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MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITYBILLINGS PLAYS FOUR SPORTS AND MORE ON TARAFLEX® SPORTS FLOORING
ATLANTA, GA, APRIL 11, 2007 – Four sports and more are played on the new Taraflex® Sport M Plus floor in the Physical Education Building at the Montana State University-Billings campus. “This is an absolute wonderful improvement that affects all students and athletes on campus,” says MSU-Billings Recreation Director Steve Johnson.
The synthetic floor replaced an aging 25-year-old poured urethane floor in the lower gym last summer. First, Johnson compared many different sports floors at a sports industry trade show and spoke to numerous coaches before singling out Taraflex® Sports Flooring. Prior to making a final decision, he took several coaches with him to test the Taraflex floor at the Harvest Church in Billings and everyone left impressed.
Now, the university’s athletic teams practice, its intramural leagues play and community indoor soccer programs compete on the 12,600-square-foot Maple Design floor with blue border. “We have four sports on it,” says Johnson. “Our volleyball team practices on it. It’s the perfect floor for volleyball practice. The intramural basketball players love it. The ball bounces absolutely true. It is much softer on the shins (than the old floor) and everyone knows it.”
Additionally, the lower gym serves as the university’s indoor baseball practice area; batting cages come down from the ceiling. The women’s softball team begins practices on it at 5 am weekdays and the lower gym stays in continual use until the doors shut at 11 pm. On weekends, the activities continue. When nothing is scheduled, the gym is open for pick up basketball games.
Taraflex’s versatility and simple maintenance are important benefits. “It’s so much easier to clean than the old floor,” explains Johnson. “The dust mop slides easily across the floor compared to the old surface.”
“MSU-Billings installed a truly versatile floor when it selected Sport M Plus,” says Nicolas Bauer, national sports marketing manager. “Its design serves the needs of college athletes as well as the children using the facility.”
The floor was installed by Pierce Flooring of Billings, MT.
Today, MSU-Billings is a comprehensive regional University which emphasizes teaching and mentoring students and a commitment to academic excellence. Eighty-six percent – well above the national average – of its outstanding faculty hold the highest degrees in their fields.
Spread over 98 acres, MSU-Billings has 16 buildings, employs more than 900 full-time and part-time people, and is the fourth largest employer in Yellowstone County, with an annual payroll in excess of $18 million. With an enrollment in excess of 4,200, this campus is the third largest in the Montana University System. It offers a wide range of academic programs – from licenses and certificates to associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Other academic programs – unique in the Montana University System – are offered in the areas of human services, special education, rehabilitation, and a master’s degree in Information Processing and Communication. Learn more at www.msubillings.edu.
Taraflex® Sport M Plus is seven millimeters thick with an enhanced shock absorption rate of 35%. It is designed to deform only around the point of impact. With this restricted area deformation, there are no vibrations, injuries or “dead spots.” Its multilayer construction includes a 100% pure vinyl wear layer, 100% pure recycled vinyl wear layer, reinforced fiberglass grid and double density foam backing. Taraflex environmentally friendly flooring contains up to 43% recycled materials, meets and exceeds the stringent performance standards mandated by all major flooring associations and contributes to LEED certification.