Maintenance Tips for your Sports Complex Racquetball Courts

It seems there is some dissatisfaction around the care of racquetball courts of late. According to a recent survey (quoted from Club Industry, January 25, 2017), twenty-five percent of gym members are not happy with their health clubs. This sentiment relates to overall sports complex satisfaction, but because a racquetball court has a large presence, it is important that your members are happy with your courts.

What Facility Management Needs to Know Regarding the Care of Sports Complex Racquetball Courts

You have made a huge investment in your Sports Complex and your racquetball courts. The hardwood floor is the showcase of your court so keeping it in pristine condition is crucial for both you and your members.
Preventative maintenance can help mitigate damage and save staff time and costs so be sure to use good quality floor mats (also known as walk-off mats) at the entrance to your racquetball courts to keep debris from being tracked in. These mats must be shaken or vacuumed every day in order to be effective.
Don’t assume that your racquetball court need not be cleaned if it hasn’t been used recently. Dust is constantly settling and after even one night of dust accumulation, a coating on your hardwood floor can become like sandpaper. Just by walking over it in this condition will create scratches. Regardless of how often your court is used, it is imperative that it be cleaned daily. If you have an efficient HVAC system, you will be less prone to dust issues, but it will still be something that you have to contend with on a daily basis.
The protocol for cleaning is to remove any debris and lightly wet mop.  The best recommendation is to lightly saturate a towel or a microfiber cloth and use this to wipe up your floor. Never allow any water or other liquid to remain on the floor and don’t use harsh chemicals or aggressive tools that might damage the surface.  For the sake of safety, be sure to place “wet floor” signs throughout the area until the floors are dried completely. Remove any rubber burns and floor marks with a solvent-dampened cloth.
Standard specifications for racquetball walls is that average reflectance of the front and side walls shall not be less than 80% at any point when in a clean condition. Dirty walls will impact this reflection standard so make sure they are wiped down on a daily basis as well. Another important standard for both maintenance and player comfort is the humidity factor. It is recommended that the racquetball court remain at a humidity level of between 40% and 60%.

Your Sports Complex, Racquetball Court and Member Responsibilities

Management’s due diligence and care will only go so far if members and racquetball players don’t assume their responsibilities. Sports Facilities Management advises that you ensure that you have guidelines posted in clear view for your players.  Here are a few important guidelines your players need to follow:

• Sneakers with white soles only, no boots, leather shoes or sandals
• No eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum or tobacco allowed

Following the above guidelines will greatly increase the chances that your racquetball courts remain in excellent condition for your racquetball players. Remember, member satisfaction is your bottom line.