In an ever-progressive world, new sports crop up each year, coming along with new flooring regulations and dimensions. These regulations are crucial for different athletic sports since they define each sport's field of play, including markings for out-of-bounds areas. Depending on the sport, athletic fields vary depending on surface composition from sand, grass, concrete, etc. All these surfaces require different striping techniques to ensure they can withstand repeated daily training as well as competitions. 

Whether you are striping a newly constructed athletic court or field, getting the right person/company for the job who understands the complexities involved with multi-purpose athletic facilities in Orange County is essential. 

In this post, we look at what you need to know when choosing an athletic field or court striping service provider for your facility. 

(Calvary Chapel High School- Santa Ana)

Public Orange County Athletic Field Maintenance

Orange County is fortunate to have a community that is highly interested in athletic sports, with high participation in youth-organized sports, school programs, and general county programs. The Orange County Parks and Recreation Division is responsible for planning, developing, and maintaining public fields and courts that accommodate up to 700,000 visitors annually. 

However, the high demand for sporting activities in Orange County is pushing the already limited field resources to extreme levels. The body is finding it challenging to keep the field conditions at a premium level throughout the year. 

To address the issue, the County has introduced a maintenance fee policy for groups who reserve or use the County's athletic fees. The fee varies depending on factors specific to the type of use, sport, and duration. 

Thanks to the additional capital, the Orange County Parks and Recreation Division can maintain a daily maintenance schedule for their different athletics fields. County maintenance focuses on restoring the fields to their previous condition before they were reserved for high impact and/or repetitive use, including re-striping the fields and suppressing pest problems.

Private Athletic Field Striping in Orange County

Most facilities and organizations in Orange County don't explicitly rely on public athletic fields except for huge events. Most of these facilities have their own athletic fields that don't fall under Orange County Parks and Maintenance Division's mandate. 

To that end, private facilities only have two options when it comes to athletic field maintenance; they could hire workers to work on their fields or outsource the service to a private athletic field maintenance third-party provider.

Due to the high sporting activities demand in Orange County and the lack of proper resources for the local government to maintain the current fields, private athletic field service companies are growing in the area. The rising demand for pickleball courts is one such example.

These companies are well versed in different types of athletic field markings with state-of-the-art equipment that come with laser guidance and onboard computers to ensure athletic fields are maintained consistently on a variety of fields or courts. 

Additionally, they are aware of state athletic facility recommendations and can customize the field markings to meet personal requirements. Here are some common services offered by private athletic field managers.  

Line Maintenance

Due to the constant foot traffic in athletic fields, inlaid markings are susceptible to wear, making them less visible or giving them a wavy appearance, especially when the field becomes slightly twisted. Third-party field managers look at the fields regularly, focusing more of their resources a few days or weeks before an event.  

These companies consider fields as an investment and are always ready to address any issues related to the field, including how to remove already existing markings, and can also recommend techniques and proprietary equipment to use if you decide to hire a different for striping. 

Logos

While logos are not part of athletic field regulations, they offer an excellent opportunity for facilities to market themselves or their affiliates to the spectators on the field. Typically, logos are placed in end zones and mid-fields of most athletic courts and fields and can either be permanent or temporary. 

Laser-guided tools allow athletic field managers to create and lay out even the most complex logos with exact precision. If you need a new logo, you should avoid approaching the job as a do-it-yourself project since the result could be unsightly and expensive to repair. Consult with an athletic field manager to get insights on how to accomplish your objective best. 

Other Markings 

Athletic fields that are made of natural grass and soil tend to soak up the occasional sports drink. Still, most athletic field developers usually warn against bringing such liquids to synthetic fields or courts because they can stain, spill, or leave residue on the surface. 

In some cases, removing the residue or stain is an easy process. However, it is highly recommended that you contact an athletic field manager before trying anything to avoid using something that might damage the field.   

Conclusion 

As the threat of COVID-19 slowly passes, many adults and children are returning to outdoor sports. Properties are scrambling to re-stripe their fields and courts to welcome the influx of athletes. However, striping the athletic field is not a DIY project. It requires the expertise of skilled personnel that understand the state's athletic regulations and have the experience and tools to restore your field to its former glory.

We offer athletic striping here at Empire! We service many schools, churches, and athletic organizations. Whether you are looking to re-stripe your existing courts or add to your layout, Empire is here to help. Our athletic striping ranges from prominent field sport striping all the way down to small pickleball court striping.

Feel free to contact us today for professional athletic field striping services in Orange County.