By Dani Sheehan. 

With heightened durability, sport-specific color options and weather-ready chemistry, Street Ice® helps contractors deliver results that hold up season after season. 

As demand grows for reliable, low-maintenance sports surfaces, contractors need coatings they can trust to perform under pressure. California Sports Surfaces has recently introduced Street Ice®, a next-generation formula engineered specifically for the abrasion, speed and impact of inline and street play. 

Inline and street hockey surfaces take a beating from fast-moving skates, sharp turns, concentrated impact and constant directional changes. The newest formulation delivers: 

• 50% more abrasion resistance than previous versions 
• A smooth, consistent texture that supports puck control and predictable skate glide 
• High durability for aggressive, tournament-level play 
• A UV-resistant finish that maintains color and integrity in full sun 
• Mold and mildew resistance (ASTM D5590 certified) 
• Lower VOCs than previous formula to support compliance and safer installs 

This means improved longevity, reduced surface wear and higher customer satisfaction, especially for outdoor rinks where harsh weather and UV breakdown are common concerns. 

Engineered for outdoor conditions 

Colors that support the game: California Sports Surfaces engineered a set of five high-contrast shades tailored to inline hockey’s fast visual pace: 

• Better puck and ball visibility 
• Improved player awareness and reaction time 
• Better game definition for both indoor and outdoor play 

UV resistance: Sun, heat and weather exposure can quickly degrade traditional acrylic coatings. Street Ice integrates high-performance acrylic resins that maintain surface integrity and vibrant color. 

Improved permeability: Trapped moisture is one of the biggest culprits behind blistering, bubbling and premature surface failure. Street Ice’s improved permeability helps the coating breathe from the ground up, minimizing these risks.  

Contractors can confidently specify Street Ice for: 

• Inline hockey rinks 
• Skate parks 
• Bocce Courts 
• Multi-use play courts 
• Shuffleboard courts 
• Both indoor and outdoor installations 

Its versatility and resilience make it an easy recommendation for community centers, municipalities, schools, rec districts and private facilities upgrading or building new surfaces.

By Dani Sheehan. 

Don’t miss your chance for education, innovation and industry insights at this year’s ASBA Technical Meeting! 

Contractors heading to the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) Technical Meeting, December 2–5, 2025, in San Antonio, will find one of the most valuable technical and networking events in the sports surfacing world — and CoatingsCoffeeShop® will be right in the middle of the action. We’ll be live streaming from the California Sport Surfaces booths (#206 and #208) throughout the week, bringing conversations about innovation, materials and best practices straight to your devices. 

With more than 1,400 industry professionals, the ASBA Technical Meeting is where builders, designers, manufacturers and decision-makers come together to strengthen the future of sports facility construction. Whether you work on courts, tracks, fields or indoor surfaces, this event offers 36 education sessions packed with practical, technical takeaways you can apply immediately in the field. Certified Builders can also earn up to 12 continuing education points, making the event an important investment in your professional development. 

Additionally, contractors will find meaningful networking opportunities on the trade show floor. It’s an ideal place to connect with trusted partners like ICP Group, learn about new products and systems and explore solutions to help you deliver longer-lasting, better-performing surfaces for your projects. 

From meals and receptions to the always-popular Division Meetings, you can forge new connections and nurture existing relationships while actively impacting your work. These open discussions give you a direct voice in shaping industry guidelines and construction manuals. If you’ve ever wanted to influence standards or share field-level feedback, this is your chance. 

Whether you join us in person or tune in on the CCS YouTube channel, CoatingsCoffeeShop will be capturing the insights and innovations shaping the future of sport surface construction. Stop by booths #206 and #208 to say hello and stay connected to the conversations that matter. 

The leading sports surface technology provider has partnered with the elite coach and former world-ranked tennis pro to advocate for surfaces that elevate players’ performance.

California Sports Surfaces (CSS), a brand of ICP Group and the leading supplier of premium sports surfacing systems, has announced a new partnership with former Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) player and current elite coach Michael Russell to help bring strong, experienced professional perspective to CSS’s technological development of world-class sports surfaces.

