Why are sports played? For the fun? The ability to test your limits? Maybe, but first and foremost sports are played for the fans! Whether it’s little league baseball or high school football, fans need a comfortable, sturdy place to cheer their favorite team on. Jaypro’s benches and bleachers are durable and made for both spectators and players.

Ranging in size from 15 feet to 21 feet and come with or without back rests. We even offer a universal enclosure for a five-row 15-foot bleacher for the added privacy and protection all sports fans deserve. Our spectator bleachers can seat up to 140 spectators at a time. Choose between 3-row, 4-row, 5-row and 10-row bleacher systems. We take care of our customers if they need a simple bench for a youth league or a set up for the local middle school soccer team.

All of Jaypro’s bleachers are safety compliant to ensure your fans are protected. Chain link guardrails and steel enclosure systems allow spectators in the top row feel comfortable and safe in their surroundings. If you’re looking for something a little less impacting look no further than our portable 3-row bleacher system that tips and rolls for your convenience.

Player’s benches and scorer’s tables accompany Jaypro’s line of bleachers. All made from aluminum and galvanized steel our products are made to last. Give your fans and players the very best in comfort and safety with Jaypro’s benches and bleachers.

Baseball – America’s favorite pastime. Little kids grow up dreaming of playing in the big leagues, winning the World Series, being a sports hero! Some of those kids are able to grow up playing in well-groomed fields where they can scrimmage and truly learn the game of baseball. Others, however, are forced to play in fields that have rocks, unmarked lines and torn bases. While they want to build up their skills and become a team player, they’re forced to deal with harsh elements that can ruin a game.

More recently teams and players have begun to take notice on the toll it takes to have a field that isn’t up to standards. It can lower morale and change the way a game is played. Luckily, Jaypro sells a line of field maintenance accessories that give even the worst baseball fields a fighting chance. From brooms to rakes and drag mats to dirt tamps; our affordable, high quality baseball equipment is the answer to baseball field maintenance issues.

As more teams begin to take better care of the fields they play in their skills and abilities develop even more. Without rocks to worry about and with the confidence that they’re playing on a team that takes their training seriously young baseball players can focus on doing just that, training and being confident in their game. While Jaypro sells a variety of baseball sports equipment such as batting cages, fielder screens, and foul poles we always recommend investing in your field by taking care of it with our field maintenance accessories.

As childhood obesity continues to be on the rise there is a call for school gyms to be more equipped with fun, useful sports equipment. Jaypro has a range of durable, high quality physical education products that are bound to keep both instructors and students moving and happy. From strength and conditioning equipment to intramural equipment, Jaypro has everything an elementary school, middle school or high school would need.

My favorite products in our collection happen to be our floor hockey accessories. We offer goals, soft pucks, nets and floor hockey sticks. They’re made to protect both the gym floor and the players. Physical education class is about having fun and exercising, so we make sure our products provide the opportunity to do both in a safe and clean environment.

Along with floor hockey products we also carry adapter backboard systems for playing basketball with beginners or little ones. They’ll be able to practice playing without having to reach the standard hoop in their gym. Made from high quality materials our backboard systems are affordable and practical for use in any gym.

As I mentioned before we also offer strength and conditioning equipment. I remember being in school and having to do chin-ups and use torso flexibility boxes throughout to year to see our progress. Our chin-up bars are made of welded steel and are adjustable to students’ height. I don’t remember what my chin-up bar was made out of, but I do remember how proud I was when I was able to beat the average number of pull-ups! Physical education products are necessary tools for today’s youth. Jaypro makes sure to sell only the best to keep our kids active.

There are many reasons I don’t go the gym. Leaving aside the fact that I am lazy and don’t feel like it, there is the main fact that gyms are pretty gross. I know that a lot of gyms require you to wipe down the machines after you sweat all over them, but how can you be sure that they are sanitary? Unfortunately, there is no way to know. However, a breakthrough is being made in the sports equipment industry.

According to The Providence Journal, NFL Hall of Famer Franco Harris is involved with a company that is producing anti-microbial equipment that will augment current machines and workouts for the better:

“NFL Hall-of-Famer Franco Harris, of the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty teams in the 1970s, is cofounder of the Silversport company, a Pittsburgh-based business that just launched a new line of anti-microbial products designed, he says, to give people an ‘extra layer of protection … from an abundance of bacteria.’

