Management of Sports Facilities- Apex Field House Arvada, Colorado

Management of Sports Facilities- Apex Field House Arvada, Colorado

The sports facility in focus is the Apex Field House in Arvada, Colorado. It is renowned as a centerpiece of the Lutz Sports Complex and a premier destination for the intermountain region with two indoor turf fields. The facility also has rooms for teams, community rooms, sports spaces, and administrative offices. It comprises two indoor 30 x 60-yard turf fields used for youth and adult sporting activities, including indoor soccer, flag football, and other sports programs. The facility also opens its doors to other recreational activities like birthday parties. The facility has community meeting rooms for rentals, practice areas, changing rooms, and central lobby areas with gathering space, vending, and television. The users are also guaranteed access to Wi-Fi while enjoying the sporting activities therein. Managing the Apex house requires immense knowledge and skills in handling public facilities and integrating social and sporting concepts to meet the desires of the target users (Sawyer, 2013). The facility has been instrumental in helping people enjoy their leisure time by either watching others play or actively engaging in various sporting activities therein. The choice of this facility is ideal as it offers the opportunity to unearth the skills required to manage sporting houses with a variety of social and sports events to optimize the satisfaction of its users.

Interview Summary

The interview was conducted on the phone, with the primary respondents being the top managers of the Apex Field House facility. The focus was on the qualifications and skills required to successfully manage such a sporting facility. The respondent revealed a person with knowledge of sports activities, especially one with a sports science background. On the skills side, the respondent asserted that to successfully run a sports facility, one should have managerial skills and be a critical thinker (Sawyer, Judge, & Sawyer, 2018). Besides, the respondent revealed that one should have problem-solving skills, be a strategic planner, and invest in decision-making skills to make informed and timely decisions on the activities in the facility (Sawyer, 2013). Most noteworthy, the manager revealed that one should be good at facility management budgeting, have good insight into the legal and compliance obligations, and be well equipped with emergency preparedness and business continuity. Being a facility frequented by all kinds of people, the manager insisted that one should have good people skills to engage the workforce and meet the needs of the facility’s users.

The manager identified six crucial factors that should be considered when designing a sports facility. First, the target users should be factored in when designing a sports facility. Planning for a large audience requires resources to ensure that the facility can accommodate the expected high number of attendees (Sawyer, 2013). Facilities with large audiences require properly planned structures to accommodate the teams visiting and the types of sporting activities to be hosted. Knowing the realistic attendance figures is also crucial to consider when designing a spotting facility to ensure adequate space.

Secondly, the manager identified the number of sporting activities the facility will support. It is crucial to consider the number of sporting activities played in the facility. For safety requirements, having a well-spaced facility that will accommodate different sporting activities will be instrumental in optimizing users’ satisfaction (Sawyer, 2013). The traffic demands for sporting activities require adequate spacing, thus necessitating ideal planning to ensure that all sports areas are properly constructed for durability. Investing in a turf field that boasts enhanced durability is a key pillar to maintaining optimal satisfaction and meeting the long-term objectives of helping people achieve their goals (Sawyer, Judge, & Sawyer, 2018). Aesthetic considerations of each sports field should also be considered. Planning should prioritize customizing the fields of different sports activities to differentiate them and offer the players the opportunity to identify with their preferred sports.

Third, maintenance requirements should be considered when planning and designing a sports facility. Consideration of future maintenance needs helps in budgeting and planning. To minimize the expensive fees of maintaining the facilities, the design should reduce the maintenance requirements. Further, the manager identified versatile use options as another factor considered when designing a sports facility. The Apex Field House is used for other social activities like birthday celebrations, thus earning revenues used to maintain other financial needs (Sawyer, Judge, & Sawyer, 2018). Return on investment is another factor considered when designing a sporting facility. The initial cost outlay should not outweigh the long-term benefits or take long to recoup (Sawyer, 2013). Finally, when designing a sports facility, societal problems should be a key factor. Notably, a sports facility should open opportunities for many people to enjoy their leisure time and minimize health hazards by keeping fit through sports activities.

