ZCHS Varsity Gym Floor Renovated After More Than 20 Years
Photographer: Brian Brosmer
It was about time for a facelift. The hardwoods were beginning to look a little too throwback and rugged.
There is plenty of history on the floors of the Zionsville Community High School basketball gym. The varsity gym was built in 1997, and, after more than 20 years, the gym floor has finally been revamped.
The school system made the decision to renovate the basketball court earlier this year, and the project was finally completed in early May, right before graduation for ZCHS.
“The gym floor had not been redone since it was first built,” says Zionsville Community Schools Athletic Director Greg Schellhase. “It is the original gym floor we had been using. After years of constantly putting down extra coats on the floor, it was in need of an update. This is going to be our gym for the foreseeable future, so it was time for some upgrades. We are very happy with how it turned out.”
This is the first major update to the gym that ZCHS has done since the original facility was built, and you can certainly tell the difference. The Eagles “Z” logo is prominently displayed in the middle of the court that now boasts a glossy hardwood finish.
The project was a lengthy one, and no corners were cut. It took almost a month before the floor was completely finished. After 20 years of wear and tear and coats of sealer, the floors had to be stripped down, sanded, repainted and refinished all over again.
Schellhase says the results are certainly worth it.
“It couldn’t have turned out any better,” he says. “There were 20-plus years of stain and sealer on there. The company we worked with really had to get in there and sand it down. It looks like a brand new floor. The design looks really sharp. It has enough of our logos and colors to make it pop, but it is not overdone or too busy. The tone of the wood is much lighter than it was. It really turned out great.”
Ironically enough, not many in the Zionsville community have seen the new gym floor yet. Because the floor had just been finished before graduation, ZCHS had to keep it covered during the ceremony so it wasn’t walked on and scuffed up that early on after completion.
Once the summer hit, the gym opened up for basketball and volleyball camps as students and youth in the community piled in. Since then, some parents, coaches and student-athletes have seen the new digs and have been pleasantly surprised.
“They are very excited about it,” Schellhase says. “Our players enjoy that we are investing back into this facility. That school pride factor is really important. It is nice to reward our volleyball and basketball teams for the hard work they put in by improving the gym. They love it.”
Over the last several years, ZCHS has seen success with its boys and girls basketball and volleyball programs. This past school year, the girls basketball team finished runner-up in the state championships for the first time in ZCHS history.
As school gets started again in August, there will be plenty of chances for the community to see the new gym floor, starting with volleyball season in August and September. ZCHS will also get to show off the renovations to much of the state later this year when they host the girls basketball sectional tournament.
Schellhase is ready for the school year to start and more of the community to get to see the new floor and updates made to the gym.
“It is a great thing for the community,” he says. “It isn’t just the high school teams that utilize the space. We have youth teams, our music programs, there are many different community members that take advantage of the gym. It is going to be a nice focal point and something to be proud of. I am excited to showcase the facility this year, and hopefully, we can continue to make other improvements as we move forward. This was a positive step in the right direction, though.”
Zionsville Community High School is located at 1000 Mulberry St. For more information, visit them online at zhs.zcs.k12.in.us or give them a call at 317-873-3355.