Harris talked to me in a phone interview from his other Pittsburgh venture, Super Bakery. The company also sent me a sample of one of its products, the “Silver Towel,” a soft, highly absorbent bamboo towel infused with the same silver ions found in some of the other items the Silversport sells.”

The equipment uses a very special technique of applying natural silver particles that reduce odor and protect from more than 650 types of bacteria commonly found on gym equipment. Also, the equipment can be cleaned by simply wiping down with water, for the most part. The flagship item is the Silver Towel, which the writer of the article quite liked:

“…the towel I tried during a hot yoga workout. I liked how it dried fast and helped prevent slippage on my mat because of perspiration.”

I guess I have to get back to the gym!

Finally 2011 is here and we all know what that means – it’s time for people to follow through with their resolutions. There are the typical resolutions, but none is more present than the promise to break out the sports equipment and lose weight to get healthier. While it’s uncertain how many people actually follow through with this type of resolution, there is a report about the amount of money that is wasted on gym memberships.

The Mail Online reports that more than £37 million British pounds (58 million dollars) is spent on wasted gym memberships in the United Kingdom every year:

“Research revealed forgotten direct debits which still deduct cash months after the diet fell by the wayside leaves the average adult with a £303 dent in their finances. On top of that, another £158 is forked out on sports equipment which is used only a handful of times before being consigned to the back of the wardrobe. It also emerged three quarters will join a gym this month in a bid to shed weight – but very few will still be regulars in the summer. The worrying figures were revealed in a survey of 3,000 adults which found £1,213 a year is wasted on unused items and subscriptions.”

All of the statistics in the article are relatively staggering, but this one takes the cake:

“A whopping 77 per cent of adults confessed to wasting ‘a lot’ of money on gyms but had never stepped foot in them, while one in twenty had squandered as much as £500 in one year.”

Why would you spend money on something and then not even try to do it? Seems like a big waste to me, so save your money if you’re not going to use your gym card.

As of 2006, there was a piece of data that was really surprising – more than 41 million children were participating in some kind of organized sports program, be it school sponsored, intramural or otherwise. The amount of children getting hurt while playing these sports is remarkable, even if they are wearing protective sports equipment.

An article in the North Shore Sun this week discusses the overwhelming problem of children’s sports injuries in America and what a local group is doing about it. First they share some statistics about these injuries, which are more surprising thane expected:

“Some statistics worth noting…:
• Approximately 8,000 children are treated in emergency rooms each day for sports-related injuries.
• Concussion symptoms such as headache and disorientation may disappear in 15 minutes, but 75 percent of those tested 36 hours later still had problems with memory and cognition.
• There are five times as many catastrophic football injuries among high school athletes as college athletes.
• 62 percent of injuries in organized sports occur during practices.
• 15.8 percent of football players who sustain a concussion severe enough to cause loss of consciousness return to play the same day.”

A local group in Suffolk County, New York, is seeking to impose guidelines that will hopefully alleviate the number of hospital visits from youth sports athletes:

“The Suffolk County Police Athletic League Junior Football League, which includes teams of kids ages 7 to 13, provides specific guidelines regarding concussions in its rules and procedures. The North Fork Youth Football league based out of Peconic is a member of the Suffolk County PAL.

Suffolk PAL recommends looking for the following signs in an athlete:
• Appears to be dazed or stunned
• Is confused about assignment
• Is unsure of game, score or opponent
• Forgets the play
• Moves clumsily
• Answers questions slowly or slurs words
• Loses consciousness
• Shows behavioral or personality changes
It’s also important to listen for symptoms the athlete may report, such as:
• Headache
• Nausea
• Balance problems
• Double or fuzzy vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Feeling sluggish or groggy”

The sports industry generates enough interest and products that someone is always trying to make a quick buck with counterfeit jerseys and the like. Just a few posts ago, I even discussed the gall of one school authority to deal with shady sports equipment companies:

“According to a story from NorthJersey, a school official in Monmouth, New Jersey, has admitted that he accepted gifts from a company to help ensure the fraudulent sale of reconditioned football helmets…”

There was no consideration for the safety and security of these football players during games, so imagine what people will go through to make counterfeit goods for professional sports teams. According to a story from The Sun Times, that’s exactly what a man from Chicago did in the backrooms of his embroidery shop:

“Authorities found eight employees mass-producing near-replica Bears logos onto cheap winter hats during the raid.

