Finding space for sports in a dense urban setting is no easy feat—especially when your school sits in the heart of downtown Austin, right next to the University of Texas. But when St. Austin’s Catholic Parish needed to transform their fourth and sixth-floor rooftops into fully functional P.E. spaces, they came to us with a challenge:
How do you build safe, durable, and high-performance courts… on a rooftop?
St. Austin’s Parish needed courts that could handle everything from elementary school four square to full-size high school basketball scrimmages. Initially, they had planned to go with an acrylic-painted surface, but after reviewing the options, they decided to upgrade to our SportGame™ Pickleball Modular Squares—a move that gave them:
✔ Better safety – More shock absorption, less impact on joints.
✔ Longer lifespan – Modular squares outlast painted surfaces with lower maintenance.
✔ Multi-sport versatility – Perfect for basketball, volleyball, pickleball, and more.
Two Floors, Two Play Spaces
The fourth-floor play space was designed with younger students in mind. It features:
- A mini pickleball court
- Hopscotch and two four-square areas
- A safe, durable surface for running, jumping, and endless energy burning
Teachers rotate kids through different activities, and when we visited recently, we saw students bouncing between pickleball, soccer, and classic playground games. It’s a space where movement happens naturally, and the energy is contagious.
The sixth floor is all about competition and serious play. This full-size basketball court gives middle and high school students a place to:
- Practice and scrimmage with regulation court dimensions
- Play volleyball, pickleball, and basketball on a surface marked for all three sports
- Host P.E. classes and drills in a high-performance setting
The school’s basketball and volleyball teams now have a proper space to train, and the elevated view of Austin’s skyline isn’t a bad bonus.
One of the best parts of this project?
Seeing the kids fully embrace their new play spaces. The P.E. teachers love the versatility, and the students are out there every chance they get—which is exactly what you want from a school court.
In fact, St. Austin’s Parish now features the courts on parent tours, showing them off as a standout feature of their state-of-the-art facility.
When schools invest in quality play spaces, they’re building a culture of movement, teamwork, and community.
And we’re always happy to help make that happen—no matter how high off the ground it needs to be.
Thinking About a Multi-Sport Court for Your School?
Whether you’re working with a rooftop, a backyard, or an open field, we can help you design a court that fits your space and needs. Let’s talk about building something great for your school, community, or home.
Because play should never be limited by location.
