University of Bridgeport's Renovated Field House Hosts NCAA Competitions and Recreational Events

July 13, 2009 - PRLog -- UNIVERSITY OF BRIDGEPORT’S RENOVATED FIELD HOUSE HOSTS
NCAA COMPETITIONS AND RECREATIONAL EVENTS

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL, July 13, 2009 – The activity and attendance levels at the University of Bridgeport’s Wheeler Recreation Center jumped after the installation of new sports flooring in its field house gymnasium.

The on-campus recreation facility serves the student body and staff as well as the public. In mid 2008, the center’s deteriorating 30-year-old urethane floor was overlaid with Taraflex® Isolsport to prevent moisture problems. Then, Taraflex® Sport M Plus flooring was installed on top. The 18,000-square-foot maple design floor installed in three courts features a blue border doubling as a jogging track, yellow NCAA volleyball game lines and blue basketball foul lanes.

The University’s Associate Vice President for Facilities George Estrada says the difference is more than just visual.

“The new floor affords a little extra cushioning,” Estrada explains. “It’s standing up and doing what’s supposed to do. It’s a multipurpose room and it takes a lot of abuse, more than it used to. Plus the floor is easy to clean.”

Three of the four courts in the gym are used for competitions and intramural programs.

“The volleyball team has played NCAA games on the Taraflex floor,” says Estrada, adding the flooring is also popular for recreation programs. “We can have tennis, volleyball and basketball games going on at the same time, side by side.”

Curtain dividers allow three different sports to be played at once or the courts can be solely dedicated to basketball. The gym has eight basketball hoops available. The fourth court is reserved exclusively for gymnastics.

The University of Bridgeport’s (UB) athletics department organizes a variety of recreational activities including wiffleball, tennis and badminton games and holds summer programs and training sessions in the 150-foot by 200-foot gym.

“Competitive and recreational athletes at the University of Bridgeport get the flooring advantages they need with Taraflex® Sport M Plus,” explains Xavier Nicolau, North America marketing manager. “Its multilayer design incorporates the performance needed for competitions while providing comfort and safety for all skill levels.”  

With operating hours from early morning until late night, seven days a week, usage of the
Wheeler Center steadily increased as word spread of the new flooring.

The Wheeler Recreation Center features a field house, pool with diving facilities, gymnastics area and multitude of weight rooms, a cardio-theater, martial arts studio and locker room facilities. Wheeler is also the home facility for the UB women's swimming and diving as well as the National Champion Women's Gymnastics Team. Wheeler provides a broad program of sport, recreation, fitness, and wellness activities for students, faculty, staff, and the UB community to enhance their personal lifestyle and improve the quality of life on the University of Bridgeport Campus, www.bridgeport.edu.

Advantage Sport USA of Winooski, VT, www.advantagesportusa.com, the Northeast United States distributor of Taraflex Sports Flooring, installed the Sport M Plus floor.

Gerflor manufactures seven-millimeter-thick Taraflex® Sport M Plus flooring with outstanding shock absorption, performance and accurate ball bounce. Permanent product treatments reduce risk of skin-related infections, friction burns and simplify maintenance. Sport M Plus is environmentally friendly with up to 43% recycled content, 100% recyclable at the end of its lifespan and can contribute LEED credits. Visit www.gerflortaraflex.com for more information.

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Gerflor's Taraflex Sports Flooring is a world leader in indoor synthetic sports and multipurpose flooring. The Taraflex line includes 14 different products designed for superior performance, durability, easy maintenance and with recycled content. http://www.gerflorttaraflex.com