There’s steep competition today for top athletic prospects. You already know that. But, have you considered the value of customized sporting equipment storage to make a positive impression on future team players? Check out these schools that have personalized storage as an added way to stand out with potential newcomers.
Getting prospects to tour campus is half the battle. So many college admissions officers say they can close the deal once the prospect visits in person. All those potential students touring your campus are going to be looking for high-tech facilities, top amenities, and fun places to hang out. They want to feel at “home” on your campus.
So where do sports equipment rooms fit in? They're one more way to impress campus pride upon prospective student-athletes, showing that every aspect of campus life is thoroughly thought out.
First, let’s clarify what we mean by athletic storage. If you’re thinking of this simply in terms of where the football helmets or lacrosse sticks will be stored, you’re not going big enough. Sports equipment rooms can be customized to help teams:
- Regain equipment room space
- Access uniforms, medical gear and equipment more easily
- Organize workflow for optimal efficiency
- Provide trainers, coaches and other staff the space they need to do their jobs
- Motivate athletes with team-centric branding
Amping up Recruiting at Wake Forest
A great example of custom sporting equipment storage can be found at Wake Forest University's campus. The school’s old equipment room was a constricted space with “a ton of shelving, but little if any floor space,” according to equipment manager Roxann Moody. Inspired by the University of Louisville’s equipment room, Moody turned to Patterson Pope for help designing her new equipment room in a campus renovation. bThe result was a High-Density Mobile System with six moveable aisles - each one designated for a particular sport.
“We knew from the get-go that we wanted to have a space where every student-athlete had their own little cubby,” Moody said. “I have the same concept with every sport – just a little different in terms of how packed it is. Everything that you want to access quickly is in the front of the unit. Easy to open and close when you go from one sport to another with no inconvenience at all.”
Moving to a high-density system also opened up the equipment room footprint. “I now have a ton of open floor space, I have room for shipping and receiving, we have office space, we have a large laundry room with a Spacesaver unit in it with drawers and a laminate top for folding items,” said Moody. “It’s allowed us to have a space that feels very, very open and not claustrophobic. High ceilings, good lighting, everything it could be.”
Incoming athletes were impressed upon entering the facility as the school added colorful team graphics and motivational phrases to its sporting equipment storage. Even the floor coverings have Demon Deacons logos. “It looks terrific, and we’ll definitely use this area as a recruiting tool,” said Moody.
Tackling the Competition at Georgia Tech
High-density sports equipment rooms are also a winning solution at Georgia Institute of Technology (GT). With a football heritage going back to 1892, the Yellow Jackets outfits a roster of 120+ athletes and nearly 40 staffers for an ACC season. Tom Conner, Georgia Tech’s director of equipment operations, turned to Patterson Pope for a mechanical-assist high-density storage to modernize the team's locker room.
The renovation added convenience by making all jerseys, hats, shoes and pants easily accessible. “You can go to our white/gold uniforms and find everything you need right there in front of you,” Conner said. “Then you can turn around and find our white/white uniforms. You can roll [one carriage] over and find all our blue/blue uniforms and then turn around and find all of our practice wear. It’s really all laid out nicely.”
Making a Top First Impression at FSU
Florida State University’s athletic storage solution project is another Patterson Pope favorite. When given the opportunity to upgrade the football team’s sports equipment storage, Equipment Manager Darin Kerns gained:
- 10’ High mechanical assist high-density compact shelving systems
- Individual player cubbies
- Better use of vertical space
- 35 Percent more overall storage
- Hip-high work tables (9’ and 6’) with shallow drawers to repair equipment
It was also important to Kearns to create a visually impactful space. The storage solution was able to exactly match the FSU Seminole's color, along with action graphics that filled the entire length of the high-density system. The result created a sense of drama, passion, and energy that no prospective athlete could miss.
“My goal was to create a space that had a little bit of a ‘wow’ factor,” said Kerns. “Recruits are coming through here, and I want them to see – and feel – that this is an exciting place to be. I want them to feel like they can’t wait to join us.”
Kerns says the effort pays off. “I can see the effect it’s having when I see the looks on recruits’ faces,” he said. “We’ve managed to get everything in here in such a way that it looks great, it’s organized, and it’s got a little pizzazz, too.”
Athletic sporting equipment storage can address space constraints, offer efficient access, and improve safety for student athletes and staff. Customization and personalization can make a big difference in recruiting top prospects. The campus visit is your chance to make the touchdown, taking your recruits on a tour of a top-notch athletic facility with streamlined storage can help put you in the red zone.
The experts at Patterson Pope are ready to play on your team. Contact us today!
