increasingly
landlocked, look for fields to host an
increasing number of sports, calling for
some creative design and layouts.
and chalk dust - or even spray paint?
Those days are gone.
Robotic lining systems (multiple
brands are available on the market)
allow fields to be marked easily and
precisely, for any number of sports, in
under two hours (often under 30
minutes), at a time and labor savings of
90 percent. The autonomous devices
employ GPS technology to do the job,
using the field's coordinates to drive
along the grass and leave accurate
lines of paint to create yard lines, hash
marks, numbers and everything in
between. Because the machinery can
mean a sizeable investment, many
schools may share one unit.
LED GAME LINE SYSTEMS FOR
INDOOR FACILITIES
Proprietary systems that rely on LED
lighting (controllable through a
touchscreen) work with a specifically
installed surface to create not only
court lines but interactive features that
generate in-game excitement. More
COMMUNITY
EXPERIENCE
TEAMWORK
OPPORTUNITY
TEACHING
TRUST
INVOLVEMENT
INVEST IN YOUR SCHOOL
NOT JUST A VIDEO DISPLAY
When your school works with Daktronics,
you get so much more than a scoreboard.
PRODUCTION
CURRICULUM
PARTICIPATION
DESIGN
ADVERTISING
Download your Playbook for Success at Daktronics.com/ThinkBeyond
Jenny Wagner Athletic Director
TEMPLATES
22 COACH & A.D. | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024
Centennial Public Schools, Utica, Nebraska
VIDEOGRAPHY
COMMUNI
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http://www.Daktronics.com/ThinkBeyond
November/December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November/December 2024
