Facilities to Enhance Athletes’ Competitive Edge

Success doesn’t come overnight — it requires relentless effort and unwavering commitment.

Professional and college athletes spend countless hours honing their skills and pushing their bodies to the limit. But what often goes unnoticed is the crucial role that training facilities play in their success. Training facilities for athletes of this caliber are more than just a place to exercise. They are important for mental and physical preparation, empowering athletes with the necessary equipment, expert guidance and conducive environments to excel in their respective sports and maintain a competitive edge over their rivals. New construction and facility renovations of this type are complex and require a general contractor with an unwavering commitment to quality, durability and efficiency.

When athletes and coaching staff step foot through the doors — the culture should be palpable, placing them in the mindset to put their best foot forward. The facility should foster collaboration and camaraderie among athletes, coaches and trainers to reach their full potential. Training facilities are equally used as a recruiting tool, with spaces where prospective talent can envision themselves achieving their dreams. Amenity-rich facilities should focus on both physical and mental wellness, offering expansive hallways, spacious locker rooms, top-of-the-line strength and conditioning spaces, active and passive recovery areas, and high-tech meeting rooms and game simulators. Architects and general contractors must collaborate on efficient space planning to improve building circulation and complete thorough constructability reviews for material quality to create spaces that reinforce the team’s brand, legacy and tradition

How athletes think, feel and perform are all influenced by the environment where they practice and compete. The flexibility of these spaces is important as technology, equipment and desired amenities continue to evolve. This has clients relying on construction and design partners for guidance on space optimization, durability and utility capacity for current and future use. Athletes and coaching staff also want top-of-the-line training and audio-visual equipment, which often pushes deliveries close to the project’s completion. Construction partners must be organized to coordinate timely delivery and proper installation of equipment so it’s immediately available at project completion. 

Athletes know that every decision they make can impact their performance on game day or during competitions. Construction partners must operate with a similar mindset while working on these projects, surrounded by top-tier talent. Construction is invasive and critical safety measures are key — always keeping athletes, coaches and trainers separate from active construction. Distractions for athletes and coaches must be minimized and everyone onsite must work with a high level of professionalism to avoid mistakes.

Whether it’s waking up before dawn for early morning workouts or staying late at the gym for extra practice, these individuals are driven by a burning desire to be the best. As a leading general contractor in the sports and recreation market, Saunders is equally dedicated to perfecting our craft, delivering championship-caliber spaces for professional and college athletic programs throughout Colorado.