Spacesaver Creates a Showplace at the University of Oregon 

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Spacesaver’s HDMS creates more space for sports storage

Working with an aging wire storage system in an efficient space, Homestead’s administrators knew they needed to find a modern solution to house more than a dozen teams’ worth of totes, hanging uniforms, and specialized equipment.

Securing the Key to Victory

<h2>Equipment Room Challenges</h2>
<p>In many high school sports, the difference between a win and a loss on the playing field can be a matter of inches. For equipment managers and school administrators, their inch-oriented wins are found in the <a href="/athletics" aria-label="athletic equipment storage solutions">athletic equipment room</a>, where finite space meets ever-growing gear requirements for their respective teams.</p>



<h2>(Access + Security) Capacity = A Championship Equation</h2>

<p>For ideas that you could implement in your High School.</p>

Download Our Athletic Guide

<h3>Free Up Wasted Aisle Space</h3>
<p>With a growing interest in participation from student athletes and an increased focus on upgrading the look and safety of said athletes, Homestead High School in Southeastern Wisconsin reached out to their trusted Spacesaver solutions experts at Bradford Systems to add efficient storage to an underutilized space. The result was a robust lineup of <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/standard-mobile-system" aria-label="high-density mobile system product details">mechanical-assist high-density mobile storage</a> (HDMS) solutions that added capacity, safety, and new opportunities for the managers, coaches, and athletes at the school.</p>



high school athletic equipment storage facility

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Get a behind-the-scenes look at Northwestern University's new field house. High-density storage systems keep athletic equipment storage organized and accessible.

Northwestern University’s athletic facilities lacked adequate space to store gear for its 500+ student athletes. High-density storage systems were installed to organize athletic gear and consolidate services.

Serving Student Athletes

<p>Everything about the Big Ten conference is big: big enrollments, big endowments, and big athletic programs. Until recently, Northwestern University’s athletic facilities were the exception to that rule. The prestigious institution lacked adequate space to store gear for its 500+ student athletes, and teams were housing athletic equipment throughout various areas with only one small, central location for sports storage. As a result, student athletes had to spend a lot of time moving between various locations to work out, go to practice, grab a meal, and attend tutoring sessions.</p>

<h2>Supporting Student Athletes</h2>
<p>The need for a new approach to the university’s athletic equipment storage was obvious. When the university began considering concepts for a new field house, the planning team decided that a top priority would be to support all student athletes in a new and more complete way. They wanted athletes to be able to spend more time training and studying, and less time in transit from place to place for various activities.</p>
<p>They decided to bring all the teams and their gear together under one roof, along with a dining area, academic support services, sports medicine, workout facilities, and more. In addition to better serving student athletes, this strategy would offer practical opportunities to streamline staff tasks like laundry and equipment repair. It would also allow programs to design storage solutions that would promote efficiency by consolidating athletic gear and optimizing space.</p>

<p>Whether you’re designing a new facility or improving the layout of your current equipment room, we’re here to help protect team’s gear, impress recruits, and help staff provide excellent customer service to coaches and student athletes.</p>

Help Athletes Stay Safe & Do Their Best

Assistant Athletic Director for Equipment

<h2>Planning for Success</h2>
<p>Because cramped and scattered storage can lead to inefficiency and even lost or damaged equipment, the university’s equipment managers jumped at the chance to design efficient storage systems that would provide a place for everything. The planning team visited more than 60 other campuses to get inspiration and to learn from their counterparts’ experiences.</p>
<p>One of the most common suggestions was to really think through storage needs and to be realistic about the space needed to store athletic gear. Because they were determined to get it right the first time, the planning team called in Chicago-based Spacesaver storage consultants to gain a better understanding of the available options. The Spacesaver consultants worked with the planning team and the project architects to design compact storage systems for the football program and for the university’s Olympic sports, which include soccer, lacrosse, and tennis.</p>

<h2>Quick, Convenient Access</h2>
<p>The result of all that effort is a facility that makes it much easier for staff to provide student athletes with the services and equipment they need. In the Olympic sports equipment area, for example, a large work table serves as a laundry station for twelve sports. In both the football and Olympic sports areas, clothing and equipment is stored on Spacesaver high-density systems, which consist of shelving units that move along rails. Each unit is configured to house specific gear for a particular sport with the goal of protecting equipment and providing quick, convenient access for staff.</p>

<h2>A Winning Strategy For Your Team</h2>
<p>Behind every sports team, there’s another team of athletic equipment managers who keep helmets, uniforms, and other gear accessible and in good repair. Well-organized equipment storage is a key component of any winning strategy.</p>
<p>Spacesaver is proud to provide efficient athletic equipment storage solutions for multiple sports to colleges and universities throughout North America. <a href="/contact-us" aria-label="contact spacesaver">Contact us</a> to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation.</p>


northwester university athletic storage project

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Athletic Equipment Storage for Multiple Sports

