Athletic Training Facility Design: Solutions for Tomorrow

Athletic training rooms have come a long way since the early 20th century when they were modest, utilitarian spaces focused primarily on basic physical rehabilitation and first aid. These early training rooms were often tucked away in the corners of gyms or stadiums, offering minimal equipment and resources. The primary aim was to provide immediate care for injuries, with little emphasis on the broader aspects of student-athlete wellness or performance optimization. Design and functionality were driven more by necessity and available resources than by a holistic understanding of student-athlete health and performance.

As sports science and medicine advanced, so did the design of athletic training facilities. By the latter half of the 20th century, we began to see a shift towards more specialized and well-equipped spaces. New medical technologies and a better understanding of sports-related injuries spurred the development of facilities capable of offering comprehensive care. Rehabilitation spaces became more sophisticated, featuring hydrotherapy pools, taping stations, treatment tables and specialized equipment. The focus expanded beyond immediate injury treatment to include injury prevention, long-term rehabilitation and overall student-athlete wellness.

Today, athletic training facilities are experiencing yet another evolution. As the needs and expectations of student-athletes and staff change, so too must the spaces designed to support them. This evolution presents an opportunity to reexamine how we design these facilities, focusing on creating environments that are functional and enhance the overall well-being and performance of student-athletes. In this article, we'll explore how holistic, evidence-based design can strengthen recruitment, retention, performance and recovery, set a new standard for athletic training environments and improve the overall well-being and effectiveness of student-athletes and staff.

Evolving Needs in an Increasingly Competitive Environment

The need for innovative design solutions has never been more pressing as athletic departments grapple with a wide array of challenges. The dynamic needs and expectations of student-athletes demand a fresh approach to athletic training facility design, coupled with high staff turnover in a competitive market for professional talent. We are hearing that student-athletes are choosing to stay at an institution or enter the transfer portal based on how “nice” they think their campus athletic training facilities are, while these same college clients have seen athletic trainers set an unprecedented high turnover rate of 48%. Moreover, athletic departments are focused on helping student-athletes perform better and recover faster from injuries, and data is being collected to help better understand where student-athletes may hit their thresholds or may be underperforming. This focus has led to the expansion of athletic training rooms and staff specific for each practice venue, as well as the introduction of new roles such as sports performance directors, sports psychologists, sports medicine and nutritionists. The development of specialized performance facilities for sports beyond football and basketball reflects a broader growth, commitment to and need for investment in inclusive care.

In our work with clients, we've observed several key trends emerging in athletic training room design in response to these shifts. As student-athletes face more rigorous schedules and an associated increase in injuries and recovery needs, the time they spend in athletic training environments is growing. We’ve seen this in our work with clients, as dedicated athletic training rooms have grown by 10-20% for multisport facilities since 2021 as tracked within our benchmarking data, increasing the quantity of construction. This increased usage underscores the importance of using evidence-based data to support more square footage and monetary resources to bolster athletic training facilities to prioritize student-athlete performance, recognizing their role as showcases within athletic complexes. Likewise, to further support mental health and recovery, athletic training facilities are moving away from sterile environments toward more engaging, branded and welcoming designs that include nutrition stations and comfortable lounge spaces that enhance the quality of construction.

The placement and visibility of athletic training rooms have become critical. These spaces must balance public access with private needs, allowing them to serve as effective recruitment and retention tools for institutions. Furthermore, with rising insurance costs and a focus on injury prevention, athletic departments are finding ways to manage risks and optimize expenses by sharing facilities with academic and recreational departments and partnering with healthcare clinics.

Modernizing Athletic Training Facilities for Comprehensive Care

The complexity of athletic programs and the heightened expectations of both student-athletes and staff necessitate a comprehensive rethinking of athletic training space design. It's no longer sufficient for athletic training spaces to serve merely as sites for treatment or rehabilitation; they must evolve into multifaceted environments that support a wide array of needs, from physical rehabilitation to mental health and performance optimization. This shift requires integrating comprehensive design solutions, advanced technologies and specialized equipment to create dynamic and effective athletic training facilities.

Key to modern athletic training facilities is the ability to execute smarter, act faster and practice leaner. Integrated advanced technologies like wearables, sleep and nutrition apps, and force plates are becoming integral to athletic training programs. These devices can provide data-driven insights into student-athlete performance and injury prevention, enabling more precise and effective athletic training regimens. Additionally, incorporating data and analytics into the scheduling of everyday activities for taping and treatment stations can free up space for athletic trainers. When coupled with the proper layout, distribution and equipment type can significantly improve functionality and flow within the space. This one-time process for stations can ensure that student-athletes receive efficient care, minimizing downtime and maximizing the effectiveness of their athletic training sessions. The strategic design of these areas also facilitates better circulation and accessibility, making it easier for staff to provide thorough and effective care.

Force plates, which research shows can reduce injury-related healthcare costs, offer valuable metrics that help tailor athletic training and rehabilitation programs to the specific needs of each student-athlete. These specialized tools enhance the capability of modern athletic training rooms to support comprehensive student-athlete care and performance optimization.

