For years, PLAE has been bringing smiles to NIRSA members

To many NIRSA members, the name “PLAE” is synonymous with the fun experiences, deep connections, and incredible networking opportunities at NIRSA’s annual conferences. A long-time supporter of the All Conference, LGBTQI, and Founders People of Color socials, PLAE is engrained in the NIRSA family as a creator of incredible experiences and a builder of long-term relationships.

“If you ask any of our customers about PLAE, they will tell you about their experience before they ever mention anything about the products,” Brittany Barrett, Director of Student Recreation Business Development says. “We value the experience we create for our customers, and we want the experience to be second to none.”

It’s hard to believe that NIRSA’s journey with PLAE began only about a decade ago when PLAE became an associate member in 2011. Since then, PLAE’s dedication to campus recreation and the impact it has on student lives has only grown.

PLAE’s big leap into NIRSA events in Nashville in 2014 lead to a multi-year Diamond Partnership from 2018 to present. And with a keen eye on the post-pandemic trends surfacing on campuses, PLAE’s commitment to campus rec continues to play an invaluable role as an outstanding partner to and resource for our Association.

Building traditions

“Back in 2014, we only had about seven employees,” Rich Gray, Executive Vice President of PLAE recalls. Rich met NIRSA’s then-Director of Corporate Relations Heidi Hurley at the Athletic Business Show almost nine years ago. In the PLAE Booth, conversations about NIRSA socials came up at the same time PLAE was navigating the campus rec market looking to become more involved.

“We knew the idea of jumping into NIRSA was the next move,” Rich says. “What’s funny is when [Heidi] walked away, Rich Gray (Executive President) looked at Brett Waits (CEO) and immediately said, ‘We need to grab a hold of these socials.’ Within seconds, we turned around and called Heidi back over and told her we wanted to be a part of it.”

It was an outstanding year to get involved: The NIRSA 2014 All Conference Social at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville, Tenn. lives on in the memories of many NIRSA members. The saloon’s three floors brimmed with almost 2,700 attendees, the band and wait staff were decked out in PLAE T-shirts, and the PLAE team greeted attendees with a cacophony of cowbells.

See related: “NIRSA 2014: One rockin’ harmony!”

PLAE loved the event and their support resonated with attendees, so it signed up again as sponsor of the All Conference Social for NIRSA 2015 in Grapevine, Texas. Shawna Healy, Vice President of Business Development remembers it as “one of the coolest locations to date,” and the experience led to one of the company’s most memorable moments at a NIRSA event: The PLAE team gave NIRSA Past President Laurie Braden a T-shirt gun to send PLAE shirts flying into the crowd.

“The vision of her shooting the T-shirt gun off on the stage, firing T-shirts to the audience is one we will never forget,” Rich says.

“The All Conference Social is our way to give back to everybody,” Brittany continues. “It’s an event that is not just about program directors, but more about supporting their entire staff. It’s important to us to make sure everyone feels like they are being supported and taken care of.”

“It’s important to us to make sure everyone feels like they are being supported and taken care of.”

It wouldn’t be long before PLAE turned its attention to other NIRSA events and became a champion for the unique needs of NIRSA’s communities.

Meeting members where they’re at

NIRSA 2015 saw a pivotal moment for PLAE at the LGBTQ & Friends Social. At the time, it was a smaller event with a heartfelt appeals for donations going to the Frederick R. Braden Scholarship for

Social Justice in Recreational Sports Endowment to fund Annual Conference scholarships for NIRSA members identifying as LGBTQ or allies.

Wanting to give back to the community, PLAE committed as a sponsor of the Annual Conference social and the Founder’s People of Color Social at NIRSA 2016 in Kissimmee, FL.

“No one had ever stepped up to help sponsor this annual celebration,” Rich remembers. “We were blown away and couldn’t believe it. So, the decision was made for us to support the event in a heartbeat. There was never a question in our mind because these two traditions deserve to have a sponsor and a company that shows support.”

PLAE has continued its involvement as a sponsor of these signature socials at every annual conference since (including NIRSA 2021 Virtual!), and NIRSA 2022 is no exception. With three years passing since the last in-person conference, it’s safe to say Portland’s socials will generate extra special experiences, relationships, and memories as the NIRSA family convenes again—ready to “PLAE.”

Explore PLAE’s top three trends

A full-service company, from flooring through equipment, PLAE partners with campus rec facilities in many capacities, giving it a unique opportunity to observe trends on a variety of fronts. Over the past two years, three trends stand out in particular:

1) Interest in outdoor training spaces

The pandemic pushed many students toward outdoor workouts, and access to open, functional fitness and weight training areas outside is in high demand. For campus rec departments, it’s a win to have more open space for fitness outside of existing facilities; for students, it’s a win to have access to highly inclusive, inviting workout spaces provided by an outdoor setting. To PLAE, which recently installed outdoor training spaces at Florida Gulf Coast and Louisiana State universities, this trend should especially be embraced for its beneficial impact on mental as well as physical health.

“[Students] are indoors a large portion of their day—whether in school or work,” Brittany says. “Being outdoors is the perfect place to decompress, recharge, and reawaken a sense of exploration. Sunshine and fresh air can have immense impacts on mental wellbeing, even if for just 30 minutes a day.”

2) Racquetball/squash court conversions into functional training environments

For facilities with space limitations, quick conversions of unused or little-used space greatly contribute to a rec center’s overall training footprint. PLAE has observed a decline in racquet sports—even in cardio-focused workouts altogether—and it’s completed numerous conversions with a combination of rubber, turf, and equipment. Brittany says there’s a “big push toward areas that allow for weight training and HIIT classes,” with rigs, racks, and free weights gaining popularity.

3) Multipurpose activity court conversions into indoor turf training spaces

For performance-driven workouts, “access to an indoor turf area is a game changer,” Brittany says. PLAE sees student training evolving toward performance-style exercise. Indoor turf spaces will be crucial to meet the demands of student training.

PLAE Outdoors, win NIRSA 2023 registration

Curious about the trends in outdoor training spaces? PLAE will dive deeper into the topic at its April 19 webinar “It’s a Great Day to PLAE Outdoors: Funding, Designing & Programming an Outdoor Fitness Space.” Florida Gulf Cost University’s Suzanne Ries and Lisa Caldwell join PLAE to discuss the value of outdoor spaces, design and budget considerations, and creative programming inclusive of evolving student populations.

The webinar is free for NIRSA members and nonmembers alike, and you can register online here. All about experiences, PLAE is making the event extra special: One lucky webinar attendee will win a NIRSA 2023 registration covered by PLAE to join the NIRSA family in Pittsburgh! Visit PLAE in Booth 828 during the 2022 NIRSA Campus Rec & Wellness Expo to chat with the team about the upcoming webinar and the other trends they’re observing in campus rec.

About PLAE

PLAE has been a NIRSA associate member and exhibitor for a decade. Sponsorship at the regional level grew to national-level involvement in 2015, and PLAE signed its first a Diamond Partnership agreement at the end of 2018—a partnership that continues today. PLAE engineers high-end sports flooring specifically designed for maximum shock absorption and explosive energy return. Specialties are weight rooms, indoor/outdoor turf, gymnasiums, track systems, and multi-purpose surfaces.

For more information about how PLAE can play a part in your rec center achieving its mission and vision, visit PLAE in Booth 828 during the 2022 NIRSA Campus Rec & Wellness Expo or contact Brittany Barrett, Director of Student Recreation Business Development at PLAE.