Spacesaver Eclipse® Powered Mobile Storage Helps Organize Football Equipment and Apparel

Custom Designed Shelving for Football Equipment

Football Equipment Manager

<h2>The Challenge</h2>
<p>The equipment room at Iowa State University (ISU) was old, cramped and disorganized. There wasn’t enough space to store everything that the team needed and used on a daily basis, let alone try and organize the items within the space.</p>
<p>When the new facility was being built, Sedgwick took the opportunity to create a new and more organized equipment storage solution using Spacesaver storage products.</p>



<p>Due to previous experience in the industry and prior exposure to Spacesaver storage solutions, Sedgwick knew to contact the local Spacesaver representative in Iowa. Spacesaver worked closely with the university to create a storage solution that was able to make the best use of the space allocated.</p>
<p>An <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/standard-mobile-system" aria-label="eclipse mobile system product details">Eclipse Powered System®</a> outfitted with 4-Post shelving, oblique garment rails and secure Rollok doors was installed in the facility in October of 2012. A powered operational control was selected for ease of access and movement due to the size of the storage units. Users are able to press a button and enter the aisle immediately and without the normal delay associated with a mechanical assist system. The mobile storage is also equipped with a floor lock, which uses a key controlled tumbler lock mechanism mounted near the floor level that interfaces with the systems electric controls, to completely secure the system when not in use.</p>
<p>These solutions provided smart storage solutions for football apparel, shoes and gear. Now everything has an appropriate place and is easy to find within the equipment room. The Rollok doors (shown above) also offer additional security within the powered system.</p>

<h2>Storage Solved</h2>
<p>The new equipment room has helped save the staff and equipment manager time and money due to the ease of accessing equipment on game days. Everything is stored within easy reach and more of what the athletes need is now stored in the primary equipment facility.</p>



<p>Well-organized storage systems ensure that athletes and coaches have everything they need to protect valuable assets, streamline workflows and boost team pride.</p>

Fast Access to Everything You Need

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See how the University of Oregon created athletic equipment storage systems that protect team assets, streamline workflows, and boost team pride.

Spacesaver Creates a Showplace at the University of Oregon

A Testament to Style and Function

<p>Across the University of Oregon campus, Spacesaver has helped create <a href="/athletics/football-equipment-room" aria-label="football athletic storage soltuions">athletic equipment storage systems</a> that protect valuable assets, streamline workflows, and boost team pride. Nowhere is this more evident than at the new Marcus Mariota Sports Performance Center, which has been hailed as “a testament to style and function.” The facility&nbsp;features 2.5 miles of Spacesaver drawers and shelving housed in visually stunning Spacesaver compact mobile storage systems.</p>

<p> Download for a comprehensive look at football equipment storage solutions.</p>

Storage Playbook

Director of Equipment Operations, University of Oregon

<h2>Equipment Room Walk Through</h2>
<p>For many university football teams, the simple days of “home” and “away” uniforms are over. This is particularly true at the University of Oregon, where new uniforms are issued weekly. The team’s equipment managers were struggling to keep up with the thousands of objects they needed to store, retrieve, issue, and collect every week over the course of the season.</p>
<p>Thanks to a generous gift from Phil and Penny Knight, staff was able to design a new facility that’s as functional as it is attractive. During numerous planning meetings, the Portland-area Spacesaver consultant met with the project team to determine the team’s needs, gain an understanding of the planned construction, and help determine how to maximize the available space. </p>
<p>Aaron Wasson, director of equipment operations, worked with his staff and the Spacesaver consultant to analyze workflows, measure&nbsp;items that needed to be stored, and estimate future storage requirements. “We spent hundreds of hours designing the Spacesaver systems, how each of those spaces would look and feel, and how they would function,” he said. He added that the Spacesaver consultant provided advice and insights based on the company’s experience with other large equipment rooms.</p>

<p>Helmets are prepped, stored, and maintained in “The Armory,” a purpose-built room featuring mirrored Spacesaver cabinets mounted on a <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems" aria-label="high density mobile system product details">high-density mobile system</a>. Face masks are stored on Spacesaver shelving concealed behind roll-down doors.</p>
<p>The design team decided to create a mezzanine due to the building’s long and narrow footprint. The ground floor stores items for daily use, while the upper level, which is less frequently accessed, stores surplus items as well as items that will be needed later in the season.</p>
<h2>Recruitment WOW</h2>
<p>While the primary goal was to store large amounts of gear in one place, another goal was to impress recruits. Custom graphics mounted on the Spacesaver units have had an immediate impact, said Aaron Wasson. “It’s a huge ‘wow’ factor when the recruits walk in,” he said.</p>


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University Athletic Equipment Storage

Design ideas for football equipment room storage featuring Washington State University's new equipment room.