Russell is currently the private coach of World No. 4 professional Taylor Fritz and was voted the 2024 ATP Coach of the Year. During his own playing career, Russell reached a career-high singles rating of ATP World No. 60. He brings invaluable credibility and insight from the professional tennis circuit, enhancing CSS’s player-first approach to delivering high-performance tennis surfaces for professionals worldwide.

“For me, court surface quality is paramount — it’s the foundation for both player safety and peak performance,” said Russell. “Having competed and coached on their premium systems for years, I know they are the industry leader. I look forward to working closely with the CSS team as a brand ambassador to help drive their next generation of innovations.”

“Throughout our history, California Sports Surfaces has prioritized player comfort, performance and safety,” said Caroline Field, APAC general manager and vice president, ICP Group. “Michael’s experience and keen understanding of what athletes need will help guide our continued innovation in surface technology, ensuring players can perform their best at every level.”

Recent innovations from CSS include CoolTop®, designed to reduce acrylic sports court surface temperature via optimal solar reflectivity, helping athletes stay cooler and play longer. Available in a wide range of colors specifically designed to maximize surface heat rejection while offering optimal aesthetics, CoolTop can be deployed wherever professionals play for uncompromising surface speed performance and long-term durability.

Through this new partnership, Russell’s coaching expertise and real-world experience on high-performance surfaces will inform and validate CSS’s focus on innovation, consistency and player well-being.

To learn more about California Sports Surfaces, visit www.CaliforniaSportsSurfaces.com. To learn more about ICP Group, visit www.ICPGroup.com.

About ICP

Innovative Chemical Products (ICP) Group is a leading specialty chemical manufacturer in North America and provides coatings, adhesives and sealants globally. With operations headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, and multiple manufacturing facilities around the world, ICP serves multiple end markets, including building materials, specialty construction and sports surfaces. ICP is privately held and manufactures products under several recognized specialty groups. For more information, visit www.ICPGroup.com.

By California Sports Surfaces. 

Highlights from the 2025 National Sports Convention in Australia.  

Every year, the National Sports and Physical Activity Convention (NSPAC) is hosted at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. This show is the leading event for sport, recreation and physical activity markets in the Asia-Pacific. This year’s event, which took place June 25-26, 2025, saw over 1,700 attendees, more than 50 workshops, multiple powerful keynotes and an extensive expo floor to explore! Among the exhibitors was a team from California Sports Surfaces!  

Our team got the incredible opportunity to showcase how California Sports Surfaces works with industry partners across Australia to take court technology to the next level. Their booth on the exhibition floor featured an interactive space for attendees – a portable interlocking CoolTop® court. By interacting with the space, attendees were able to see firsthand how different sports can seamlessly use the same surface. And through a powerful collaboration with our friends at Netball Victoria, Pickleball Australia and Artcourts (for some incredible surfacing), the set-up featured professional players in action, drawing big crowds of convention-goers eager to experience it themselves. 

Additionally, our Vice President and the General Manager for APAC, Caroline Field, was among the select leaders chosen to present at PitchFEST on how acrylic surface technology is evolving for greater intensity of use. Her insights struck a chord with the audience, proving once again why we’re at the forefront of this space. 

Overall, the convention was a great chance to reunite with our valued partners and industry friends, as well as connect with fresh faces from across the sector. We were proud to sponsor the SAPIA Southern Social drinks, bringing together SAPIA members and peers at one of Melbourne’s standout restaurants. The energy and innovation we witnessed at NSC25 has us excited for what’s ahead in Australian sport and recreation. 

Original article and photo source: California Sports Surfaces

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how this court surface helps players Stay Cooler, Play Longer™. 

Don’t let battling the heat distract you from playing your best against your opponents. California Sports Surface’s CoolTop® coating is engineered to help reduce surface temperatures and improve player comfort. Through the incorporation of specially formulated IR reflective pigments, CoolTop courts reflect more light and heat than standard competitor acrylic court surfaces.  