The manager asserted that the sports facility needed a few improvements to meet the current surging demand from the users. He asserted that the field space should be expanded to enable more teams and people to participate in the games (Porsanger, 2021). The change in design will be instrumental in enhancing access to new people and games. For instance, the emergence of new games and increased participation of women in many sports require more fields. Changing the design to capture this new phenomenon will be a good move toward meeting the long-run objectives of satisfying all people. The population around Colorado has significantly increased over time, and the surge in new players and spectators exerts pressure on the sports facility (Sawyer, 2013). As such, it is prudent to design new playing fields to minimize the demand for the current playtime. Adequacy pf the sports area is instrumental in setting a solid foundation for optimal satisfaction.

The Americans With Disabilities (ADA) Act impacted the facility’s change in design. The ADA Act asserted that all sports facilities improve their designs by having ramps and doors wide enough to enable access to essential places like bathrooms, restaurants, transportation with lifts, and sports wheelchairs that support the disabled needs (Clouse, Wood-Nartker, & Rice, 2020). The enactment of the Act saw the sports facility have new sports wheelchairs, the introduction of an escalator, and the creation of special entry areas meant for the disabled. The change in structure and design was ideal for meeting the emerging needs of the disabled and setting the foundation for inclusivity for all. One of the fields was also redesigned to meet the standards specified in the ADA Act. Besides, the Act saw a change in management by having representatives of disabled people join the top management team of the sports facility (Clouse, Wood-Nartker, & Rice, 2020). With the Act’s inception, all sports facilities should ensure that the sporting band social needs of the disabled are considered when designing one.

The Americans With Disabilities (ADA) Act influences what I do in my daily management routine. Having one of the disabled personalities on the sports management team, I consult him on almost every decision affecting the games in the sports facility. The involvement of disabled people in the decision-making process has ensured that their needs are considered. Routine engagement with disabled people to get insight into their experiences has also helped improve the sporting outcome (Sawyer, 2013). For instance, disabled people need special gates devoid of heavy traffic to minimize injuries and improve their sporting experiences. Besides, the planning of the sports programs requires their input to avoid any form of discrimination in the implementation process (Budzynski-Seymour, Steele, & Jones, 2021). Through deliberation with the disabled members of the management team, the facility acquired new vehicles that help transport the disabled players. The move has been instrumental in ensuring the smooth movement of all people, including the disabled, in the sports facility.

Risk management practices are important in the design, planning, and management of sports facilities as they help minimize adverse effects on the facility’s users. The manager revealed that running a sports facility where many players are prone to injuries requires appropriate planning to mitigate the effects and maintain a prompt response to emergencies (Sawyer, Judge, & Sawyer, 2018). The sports facility has an insurance policy where all the players are required to pay premiums to receive appropriate treatment when the need arises (Clouse, Wood-Nartker, & Rice, 2020). Besides, the management has an emergency room with standby physicians to offer care services to the players who might be injured (Sawyer, 2013). Most noteworthy, the management has outlined a policy that requires only engaging in some games under the supervision of the professionals in the field to minimize mishaps and accidents. The top management has a mandatory meeting to review the risk management policies quarterly to ensure that any risky emerging areas are addressed to achieve the desired optimal productivity.

Managers with limited experience as facility managers should appoint risk management officers to help them learn how to mitigate risks within the facility. Sports facilities have different people engaging in a variety of sports activities that are highly risky. The ideal way of minimizing damage is to ensure that the facility has a risk management officer assessing the risky events and advising management on the appropriate course of action to take to protect the sportspeople from unsatisfactory experiences (Sawyer, 2013). Most noteworthy, new managers with limited experience should invest more time in planning to manage risks when they occur, leading to safer and more enjoyable sporting events.