Spacesaver & Washington State, A Winning Team

<p>When Joshua Pietz, the Football Equipment Manager at Washington State University, set out to redesign a new football equipment room for the university, he had two main goals:</p>
<ul>
<li>Support the coaches and the players</li>
<li>Create a showplace for recruitment</li>
</ul>
<p>Pietz started working for the program when he was a student, and after more than 20 years at the facility he had done his best to create a well-organized system to store apparel and equipment. But despite his efforts, the program’s storage solutions were less than ideal, particularly because the football team had to share storage areas with 16 other sports.</p>

Football Equipment Manager for Washington State University

<p>There was no single storage area large enough to accommodate everything that the players and coaches needed. Apparel, gear, and equipment were stored on cabinets and in trunks in several different rooms, making it difficult for anyone to keep track of all the items that the players and coaches relied on. Even if they knew where an item was, Pietz and his staff often discovered there were several other items stacked in front of it or on top of it. “If you needed to get to one thing, you had to do four things,” he said. “That was the struggle before.”</p>
<p>For years he had been hoping for a new equipment room. When he traveled with the team he would check out other teams’ rooms, take photos and notes, and add to his mental picture of the ideal space.</p>

The local Spacesaver consultant met with Pietz about 15 times during the project design phase.

<h2>The Design Process</h2>
<p>When Pietz got word that funding had come through for a new football facility at WSU, he already knew that he wanted <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems" aria-label="compact mobile system product details">Spacesaver compact storage systems</a> for the equipment room. These storage systems eliminate wasted aisle space: the shelves move along rails, so they can be stored close together and dynamic aisles can be easily opened at the point of need. Pietz&nbsp;had seen them at a number of other universities.</p>
<p>Soon after he got word that funding had been acquired, Pietz contacted the local Spacesaver consultant to start discussing options. They met about fifteen times, for a couple of hours each time, over the course of planning the project. First they sat down and looked at photos of other football equipment rooms that had been designed and installed by Spacesaver, including the Seattle Seahawks, <a href="/case-study/football-team-storage-equipment-room" aria-label="notre dame equipment room install story">Notre Dame</a>, and Baylor University, and they looked at photos that Josh had taken of other teams’ athletic equipment storage areas on his travels.</p>

<p>Once they had an idea of various systems and layouts, they discussed the specifics of Pietz’s staff’s workflow. They assembled the best ideas to create a general concept. When they got the final drawings from the architect regarding ceiling heights, support column placement, and other specifications, they really started digging into the details: measuring helmets, shoe boxes, jackets, figuring out exactly how wide and how tall specific items were. Then they started deciding what would go where and how the shelving units could be configured to accommodate clothing and gear in a way that would facilitate ease of use and efficient use of space.</p>
<p>Throughout the process the Spacesaver consultant worked with Pietz and his team, as well as with the architect, to be sure that plans and expectations were in alignment. For instance, since Spacesaver rails can be installed in new construction when the floor is poured, the Spacesaver consultant needed to work with the architect and coordinate with the contractor to be sure the rail installation process could proceed as planned. “He made sure I got what I wanted and he made sure they got what they needed,” Pietz said of the consultant.</p>

<h2>Perfectly sized storage</h2>
<p>The room is anchored by two large Spacesaver systems. One contains longer-term storage for spare practice items like helmets, extra shoes, and balls. It also stores less frequently used items like the players’ sideline coats and general promotional apparel. The other system contains game day storage grouped by player and coach. Both units are secured by Rollok doors, which roll down and lock to prevent unauthorized access to the shelving on each end.</p>

<h6 style="margin-bottom: 0;">The new football equipment storage room offers the following advantages:</h3>
<h2 style="margin-top: 0;">Quick Retrieval</h2>
<p>Staff can quickly find and retrieve items on a moment’s notice, which helps the whole team function better. “Our job here is to provide the coaches, the players, the staff with the things they need to accomplish their goals, which are to coach or get people healthy or make people stronger,” Pietz said. “We can accomplish our goals much faster and in a more organized manner, simply because of storage space.” If a coach or player requests an item, Pietz or his staff can deliver it within minutes and get them on their way.</p>

Download for a comprehensive look at football equipment storage solutions.

<h2>Easy Inventory</h2>
<p>Stainless steel counters at the front of the room allow for easy inventory — when a shipment is delivered, Pietz or his staff log the items into the electronic inventory system using mobile devices or the computer that’s set up on the counter. Then the items are placed into storage. Having everything in one place makes it easy to double-check the electronic inventory system. When placing an add-on order for a specific model of a glove or shirt, for example, Pietz can quickly count the number of items left. “Inventory is always better when you’re organized,” Pietz said. “I can go count it at any time, because I know where it is. It just makes my life easier.” Given the fact that he has 11 student managers, good organization is even more important: A logical, well labeled system keeps everyone on the same page and makes their lives easier, too.</p>



