When it comes to athletic facility safety, most people think about the playing surface, sports equipment, and protective gear. But what about the structures surrounding the playing area?
Exposed columns, steel I-beams, raised stages, and other fixed structures can create potential impact hazards for athletes and facility users. These features are often part of the building itself, making them easy to overlook when planning safety improvements.
The problem is that athletes do not always stay within the boundaries of a court, field, or playing area. A basketball player chasing a loose ball, a volleyball player diving for a save, or a student participating in physical education can quickly come into contact with a nearby structure.
Adding protective padding to these areas helps create a safer indoor athletic environment by providing cushioning between people and hard surfaces.
For athletic directors, school administrators, architects, and facility managers, identifying these overlooked areas is an important step in planning a well-protected facility.
Here are five areas that deserve attention and the padding solutions worth considering.
1. Exposed Columns Near Playing Areas
Structural columns are common in gymnasiums, field houses, recreation centers, and other large indoor athletic facilities. While they provide important support for the building, their hard surfaces and exposed corners can create potential impact hazards.
Columns located near basketball courts, volleyball courts, and other activity areas deserve particular attention.
Consider a basketball player chasing a loose ball beyond the baseline or a volleyball player moving outside the court to make a play. Both situations can bring athletes close to columns that may not be part of the normal playing area.
What facility managers should look for:
- Square or rectangular support columns near court boundaries.
- Round columns along gymnasium walls.
- Exposed structural supports in multi-purpose activity spaces.
- Columns located near areas where athletes frequently move.
The solution: Indoor Column Padding
Standard wall padding may not fit properly around columns because of their shape and location. Indoor column padding is designed specifically for these structures.
Sportsfield Specialties offers custom indoor column padding in several configurations, including two-sided, three-sided, four-sided, and tapered designs.
Product features include:
- Custom dimensions to accommodate different column sizes.
- High-impact foam construction.
- Durable 14 oz. indoor vinyl covering options.
- Factory-produced corners designed to eliminate gaps.
- Optional high-resolution digitally printed graphics and lettering.
Custom column padding can also incorporate school colors, mascots, and logos, allowing facilities to combine protection with school branding.
2. Exposed I-Beams and Steel Support Structures
I-beams are another structural feature that facility managers should consider when evaluating indoor athletic safety.
These steel supports are commonly found in gymnasiums, field houses, and large recreation facilities. Depending on the building design, portions of the beams may be exposed near athletic activity areas.
Unlike a flat wall, an I-beam has a unique shape with multiple faces and edges. This makes it difficult to protect using standard wall padding.
What facility managers should look for:
- Exposed steel beams along gymnasium walls.
- Structural supports near basketball or volleyball courts.
- Protruding beam edges near athletic activity areas.
- Exposed steel supports in multi-purpose facilities.
The solution: Indoor I-Beam Padding
Indoor I-beam padding is designed to fit around the shape of exposed structural steel beams.
Sportsfield Specialties indoor I-beam padding features 1-1/4-inch high-impact XPE foam covered with Class A fire-rated 14 oz. indoor vinyl.
The padding wraps around the face and front edges of the beam and attaches using self-adhesive Velcro strips on the opposite side.
Custom heights, widths, and cutouts are available to accommodate different beam configurations.
For facility managers, this provides a more suitable solution than trying to adapt standard wall padding to an unusual structural shape.
3. Raised Stages and Exposed Platform Edges
Many school gymnasiums include a raised stage at one end of the facility. These stages are used for graduations, assemblies, performances, award ceremonies, and other school events.
Although stages are not always part of the athletic playing area, they may be located close to spaces used for physical education and recreational activities.
Their hard front surfaces and exposed edges can create potential impact hazards for students, athletes, and performers.
What facility managers should look for:
- Unprotected stage fronts and corners.
- Raised platforms near gymnasium activity areas.
- Exposed stage edges in multi-purpose facilities.
- Hard platform surfaces near physical education spaces.
The solution: Stage Mats
Stage mats provide cushioning along exposed stage edges while helping maintain the functionality of the platform.
Sportsfield Specialties stage mats feature an L-shaped design that covers the face and edge of a stage.
Product features include:
- High-density foam construction.
- Durable 14 oz. indoor vinyl.
- Class A fire-rated vinyl meeting ASTM E-84 requirements.
- Grommet flap or hook-and-loop attachment options.
- Optional digitally printed graphics.
The L-shaped construction allows the mats to fold at a 90-degree angle, helping provide access to under-stage storage areas.
For schools that regularly use their stages for performances and other activities, stage mats offer a practical way to address exposed edges without permanently changing the structure.
4. Dasher Boards in Indoor Sports Arenas
Dasher boards are commonly found in ice hockey arenas, inline hockey facilities, and other indoor sports venues.
