Gym Floor Gets Fresh Look, New Finish

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   While there were many renovation projects on campus over the summer, athletes will probably be most aware of the new court in the gymnasium.

   Crews sanded down the original wood and added a new design as well as a water-based finish to replace the original oil-based finish, in hopes to give the court a much-needed fresh look. 

   “The old floor was finished with a wood-based wax which has more of a yellow undertone. This [new floor] is a water-based finish so it’s going to look brighter,” Assistant Athletic Director Tim Schultz said. “We wanted to freshen it up but keep our branding.” 

   While a new layer of finish is typically applied once a year during the summer, this year brought more in-depth restoration of the court. Every 10 to 15 years, the court is stripped down to the wood and new design is applied and topped with new finish. 

   “This was an opportunity for us to rebrand [the court], if you will,” Athletic Director Chris Lavoie said.

   While Lavoie oversaw the process, he had input from a number of coaches and assistants, with the ultimate approval coming from Head of School Kevin Plummer. Varsity Head Volleyball Coach Leanna Taylor has been practicing on the newly refurbished court since its completion in early August.

   “[The court] cleans up the gym and it’s a beautiful upgrade,” Taylor said.

   Taylor’s team normally practices over the summer and had to relocate while the work was being done in the gym, so they utilized the facilities on campus at the University of Tampa.

    “We could’ve lost a lot of flexibility and time, but UT was across the street [for practices] so it wasn’t that big of a deal to move over,” Taylor said.

   In addition to the volleyball players who were displaced during the project, students who typically did summer workouts missed some of their weekly sessions. The time away wasn’t a complete burden to P.E. Teacher and Coach Bruno Quattrone. He sees the changes as a big improvement for the facility as a whole. 

   “I love [the court.] It’s very nice,” Quattrone said. “It has a better grip, so you don’t have kids sliding all around the floor.” 

   While the basketball season hasn’t officially begun, players who practice in the off-season could tell a difference with the new court as well, especially some of the finer details. 

   “I think the outline of the court is better in my opinion, and the lines are clearer,” sophomore Grant Novell said.

   Even though the project is finished, it is simple to make any fixes or repairs that should be needed at the end of each year when the finish is replaced again. As for the design, that won’t change for quite some time.

   “Probably in 10 years, we will have another discussion…and if we want to rebrand,” Lavoie said.