The ideal way of preventing legal liability to the events, attendees, and participants in the sports facility is by having proper supervision of all sporting activities to ensure that they adhere to the set rules and regulations (Sawyer, 2013). Having sufficient instructors significantly reduces the chances of violating laws, thus minimizing lawsuits. The management should hire instructors who have adequate insight into the sports regulations to minimize incidences of negligence that lead to lawsuits. Most noteworthy, the facility should have policies that should be adhered to by all players and attendees (Clouse, Wood-Nartker, & Rice, 2020). For instance, having policies requiring the attendees and participants to observe the sports regulations is ideal for minimizing incidences that may lead to lawsuits. Most noteworthy, all staff should be trained and enlightened on the changing legal requirements in running sports facilities to enhance compliance and minimize litigation costs.

The funding of the sports facility was done by the State and other not-for-profit agencies. The state of Colorado contributed a larger share of the funds, and it was involved in its implementation. Being a recreational facility, the state government also contributes a larger share of the funds used to equip the facility (Sawyer, 2013). Other well-wishers and non-governmental organizations have donated funds to help improve the facility’s outlook and improve the sporting outcomes. Currently, the sports facility is financially independent as it utilizes the revenue streams to manage its activities and improve the facility’s features to meet the changing needs and demand.

The most important factor in managing a safe and public-friendly facility is risk management. Sports facilities encounter a relatively higher number of accidents because of the physical nature of some of the games. Proper risk management is the key pillar toward satisfying the needs of the attendees and the participants in sports. Managers seeking to improve the performance outcome of sports facilities should train their staff to embrace policies that minimize injuries (Sawyer, 2013). Close monitoring of the sporting activities will be instrumental in setting the foundation for optimal satisfaction. Most noteworthy, appropriate risk management in sports facilities significantly lowers operational costs, thus improving the revenue streams used to meet daily needs and maintaining the facility to the required standards.

References

Budzynski-Seymour, E., Steele, J., & Jones, M. (2021). A “Physically Active Experience”–Setting the Stage for a New Approach to Engage Children in Physical Activity.

Clouse, J. R., Wood-Nartker, J., & Rice, F. A. (2020). Designing beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Creating an autism-friendly vocational center. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 13(3), 215-229.

Porsanger, L. (2021). Risk and safety management in physical education: teachers’ knowledge. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 1-13.

Sawyer, T. H. (2013). Facility planning and design for health, physical activity, recreation, and sport. Sagamore Publishing.

Sawyer, T. H., Judge, L. W., & Sawyer, T. L. (2018). Sport Governance in North America. Sport Governance in North America., (Ed. 2).

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Throughout the course, various principles and content for designing, planning, and managing sports facilities have been reviewed, researched, and addressed. When considering the overall content, the final assignment for the course includes interviewing a sports facilities professional in your local area. This sports facilities manager can be a manager of an aquatic facility, community center, high school sports field manager, or any type of sports facility manager that oversees and manages a sports facility. The interview can occur over the phone or in person. In your paper, you will

Management of Sports Facilities- Apex Field House Arvada, Colorado

Conduct the interview over the phone or in person using the 10 questions listed below.
Summarize the questions and the facility’s sports manager’s responses.
Include course-related content to support the discussion in the responses.
Include a brief introduction on the type of facility, the use and purpose of the facility, whether it is a private or municipal facility, and which segment of the public the facility serves.
On the title page, please include the name of the facility and the town/city where it is located. The name of the facility manager is not required.

Interview Questions:

Which skills and qualifications do you consider relevant for a sports facility manager?
What do you think are important factors when designing and planning the construction of a sports facility?
Based on your experience working as a sports facility manager, what are some of the changes or innovations in the planning or design of sports facilities?
How did the Americans With Disabilities Act impact this facility’s design and physical construction?
How does the Americans With Disabilities Act influence what you do daily while managing and maintaining the facility?
How important are sound risk management practices in the design, planning, and management of sports facilities?
What advice would you give to a new sports facilities manager with limited experience as a facility manager related to effective risk management practices?
Based on your experience, how can a sport facility manager most effectively prevent legal liability or law-suits as to the events, attendees, and participants in a sport facility?
When considering the funding of sports facilities, where was the funding obtained to construct this facility?
What is the most important factor in managing a safe and public-friendly sports facility?