<h2>A Flexible, Configurable System</h2>
<p>The team just completed their second season in the new facility, and Pietz says he and the staff have configured it perfectly. “It took us a full year to get things exactly the way we wanted it,” he said, adding that they refined the shelving units’ configuration after the first season. “You get in and work with it and you realize ‘That should go over here,’ or ‘I need more space for this.’ What’s nice about the configuration is you can switch it. Now it’s dialed in, so everything is where it’s gonna be for a while.”</p>
<h2>Recruiting</h2>
<p>One of main goals was to create&nbsp;a showcase for recruiting purposes. A recruit wall displays&nbsp;jerseys and gear that’s issued to the players. And the entire room is designed so prospective players can walk around and look into the Spacesaver units to see how much equipment will be at their disposal.</p>



Fast Access to Everything you Need

<h2>Words of Wisdom</h2>
<p>Not everyone has a new 7,000 square-foot room to design for their sports team storage area. Some equipment managers might be looking at a renovation of their existing space or even a minor revamp of one small area. No matter the situation, local Spacesaver design consultants can help make the most of your space and your budget.</p>
<p>Pietz offers these words of advice to other equipment managers who are renovating their current football equipment room storage or designing a new room or area: “Make sure it works for you. We all have different amounts of space available and we all have different ways of working. My design was to maximize the space, and maximize the flow of the room using the Spacesavers and all the drawers. Take your time, investigate other equipment rooms, but ultimately design something that works for you.”</p>



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Football Equipment Room Storage

NCAA Division III champion UW-Whitewater Warhawks overhaul their equipment room with Spacesaver’s high-density compact shelving.

NCAA Division III champs overhaul their equipment room with Spacesaver's high-density compact shelving.

Warhawks Score with Spacesaver

<p>The space was overcrowded and disorganized. Helmets, shoulder pads, uniforms, and field practice equipment were overflowing into aisleways, or placed onto carts that blocked other storage areas.</p>
<p>In addition to these actively used items, old uniforms and various University of Wisconsin Whitewater apparel for summer camps, coaches’ gear, and donations also needed to be stored in the space. There was even old equipment that should have been discarded, tucked away on shelves or hidden in cabinets.</p>
<p>The athletes and staff needed to completely re-think their football team equipment storage.</p>

Equipment Manager

<h2>A Company Close to Home</h2>
<p>Existing shelving and storage was old, made of wood and permanently installed (fixed), with no adjustable shelves or movable units. Each cabinet was locked with a separate key and it took over two hours to unlock the cabinets, pull the appropriate uniforms and equipment and then re-lock all the cabinets to secure the equipment. The lack of adjustability was also frustrating, since it was hard to meet the needs of the growing football program or keep the team organized.</p>
<p>UW-Whitewater equipment manager at the time, Luke Groth, began to explore alternate storage solutions for the space that could get the team (and the equipment) more organized.</p>

<h3>Space Saving Experts</h3>
<p>“Spacesaver has a great reputation across college athletics,” said Mr. Groth, “What they have done for other programs is outstanding and is what attracted UWW to Spacesaver.”</p>
<p>His familiarity with Spacesaver, plus the school’s proximity to the manufacturing facility (the Spacesaver manufacturing facility and offices are only 10 minutes away) helped steer him towards the Spacesaver approach.</p>
<p>An extensive space analysis was completed by a local consultant, and a <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/low-profile-mobile-shelving" aria-label="wheelhouse mobile system product details">Wheelhouse® High-Density Mobile Storage System</a> with custom end panels was selected. <a href="/products/shelving/4-post-case-type-shelving" aria-label="4 post shelving product details">Stationary 4-post shelving</a>, under counter storage cabinets and drawers, and WRX Wheels® Transport System carts were also incorporated into the design.</p>
<p>The <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/low-profile-mobile-shelving" aria-label="low profile moible sytem product details">Wheelhouse high-density mobile system</a> houses most of the athletic equipment like helmets, uniforms, and shoulder pads and is secured with one locking mechanism for the entire unit. This makes securing expensive equipment much easier than in the past and has resulted in huge time savings for the current equipment manager.</p>

<p>We’ll help ensure your program’s commitment to excellence is backed up by gear that’s always organized, accessible, and at the ready.</p>

A Commitment to Excellence

<h3>Right Size Shelving & Accessories</h3>
<p>Special storage compartments within <a href="/products/shelving/4-post-case-type-shelving" aria-label="4 post shelving product details">stationary 4-post shelving units</a> were designed for balls, towels, and frequently accessed gear that did not need to be secured.</p>
<p>An additional storage unit outfitted with locking drawers features compartments for many small repair items, and a locking receding door for a stereo receiver that pipes music throughout the building. Two different counters serve as work areas with storage below, which the staff uses to make repairs to equipment; previously they had only one desk to use as workspace.</p>
<p>“John Butler did an outstanding job with the layout and installation of the equipment room,” said Mr. Groth. “His passion for what he does definitely showed throughout the whole process.”</p>
<p>Spacesaver Corporation also provided a few options for the custom end panels. With the school’s input, the custom decal was designed and ordered through Storage Systems Midwest and produced and installed by Jim Greeley Signs.</p>