In the three-story warehouse Kim operated, police seized eight embroidery machines, valued at around $50,000 each. They also seized more than 10,000 items of counterfeit clothing, more than half of which had Chicago Bears and other NFL logos on them.”

 Granted, the man stood to make a lot of money for these fake wares, with sweatshirts selling for 40 dollars less than normal prices, but it’s still not the smartest market to get involved with. The accused, Joseph Kim, has family ties to counterfeit sports gear – his father was arrested 10 years ago for the same type of crime, according to the article.

Ah, some more wonderful warehouse specials to share with you today. If you need sports equipment for the holidays (or even after the holidays) you should always be sure to check the specials at Jaypro because they have one of the best selections of sports equipment available online. Before I let you know what is being offered currently, remember this iformation from the Jaypro site:

“In Warehouse Specials, find a wide range of discontinued & overstock items that are marked down. Check regularly, you never know what could be added! *Disclaimer* Warehouse specials are sold “as is” and do not have any warranties. They could vary slightly from the photo or could have small imperfections that do not affect the function of the product. All warehouse special sales are final and cannot be returned. Supplies are limited.”

Sonic Soccer Ball Size 5 – This is a definite must see deal for any soccer team or soccer enthusiast. For the low price of only $5, you can buy this Sonic Soccer Ball, which is made from high quality hand sewn PVC leather. This ball features a latex bladder for a soft feel for comfortable soccer practice or play.

Speed Ladder Round Rungs – These round rung speed ladders are great for conditioning and training any type of sports team from runners to running backs. This speed ladder is 10′ by 20″ and has 12 rungs for plenty of sprint time. The Speed Ladder Roung Rungs also come with a carrier bag and handle.

Backboard 850RB – If you know of a school in need of a new basketball backboard, this is the one for you. Made from rugged gauge steel, this 42″ by 72″ backboard is truly of the best make and quality. It features a durable white powder finish and a silk screened orange target for great visibility for the mounting pattern.

Sports equipment is very important to the overall authenticity of a sport. Making sure that there are specific guidelines for how games are played ensures that everyone who plays has a fair shake. That’s why fields are measured the same way and the equipment has some sort of regulatory element to it. However, above all, the one regulation in sports that is essential is the protection of the players themselves. The safety and security of an athlete’s well being are tantamount to any other conditions of the game.

However, this doesn’t always mean that accidents won’t happen during games. In a sad story from NorthJersey.com, a tragic death occurred last week when a young baseball player was killed:

“Thomas Adams, 16, collapsed and died Friday night when he was struck in the chest with a baseball in the gym at Blessed Sacrament School in Paterson. He was wearing an Easton chest protector, according to witnesses, while practicing with the Braves, a Professional Baseball Instruction League travel team.

The sophomore probably succumbed to commotio cordis, a sudden, usually fatal condition that occurs when a blow to the chest wall at a specific point between beats disrupts the electrical activity in the heart, medical experts said. The heart stops beating and instead just shakes and quivers.”

According to the article, medical experts and sport equipment experts agreed that no amount of protection could have saved Adams’ life:

“In some instances, chest protectors could even put young catchers in greater danger, according to Mike Oliver, executive director of the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment.”

This story highlights the importance of how crucial it is to be extra sure that safety equipment is worn correctly. Make sure that you read the directions that come with whatever equipment you choose to buy.

There are so many choices and a certain level of stress when it comes to giving gifts out every year for various days. Birthdays, anniversaries, showers and the like are all part and parcel of this stress, but only one time of year requires most to get gifts for many people – the holiday season. You can see the crazed look in people’s eyes the day after Thanksgiving – “How am I going to get gifts for everyone? What do I even get?”

I can’t tell you exactly what to get for everyone, but there one gift that always goes over well is sports equipment for kids, be it a new baseball glove or professional basketball, there is nothing better in a child’s eye. Even a jersey or two from their favorite sports teams is a great idea. According to this article from KansasCity.com, there are a few things to look out for when buying sports equipment. Here’s a few particularly key guidelines from the piece:

“- Focus on the child’s favorite sports first. Kids are generally not enthused with a gift of a sport that they are not that interested in.

- Research the various products available to find out what are the “hot” brands. Parents can check with coaches, their kids’ friends or other parents. Very serious athletes, coaches and some store employees generally know which equipment are the “in” items, and kids usually want the “cool” equipment.”