What is a sideline runner?
A sideline runner is a protective mat that covers the sideline area of a basketball court, or gym floor, where chairs are placed for players and coaches during games or practices. These are typically used during basketball games but can also be used for other sports that utilize a facility’s basketball gym, such as volleyball and wrestling matches.
Why use sideline runners?
Side Armor sideline runners protect your gym floor from the constant wear and tear of seating used for players and coaches during sporting events that take place in a basketball gym. Chairs, tables, and certain footwear can cause damage to expensive basketball court floors. Sideline runners aim to protect your gym floor from such damage. Even chairs and tables with rubber foot coverings can cause damage to an unprotected gym floor over time. Unlike the playing surface portion of a gym floor, due to the combination of repetitiveness and consistency of the placement of the chairs and scoring tables, sidelines tend to receive wear and tear in the same location over time, leading to costly repairs on a basketball court that is in otherwise good condition.
What characteristics should you look for in sideline runners?
Gym floor protection is the number one purpose of sideline runners, so the quality of the matting is imperative. A sideline runner should be thick enough to prevent any damage to the floor underneath, yet light enough to be deployed and picked back up by one or two people. The safety of players, coaches, and other personnel is also important. The sideline runners should lay flat on the gym floor with no wrinkles or curled edges that could cause a potential trip and/or fall. Sideline runners such as Facility Armor’s Side Armor use a high quality and aesthetically pleasing topcloth with a rubber backing that gives a slight cushion and added protection while making sure the runner stays in place on the gym floor. An additional benefit to Side Armor is the capability to add team or school logos. School spirit and team pride are important, so having sideline runners that can show that off team pride are a fun way to show support for your team.
How do you clean sideline runners?
Sideline runner maintenance is simple and easy. The best way to maintain your sideline runner is by using a standard vacuum. This should clean up the majority of dirt and debris that accumulate on sideline runners after each use. Although stains can occur, Side Armor’s stain resistant and anti-microbial top cloth lessens the chances of that happening. However, in the case a stain does occur, a spot cleaner may be used to clean up the affected area. If the stain is really set, an extractor with a proper cleaning solution should do the trick.
How do you deploy sideline runners?
The process of deploying sideline runners is simple and only requires one person, although two people are always recommended to make the job easier. To deploy the sideline runner, simply unroll the sideline runner in the area on the sideline where you’d like it to be placed. If it was rolled up correctly on the storage cart, the bottom side should be facing up. Flip the runner over so that the top cloth/logo side is facing up and move it into place.
How do you store sideline runners?
A quality sideline runner like Side Armor should be rolled up and stored on a custom hand truck or dolly, such as Facility Armor’s Side Armor Cart, for easy storage in a closet or equipment room. Pro tip: When rolling up your sideline runner after use, make sure to roll it up with the top cloth side out. This is especially important if your sideline runner has logos on it. Rolling it up top cloth/logo side out will prevent the logo from wrinkles or adhesion issues.