<h2>Saving Time and Protecting Gear</h2>
<p>The local Spacesaver design consultant provided valuable insights during the design process.</p>
<p>Today, the space is used much more effectively. Players and staff are now able to store bulky football equipment, supplies, and clothing neatly and appropriately within their Spacesaver Storage System.</p>
<p>“This season we didn’t have anywhere near as many shoulder pads that needed to be reconditioned, and I know part of the reason is because now they are stored correctly,” said Tim Baldry, current equipment manager for UW-Whitewater Football.</p>
<p>Because the mobile system has only one locking mechanism to open and close, the pre-game process of pulling gear and uniforms that used to take over two hours now takes under 45 minutes. This process is also made more efficient through use of the WRX Wheels cart that is used to haul jerseys, socks and shoes from the equipment room to the locker room.</p>

<h2>A Point of Pride</h2>
<p>Not only has there been measurable time savings as a result of the new storage systems being installed, there has been a renewed sense of pride and excitement about the space. Before, the recruitment process did not involve a look at the equipment room. Now the tour takes potential athletes and students right into the space where they can see team pride displayed prominently on the storage system, and understand the care put into storing and maintaining team equipment.</p>
<p>“Instead of zipping right through, now it is a point of emphasis,” said Mr. Baldry.</p>
<p>The Warhawk Football storage solution has been such a success for the team that several other departments have selected Storage Systems Midwest to provide solutions for their storage needs using Spacesaver products. Custom Spacesaver lockers have already been purchased for the newly renovated men’s and women’s National Championship Wheelchair Basketball (NWBA) team locker rooms.</p>

<p>“The confidence and pride our players and coaches have in the new Spacesaver system is truly remarkable,” said Mr. Groth.</p>
<p>“The great flexibility that these different types of storage systems provide has allowed our equipment manager to adjust and continue to improve the facility,” said UW-Whitewater Head Football Coach, Lance Leipold.</p>

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Football Team Equipment Storage and Organization

Spacesaver helped Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football triple its storage capacity and turn its equipment area into a showpiece.

Spacesaver helped Notre Dame Football triple its storage capacity and turn its equipment area into a showpiece.

Spacesaver teams up with Notre Dame football

Head Football Equipment Manager for the University of Notre Dame

<p>Notre Dame’s football equipment room is a point of pride for the football program and the university as a whole, but it wasn’t always the organized and attractive space that it is today. Before their major renovation, plastic tubs filled with gear and equipment were stacked around the room and even on the countertop. “There was just so much wasted space,” said Ryan Grooms, Head Football Equipment Manager for the University of Notre Dame. “It really wasn’t functional for us.”</p>
<p>Grooms was familiar with Spacesaver from his previous position with the University of Minnesota, so he knew that mobile shelving could potentially double the football team’s storage capacity within the same space.</p>

<p>Download for a comprehensive look at football equipment storage solutions.</p>

<h2>The Gold Standard of Equipment Rooms</h2>
<p>Today’s equipment is better organized and visible, which makes inventory and maintenance easier. The room itself has become a showpiece for the university.</p>
<p>The <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems" aria-label="compact mobile sytem product details">compact storage systems</a> all feature custom graphics that showcase Notre Dame football, from close-ups of the team’s helmets to an aerial shot of the stadium. The Spacesaver mechanical assist system handles were sent off to the helmet company that provides the team’s game day helmets to be dipped in the same gold paint as the helmets.</p>
<p>These custom features create a one-of-a-kind experience for the students, faculty, staff, and players. “We have turned this into a recruiting area,” said Grooms, “We are now able to bring recruits in and show off what we did. We really turned this into a showpiece.”</p>


Turning a vision into reality

<p>Grooms approached the local Authorized Spacesaver Representative with a hand sketch of how he wanted the room to look.</p>
<p>The local design consultants worked with Grooms to provide <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/standard-mobile-system" aria-label="mechanical mobile system product details">four mechanical assist mobile systems</a> throughout the existing space. One large system works in tandem with static shelving along the exterior walls to hold everything used during practice or when players are out on the field on game day. This includes items like shoulder pads, t-shirts, socks, underwear, leg pads, cleats, and running shoes.</p>
<p>Another <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/standard-mobile-system" aria-label="standard mobile system product details">compact storage system</a> stores equipment assigned to specific players. In the old room’s design, each player was assigned one shelf, but now there are six compartments available per player. This extra storage space helps preparation for practice and game days run much more smoothly.</p>
<p>One of the compact storage units is at counter height, and it provides storage as well as a place to fold the seemingly unending stream of laundry that’s generated by the team. Before the renovation, staff would bring large tables into the equipment room to provide space for the student equipment managers to fold clothes. Now 15 students can be folding at one time using this area, which doubles as workspace and storage space. The system is topped with custom-designed quartz tops that include an inlay of the Notre Dame logo and the words “Irish Football” into the surface material. Under the countertops, <a href="/products/shelving/4-post-case-type-shelving" aria-label="4-post shelving product details">Spacesaver shelving</a> is used for small parts storage and Hamilton Sorter doors and drawers are used to conceal pull-out trash bins.</p>