They create the boundaries of the playing area, but their hard surfaces can also create potential impact hazards for athletes.
Players moving along the boards may make contact while chasing a puck, defending against an opponent, or competing for position.
The top edges and faces of these boards are important areas to consider when evaluating arena protection.
What facility managers should look for:
- Exposed board tops and faces.
- Hard surfaces along the playing perimeter.
- Areas where players regularly make contact with the boards.
- Damaged or missing existing padding.
The solution: Dasher Board Padding
Dasher board padding is designed specifically for the shape and application of arena boards.
Sportsfield Specialties offers L-shaped dasher board padding that covers the top and face of the boards, providing cushioning along exposed surfaces.
Available features include:
- 3-inch and 5-inch high-impact polyurethane and XPE foam options.
- Durable 14 oz. indoor vinyl covering.
- Sections available in 8-foot widths and 42- to 48-inch heights.
- Self-adhesive Velcro attachment on the spectator side of the boards.
- Interchangeable digitally printed advertisements.
The interchangeable graphics are another useful feature. Facilities can display advertisements, sponsors, and other graphics while retaining the underlying padding system.
For indoor arenas, dasher board padding combines a protective function with opportunities for advertising and customization.
5. Unprotected Gymnasium Walls
Walls may seem like the most obvious place to install protective padding, but they are still worth reviewing when evaluating an athletic facility.
Not every gymnasium has adequate wall protection around its playing areas. Some facilities have older padding, while others have large sections of exposed concrete, block, or other hard surfaces.
These areas can create problems when athletes move beyond normal playing boundaries.
What facility managers should look for:
- Unprotected walls behind basketball baselines.
- Hard surfaces along volleyball court boundaries.
- Exposed walls surrounding wrestling areas.
- Concrete or masonry surfaces near activity spaces.
- Existing padding that is worn, damaged, or improperly secured.
The solution: Indoor Wall Padding
Indoor wall padding creates a cushioned barrier between athletes and hard gymnasium surfaces. Sportsfield Specialties offers standard and ProSafe premium indoor wall padding, both featuring 2-inch-thick high-impact foam and durable 14 oz. indoor vinyl.
Additional features include:
- A variety of standard colors.
- Multiple mounting configurations.
- Custom sizes and layouts.
- Optional high-resolution digitally printed graphics and lettering.
- Fire-rated material options.
ProSafe premium wall padding offers improved impact absorption performance compared with the standard option, based on published ASTM F2440-11 test results.
Facility managers can choose from attachment lips, Z-clip and attachment lip combinations, or double Z-clip configurations.
With different sizes, colors, and mounting options available, indoor wall padding can be incorporated into new construction projects and existing gymnasium renovations.
How to Identify Other Areas That Need Protective Padding
Columns, I-beams, stages, dasher boards, and gymnasium walls are five important areas to consider. However, every athletic facility has a different layout and may have additional structures that deserve attention. During a facility inspection, look beyond the main playing surface.
Consider these questions:
Are There Exposed Structural Features?
Look for columns, steel beams, concrete supports, and other fixed structures near athletic activity areas.
Are There Hard Surfaces Near Playing Boundaries?
Check the areas behind baselines, along sidelines, and around other spaces where athletes may move beyond the normal playing area.
Are There Raised Platforms or Equipment Structures?
Stages, platforms, and other fixed structures may need specialized padding based on their location and use.
Do Existing Padding Systems Still Provide Adequate Coverage?
Look for damaged materials, exposed surfaces, loose mounting hardware, and gaps between protective panels.
Does the Padding Match the Application?
Different structures require different products. A column, I-beam, stage edge, and dasher board have different shapes and installation requirements.
Taking the time to evaluate these areas can help facility managers identify potential hazards and determine which padding solutions are appropriate.
Protect More of Your Athletic Facility With Sportsfield Specialties
Creating a safer athletic facility means looking beyond the playing surface and the walls directly surrounding it.
Exposed columns, structural I-beams, raised stages, dasher boards, and unprotected gymnasium walls can all present potential impact hazards. Identifying these areas and selecting padding designed for each application helps create a more complete approach to indoor facility protection.
Sportsfield Specialties offers a range of indoor athletic padding products for schools, colleges, universities, recreation centers, indoor arenas, and multi-purpose facilities.
From custom indoor column padding and I-beam protection to stage mats, dasher board padding, and gymnasium wall padding, Sportsfield Specialties provides solutions for a variety of indoor applications.
Whether you are planning a new athletic facility, renovating an existing gymnasium, or reviewing your current safety features, take a closer look at the areas that may have been overlooked.
Explore Indoor Padding and Mats from Sportsfield Specialties to find the right protective padding solutions for your facility.
