Is Your School On Track For Summer: Maintaining Your Athletics Track During Winter

As the summer months are fast approaching, most schools and athletics clubs are gearing up for P.E. lessons and training in the great outdoors. For those in charge of sports clubs or school sports facilities, it cannot be stressed enough how important it is to carry out thorough athletics track maintenance and school track maintenance regularly. Not only will this encourage high performance, it can also reduce the risk of accidents and damage from general wear and tear which can be rather costly to rectify. Children must be encouraged to participate in sports from an early age so they have the opportunity to develop a love of being active and exercising. Therefore, providing fully functioning sports tracks and equipment will motivate children to take part in the activities without the risk of hurting themselves while doing so. Maintenance Regular maintenance will ensure the sports track and equipment are kept in prime condition and ready to use for many years to come. Our experts at Charles Lawrence have put together this guide which will advise how athletics tracks can be maintained during the winter months in preparation for the spring. By following these steps, you will avoid having to spend a great deal of time and money temporarily closing down the track during the spring months: Remove all equipment, such as landing mats and hurdles, from the track and store them in a dry, secure place as they will leave a rust mark when moved.

Make a note of any areas where water is collecting as they can open the surface of the track when frozen in winter months, causing it to crack and become damaged.

Check drains are clear and clean where possible.

Don’t leave grass clippings on the track over the winter as they will rot on the surface.

Make sure all covers are secured in place to protect the track against the elements

Lack of care or maintenance during the adverse winter weather conditions can cause your track to suffer from a host of related problems, including the unwanted growth of:

weeds
grass
moss

General wear and tear can cause cracks to appear between the surface and edges of the court, allowing debris such as dirt to accumulate and settle. To prevent cracks developing and the edges of the track collapsing, the perimeter of the track must be regularly cleaned and sprayed with a weed-killer. Small amounts of moisture can develop in the textured surface of an athletics track which can encourage the growth of moss, causing it to become a major problem when allowed to flourish in such conditions. Applying a regular treatment using an approved moss killer is strongly recommended if you notice this problem developing. Parts of the track that are covered by trees will require routine cleaning to prevent fallen leaves from blackening the track and rotting on the surface. Regular maintenance will eliminate many causes of long-term damage to your track which can be expensive to correct. A professional deep clean of the track should be carried out every three to four years, depending on its location and how often it is used. Here at Charles Lawrence we provide thorough athletics track maintenance and school track maintenance services, including resurfacing and cleaning to ensure your surfaces remain in top condition all year round. We also specialise in athletics track and field event area construction, using the finest materials for high quality surfaces. We are leading providers for: Synthetic Long/Triple Jump Runways and Landing Pits

High Jump Fan Take-off Areas
Synthetic Pole Vault Runways and Landing Areas
Synthetic Javelin Runways
Shot Putt Throwing Circles
Discus/Hammer Throwing Circles and Safety Cages

For further information about any of the services we provide, simply contact our friendly team by telephone or online today.