<h2>New layout triples storage capacity</h2>
<p>A fourth <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/standard-mobile-system" aria-label="compact mobile system product details">mechanical assist mobile system</a> is installed in a separate room and is used entirely for helmet storage. This room is also where student workers store their personal items in Spacesaver lockers.</p>
<p>The storage capacity of the equipment room was dramatically increased through the installation of the four Spacesaver mobile systems and <a href="/products/shelving/4-post-case-type-shelving" aria-label="shelving product details">static shelving</a>.</p>
<p>“Where before we only had four shelves, we now have nine carriages, and we were able to triple our storage space,” said Grooms. “I knew that going into the project and that was our goal the whole way.”</p>

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Football Team Storage at Notre Dame

Spacesaver's storage experts created a detailed storage plan based on the space available, the items that needed to be stored, usage patterns, and the facility’s anticipated needs in the future.

Quality products and a detailed storage plan create a brilliant solution

Smart Storage for Stanford Athletics

<h6>Busy athletes and staff need safe, accessible, and well labeled storage. An inaccessible or disorganized storage system quickly degenerates into no system at all.</h6>
<p>Disorganized storage was leading to frustration and wasted time at Stanford University’s main athletics facility. Spacesaver conducted a thorough space assessment, developed a detailed storage plan, and installed <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems" aria-label="high-density mobile system product details">high-quality compact storage units</a> to help boost team spirit while saving time and money.</p>

 Seeking Better Storage

<p>Stanford University has long been known for brilliant solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems in medicine, computer science, renewable energy, and a host of other disciplines. But when it came to dealing with supplies and equipment storage for their football program and their on-site sports medicine clinic, the university’s solutions were falling flat.</p>
<p>Sports items were stored in small, cramped spaces throughout the university’s main athletic facility. Busy athletes and staff crammed stuff into any space they could find. And as a result, the facility’s disorganized storage was leading to frustration and wasted time. Without a coherent storage plan, and with no single area large enough to accommodate all the items that needed to be stored, the university’s valuable supplies and equipment were often difficult to find.</p>
<p>When a major renovation project for the university’s main athletic facility presented the opportunity for staff to rethink their storage, they knew they needed some help — so they reached out to Spacesaver for a solution.</p>

We created a detailed storage plan based on the space available, the items that needed to be stored, usage patterns, and the facility’s anticipated needs in the future.

<h2>Assessing Needs</h2>
<p>Stanford’s staff and athletes needed to begin with a general strategy. By gaining a thorough understanding of all the items that they needed to store, asking when they needed to gain access to these items, and how often the items would be used, their local Spacesaver consultant gained a thorough understanding of how students and staff used the facility — and how they wanted to use it in the future. Based on their answers, she recommended consolidating items into two central storage areas: one for football and one for sports medicine. Then she conducted a thorough space assessment, measuring the space in all dimensions and noted obstructions like load-bearing columns, ductwork, and sprinklers.</p>
<p>After documenting the space, she turned her attention to the items to be stored. She recorded detailed descriptions of the items that were currently stored at the facility and the exact dimensions of each item. Knowing that the needs of a facility can change over time, she also worked with the staff to determine future storage needs.</p>

We designed a system to ensure that all items could be stored in the allocated space, and that every item had an accessible home.

<h2>A Place for Everything</h2>
<p>A crucial step was to create and implement a detailed storage plan to help staff and students understand the possibilities a new space could offer. Because empty shelves have a way of quickly becoming cluttered and disorganized, Stanford staff wanted a plan that would create a clearly marked “home” for all the items that needed to be stored, from crutches to shoulder pads to dress belts. The items needed to be not only easy to find, but also easy to put away — because for busy college athletes, a plan that includes inaccessible or inconvenient storage devolves quickly into no storage plan at all.</p>
<p>Given the limited space, the usage patterns of athletes and staff, and the facility’s current and projected storage needs, powered mobile storage systems formed the core of both areas. A mobile storage system consists of storage units mounted on carriages, which move along rails installed in the floor. Wasted aisle space is eliminated because the shelves can be stored close together. When a user needs to access stored items, he or she can simply press a button on an electronic touchpad to set the units in motion and create an aisle at the point of need. Compact mobile storage eliminates wasted space, allowing for more items to be stored in the same area and providing safe and convenient access for busy athletes and staff.</p>
<p>After the basic storage framework was established, the consultant referred back to the master list of items that needed to be stored in each area and specified hangers, steel pegboard, the <a href="/products/specialty-storage/modular-systems" aria-label="modular storage system product details">FrameWRX modular storage system</a>, and other solutions to ensure that every item would have a home. She estimated the number of linear feet required to store the items in the proper containers, on shelving, or on hangers. Finally, she created a detailed plan to ensure that there would be enough space to accommodate all items. With bins for small items, ample shelf space for boxed items like shoes and bulk supplies, and hangers for uniforms and other garments, the athletic facility’s new storage areas truly have a place for everything.</p>

We regularly consult with clients and their architects about ADA compliance, seismic readiness, and our systems’ fire safety systems.

