A Massachusetts appeals court affirmed the ruling of a trial court that a municipality in that state is protected by sovereign immunity in a case in which it was sued by a resident and his spouse who lived adjacent to a baseball diamond and claimed its use was a "nuisance" because of errant baseballs.

The emergency action plan (EAP) at physical education and sport venues is a necessity, no matter the level. Although medical emergencies are rare, an EAP helps to ensure a smooth response, necessary for positive outcomes. Many entities should be involved developing the EAP. All personnel who act in an emergency must be trained in first aid and…

Demand for self-defense instruction has found its way to school settings at all levels. Classes are more prevalent on college campuses than ever before because students and administrators acknowledge the value of such instruction. As a point of reference, half of 16 University of North Carolina (UNC) schools and universities offer a course in…

A school business manager who has been in the market for a new athletic field in the last 10 years has no doubt has been exposed to the front lines of an intense battle for market share between producers of natural grass and manufacturers of artificial turf. Each camp is well represented by powerful industry organizations across the country. As a…

Some parts of a school building do not age gracefully. At many elementary and middle schools--particularly those built in the 1960s or 1970s--old gyms are as useful (and attractive) as a worn-out pair of sneakers. To save money 20 years ago, school districts often used one space as a combination gym/lunch room/auditorium. Old gymnasiums offer…

The shared use of school recreational facilities holds the potential to offer activity opportunities for many people, especially those in low-income, minority, and under-resourced communities. School facilities are usually easily accessible and offer safe, free or low cost, and convenient recreation and sport opportunities. However, a number of…

Welcome to the Centennial Conference: 11 small, private liberal-arts colleges in the mid-Atlantic region that belong to the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III, where there are no sports scholarships to lure top-notch players. Instead, the contest to recruit the best athletes--a high-stakes game that has long defined only the…

This article presents an overview of the rise of modern-day collegiate recreational sports and their relevance to student learning and quality of life. The author discusses planning considerations for collegiate recreational sports facilities and the importance of these facilities as a recruitment and retention tool. (Contains 4 figures.)

This article describes the result of a recent report from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) which has raised the hackles of some college officials who charge that the data are incomplete and that the NCAA has clouded the real fiscal value of sports programs. The study revealed the growing financial support colleges provide to…

In August and September 2005, two violent hurricanes--Katrina and Rita--hit Louisiana. Hundreds of thousands of residents were relocated to temporary living communities, where most of the economically poor remain today. This state's largest trailer community, "Renaissance Village," was erected almost overnight in a cow pasture in Baker,…

For many years, the only way to have a playing field was to grow it out of the ground. However, natural turf is difficult and expensive to maintain. The 1960s saw the advent of synthetic turf. The material made it easier to stage football and baseball games at indoor venues. The most prominent example was the Astrodome in Houston, which gave the…

Integrating other content areas into physical education does not have to come at the expense of learning and practicing movement concepts, skill themes, or fitness concepts. Through the use of the content linkage approach, physical educators can reinforce classroom content in a physical education setting. This article discusses the content linkage…

Successful sport entities have a variety of stable revenue sources to meet increasing expenses. There are three major categories of revenue sources: public, private, and a combination of public and private sources. It is extremely important for the sport manager to ensure that all varieties of revenue streams are maintained. The public sources of…

A New York university is refurbishing its air-inflated sports bubble to prolong its use while a permanent physical education facility is under construction. (Author)

A multipurpose athletic complex at Tennessee State University is designed to accommodate a wide range of indoor activities. Different types of flooring are required in each area. (Author/MLF)