Hydrotherapy spaces, including hot and cold plunge pools, saunas and steam rooms, are another critical component of advanced athletic training facilities. While they represent a significant investment, their benefits for student-athlete recovery are substantial. These pools offer targeted therapeutic benefits that can accelerate reconditioning and enhance overall performance. The design potential of hydrotherapy areas also allows for the creation of visually appealing and highly functional spaces that contribute to the overall well-being of student-athletes. By embracing these innovations, athletic training facilities can evolve into holistic environments that meet the ever-changing needs of today's student-athletes.

Athletic Training as a Laboratory

A rigorous, evidence-based approach to design is essential for creating effective athletic training facilities. Viewing these spaces as "laboratories" for student-athlete care ensures that every aspect of the design is tailored to the specific needs of the users. There is a reciprocal nature to developing the treatment plan for each user, providing the care needed and ensuring the efficacy of that care. This method emphasizes collaboration with a multitude of stakeholders, integrating their insights to develop facilities that truly enhance student-athlete performance and well-being.

Engagement with the athletic performance and training staff is the cornerstone of this process. By involving athletics staff, trainers, sports specialists, coaches, facilities managers and operations personnel, we ensure that the design reflects their core drivers for athletic training, the practical needs of operations and the aspirations of those who will use and maintain the space. Developing a clear and inclusive sports performance philosophy establishes a clear vision, sets measurable goals and identifies key design objectives, providing a framework that guides the entire process. This philosophy acts as the overarching force behind the project, driving decisions and ensuring alignment with the institution's mission. This integrative team-based approach fosters a holistic understanding of the requirements, from the athletic director's strategic vision to the performance and training team’s plan to the daily operational needs of custodial and safety staff. The addition of student-athletes and external healthcare collaborators can provide further perspectives that enrich the design.

High performance is the result of quality design. The design team is a multidisciplinary group and includes a range of disciplines to answer each question asked during the process. From architects, healthcare designers and interior designers to lighting designers, aquatic designers, FF&E designers and engineers, each project should craft their team to focus on the right solution for clients. Each specialist contributes their knowledge and experience to create a cohesive, functional environment that supports every aspect of student-athlete care. Adding in cost estimators who understand both the athletic and healthcare worlds can also play a crucial role in this team. Evaluating construction costs, FF&E costs, owner's costs and operational models can ensure financial feasibility and sustainability. This comprehensive teaming approach ensures that every detail, from staffing levels to utility requirements, is well-planned.

Programming involves an aggregation of the client’s existing information to understand their facilities, student-athlete and staff demographics, scheduling, usage patterns, data collection, equipment usage, environmental conditions, injury history, space utilization and specific requirements for each sport, an audit of which can identify strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement. Coupled with a health and safety review by a healthcare designer, this information can help establish what level of institutional level of care is being provided. Benchmarking the current facilities, analyzing trends and summarizing the space needs specific to the client further explores where training needs can be right sized for the unique philosophy of the athletic training spaces. Tools like iterative layouts, scenario testing and virtual reality simulations help visualize and refine the design while taking a string theory approach, which helps connect people, products and waste and can create seamless, efficient personnel and workflow.

Production phases involve regular milestone reviews to ensure quality control and alignment with the initial vision. During construction, the design team remains engaged, overseeing submittal and shop drawing reviews and equipment installation. This hands-on involvement continues post-occupancy, where a comprehensive post-occupancy evaluation (POE) determines if the facility has met or is meeting its goals. Developing surveys specific to the established philosophy and benchmarks allows for collecting client feedback, providing efficacy and opportunities for continuous improvement for future projects.

Looking to the Future

Examining the future of athletic training facility design, it's clear that the landscape is rapidly changing. The demands placed on these spaces are evolving, driven by the increasing complexity of athletic programs and the heightened expectations of student-athletes and staff. This shift towards holistic, multifaceted athletic training environments that support physical reconditioning, mental health, performance optimization and operation returns has gone from trend to necessity. To remain at the forefront of this evolution, we must embrace a smarter, faster, leaner comprehensive, evidence-based approach to design — one that views these facilities as dynamic environments integral to the daily lives and overall well-being of student-athletes.

The future of athletic training facilities lies in our ability to innovate and adapt. By leveraging the latest advancements in sports science, medicine and design, we can create environments that go beyond traditional expectations and truly support the holistic development of student-athletes. This forward-thinking approach can set a new benchmark for excellence in the design of athletic training facilities, ultimately enhancing the capability of modern athletic training rooms to meet the diverse needs of today's student-athletes.

###

As we navigate this new frontier, we see immense potential in the integration of data analytics and its application in the design of athletic facilities. We are eager to partner with forward-thinking clients to explore these possibilities and, together, pioneer innovative solutions that set new standards in athletic training facility design. Contact us today to start the conversation on how we can create transformative athletic environments that leverage the power of data for optimized care and enhanced outcomes to drive the future of student-athlete wellness and performance.