<h2>Consulting on Code Compliance</h2>
<p>In addition to their storage challenges, Stanford staff were concerned about other planning considerations. They wanted to be sure the storage systems would be ADA compliant, that the mobile storage carriages and rails would be stable in case of an earthquake, and that the units would not not impede sprinkler function in case of a fire.</p>
<p>Spacesaver affiliates go beyond simply selling shelving and other products to regularly consult with architects and general contractors on seismic considerations, <a href="/blog/ada-compliance-101" aria-label="ada compliance basics">ADA compliance</a>, and fire code compliance. For this project, Spacesaver engineers specified special anchors to secure the rail systems to the floors for better structural stability. This is particularly important in the seismically active San Francisco Bay Area.</p>
<p>Another safety measure that Stanford opted to include in its athletic storage areas is Spacesaver’s System Fire Park. This system can connect to a building’s existing fire alarm system and will automatically open the shelving to even spacing if the fire alarm is triggered. In the event of a fire, the spacing between the shelves allows heat to rise and activate sprinklers. Even spacing also allows for easy viewing between the shelving units.</p>

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Sports Team Storage at Stanford

The National Champion UW-Whitewater Wheelchair Basketball teams take advantage of Spacesaver's in-house engineering department for custom athletic lockers that fits the team and its equipment.

The National Champion UW-Whitewater Wheelchair Basketball teams take advantage of Spacesaver’s in-house engineering department for custom athletic lockers that fits the team and its equipment.

Custom Athletic Lockers - UW Whitewater Wheelchair Basketball

<p>The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is no stranger to winning championships. Since 2013, this Division III athletic program has won <a href="/case-study/football-team-equipment-storage-organization" aria-label="uw whitewater football case study">National Championships in football</a>, basketball, gymnastics, and baseball. There’s another athletic program on campus, however, that is also deserving of its many accolades: UW-Whitewater’s Wheelchair Basketball program. With a combined 17 national titles, the men's and women's wheelchair basketball teams are each perennial favorites to win the championship. However, a seemingly simple part of their athletic lives—the locker rooms the players were using—weren’t attributing to that goal.</p>

<h3>Creating an Accessible Locker Room</h3>
<p>“We had old locker rooms that were really for general usage,” Jeremy Lade, who serves as the Director of Wheelchair Athletics for UW-Whitewater as well as the Head Coach for the Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team says. “They weren’t specifically-designed to be accessible at all—let alone handicap accessible for an entire team. The men’s and women’s teams had to adapt to the best of their ability.”</p>

<p>Adapting didn’t seem like a fair thing to ask National Champions to do in the eyes of Greg Swanson, Director of the Physical Plant at UW-Whitewater. He thought a perfect reward for both teams would be to redesign the lockers for the athletes, so they’d truly feel like champions in a space created for their needs. After both of those championships occurred, he turned to Spacesaver for help in making his list of for <a href="/products/lockers/personal-storage-locker" aria-label="personal locker product details">custom athletic lockers</a> with wheelchair-accessible requirements a reality.</p>

The men’s team has captured four national titles in the past six years with a total of 12 overall since its inception in 1973 and the women’s team has won three back-to-back championships (2012, 2013, and 2014) since its start in 2008.

Director of Wheelchair Athletics for UW-Whitewater & Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Head Coach, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

<h2>Designing for Sport Wheelchairs</h2>
<p>One of the biggest issues for the lockers rooms is that the existing lockers weren’t doing the best job at storing necessary gear. The athletes couldn’t use the full length of the locker, so the bottom half of the space was always crammed with uniforms, gear, and wheels—each player has an extra set of wheels for their both their basketball chairs and day chairs.</p>
<p>Working with an authorized Spacesaver distributor, Swanson laid out his list of specifications. He wanted each player to be able to access the entire space of the locker from his or her wheelchair, and there needed to be a place—besides within the locker itself—for spare wheel storage.</p>

<p>For more athletic equipment storage ideas, download a free copy of our athletic equipment shelving configuration guide.</p>

Athletic Equipment Shelving Configuration Guide.

<p>The local consultant wasn’t sure if <b>Spacesaver’s in-house Engineering Department</b> had ever worked on a solution for custom athletic lockers for a wheelchair basketball team, but he had no reservations in taking Swanson’s list to them. Firmly believing that storage challenges aren’t standard, so solutions shouldn’t be either, Spacesaver has an entire Engineering division specifically devoted to working on custom solutions. These are products that are either deviations from standard Spacesaver products or completely different products altogether, but the goal is the same—to make sure customers are able to store the items they value.</p>
<p>“There isn’t an idea or problem that I wouldn’t take to our engineering team,” local consultant said. “I have complete confidence that they are able to create a solution for any challenge they’re given.”</p>

Director of Wheelchair Athletics for UW-Whitewater &amp; Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Head Coach, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

<h2>Custom Athletic Lockers</h2>
<p>Starting with a standard <a href="/products/lockers/personal-storage-locker" aria-label="personal locker product details">FreeStyle® Personal Storage Locker</a>, the engineers minimized the locker body to 46” tall, which left enough space to construct a custom rack for the athletes’ extra wheels that was still accessible from a wheelchair. Within the locker body, a configurable section with hooks allows players to hang towels, clothing, and other items, and a cubby space is available to lock up personal items and keep them secure.</p>
<p>Lade says he personally sees a major improvement with the custom athletic lockers. He knows first-hand how troublesome the old locker rooms were—as a previous student, Lade has worked on campus, been part of the Wheelchair Men’s Basketball Team, and has used the facility since the 1990s. “With any wheelchair basketball team, the biggest issue is space. You just have so much equipment—day chairs, basketball chairs, extra wheels, uniforms, practice gear, all kinds of stuff. As someone who is running our programs, I can say first-hand that these lockers have solved the storage issues we’ve had in the past.”</p>

<p>Mike Lenzer, a Physical Therapist who has been serving students with disabilities on the UW-Whitewater campus for 25 years, agrees. “The lockers are attractive and functional, and for the students, it’s very accessible and at the proper level for them to use.”</p>
<p>The biggest endorsement comes from Michael Kipe, a History Education major at UW-Whitewater and a guard on the Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team. He hadn’t seen the lockers and locker rooms before they had been replaced—but he had heard some horror stories. With the new locker rooms, he’s glad someone is looking out for him and his teammates. “It’s easy to move around, and we have a lot of space for all our stuff,” he says. “My favorite feature is the space for the wheels. I’ve never seen that anywhere else and it’s definitely a unique feature that is specifically for us and benefits us.”</p>

The height of the locker which left enough space to construct a custom rack for the athletes’ extra wheels that was still accessible from a wheelchair was 46″



<h3>Complaint Free Storage Space</h3>
<p>Lade sums up the locker room in a humorous way. “I think the biggest compliment is that there are no complaints about the locker room,” he says. “Usually there’s a few complaints, but with the new facilities, there’s nothing. That’s a great sign.”</p>

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In-house Engineering makes Custom Lockers a Layup

Take a walk through professional hockey team, Toronto Maple Leaf's equipment room and the space-saving hockey team equipment storage solutions.

Toronto Maple Leaf’s score more hockey equipment storage.

Hockey Equipment Room

<p><b>PLEASE NOTE:</b> We’ve maintained our relationship with the Maple Leafs over the years since this case study was originally published. We’ve designed and installed additional Spacesaver mobile systems in the training facility, home rink, and practice rink, along with <a href="/products/lockers/day-use-locker" aria-label="day use locker product details">Day Use Lockers</a> on multiple floors throughout the renovated office complex. We look forward to sharing photos and more information about these updates in the future.</p>

<p>When the Toronto Maple Leafs remodeled their home ice hockey equipment and locker room area at the Air Canada Centre, some of their storage space was left out in the cold. The new space looked great. And cozier. (Code for smaller.)</p>
<p>Not to be deterred, the equipment manager was well aware of the space-saving benefits of <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems" aria-label="mobile shelving product details">mobile shelving storage</a> through conversations he’d had with other equipment managers in his profession. Rob McClelland of Spacesaver Solutions in Aurora, Ontario iced the deal, thanks to his own contacts.</p>
<p>Rob and the project team designed their storage solution around the powered mobile shelving system, which resulted from an on-site inventory of all the hockey equipment storage and uniforms, as well as a “wish list” from the equipment manager on how to organize it. The crème de la crème request: Custom-made, 3D team logo adorning each carriage.</p>

<h3>No problem. Score that, too.</h3>
<p>The system was designed accordingly, organizing like equipment together while keeping individual sizes separate. Cubbies were sized and positioned within the carriages to accommodate the vast range of items both large and small. Hockey gloves are higher, for instance. Dividers and bins were incorporated to make everything work as efficiently as the team during a power play. Even a special place for chewing gum was created.</p>

<p>The system also features a priority aisle setting, allowing for additional security while automatically resetting itself for immediate access the next time it is used. But who could miss the signature, 3D team logo? Rob worked with local fabricator to develop it. Each is made from Plexiglas—truly a one-of-a-kind detail that everyone within the Maple Leaf’s organization takes pride in—beginning with the equipment manager.</p>
<p>Sure, a Stanley Cup might be more coveted, shinier, and can be used as a one-of-a-kind drinking device, but you can’t store 1,500 hockey sticks in it. Call Rob for that!</p>


‘A testament to style and function’

Athletics Storage Projects