Improved solar reflective rating 

CoolTop coatings have a solar reflective rating that is 20-30% higher than most standard court coatings. Temperature reductions will vary depending on location, court color and site conditions. Kelvin Orsi, the head coach and manager of the Mudgeeraba Tennis Club, can attest to the benefits of this reduction firsthand. He shared, “We had our courts at Mudgeeraba Tennis Club resurfaced with the California Sports Surfaces CoolTop. When we played on the surface for the first time after they were completed, our members commented on how much cooler the courts are to play on now. You don’t get that rise of heat coming off of the courts that you get from normal surfaces.” 

Reduced heat islands 

Many multi-court facilities struggle with the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, which is when “urban areas, where structures are highly concentrated and greenery is limited, become ‘islands of higher temperatures.’ A review of research studies and data found that in the United States, the heat island effect results in daytime temperatures in urban areas about 1–7°F higher than temperatures in outlying areas and nighttime temperatures about 2–5°F higher.” By mitigating this, not only is CoolTop helping improve athletes’ experience on the court, but they are also helping the larger environment around the facility.  

No compromises 

The CoolTop coating is not just functional; it’s aesthetically pleasing and customizable. The CoolTop line comes in nine different colors that you can customize for your specific needs. You can also combine all these CoolTop colors combos with a variety of other California Sports Surfaces products, such as their mat and liquid rubber cushion systems, to create a court that supports you no matter what sport you are playing. 

Learn more about California Sports Surfaces’ CoolTop coating!

By California Sports Surfaces. 

California Sports Surfaces designs and customizes tennis courts to meet ITF pace ratings, delivering the ideal speed for every level of play. 

When it comes to tennis court design, speed directly impacts player safety, game strategy and the overall playing experience. That’s why the International Tennis Federation (ITF) established its Court Pace Rating (CPR) system, a standardized way to measure and compare surface speeds worldwide. 

Understanding the ITF pace rating 

Through controlled laboratory testing, the ITF measures two key factors: 

• Coefficient of restitution: How high the ball bounces 
• Coefficient of friction: The surface’s traction or roughness 

Based on these results, courts are assigned to one of five categories: 

1 – Slow 

2 – Medium-slow 

3 – Medium 

4 – Medium-fast 

5 – Fast 

The program helps facility owners, coaches and players choose the right surface for their goals – whether that’s encouraging longer rallies or promoting quick, aggressive play. 

California Sports Surfaces’ court speeds in action 

California Sports Surfaces (CSS) offers high-performance systems in categories 2, 3 and 4 – the versatile mid-range of play speeds that appeal to a broad range of athletes. Every CSS court can also be fine-tuned to your preferred pace by adjusting factors like texture, sand content and coatings. This means you can create exactly the playing conditions your players need, from a softer bounce for endurance matches to a faster surface for high-intensity competition. 

A heritage of performance 

Since 1953, CSS has been engineering acrylic sports surfaces that balance safety, comfort and performance. From local parks to elite tournament venues, our courts bring vibrant color, advanced cushioning and tailored play characteristics to every project. When your customers want a surface that matches their pace and vision, CSS delivers. 

By Dani Sheehan. 

California Sports Surfaces is committed to supporting active communities and helping new generations fall in love with new sports. 

It’s official: pickleball isn’t just having a moment — it’s an entire movement. 

From neighborhood cul-de-sacs to championship arenas, this fast-paced paddle sport has taken over America (and the rest of the world). According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, an estimated 50 million people played pickleball in 2023 alone. That’s a lot of dinking, dropping and smashing — and it all depends on the right surface. 

California Sports Surfaces (CSS) has been elevating sports infrastructure since 1953. Long before the first pickleball paddle found the court, CSS was reimagining what it meant to play, compete and move on acrylic surfaces. Their early innovations helped reshape the athletic experience, bringing together durability, comfort and performance. 

Today, CSS is the preferred surface provider for a wide variety of sports and prestigious tournaments, including the U.S. Open (1978–2019), the Australian Open (1988–2018), the China Open, the Shanghai Masters, and 6 Olympic Games. 

Surfacing the pickleball boom 

With tens of thousands of new pickleball courts popping up across the country, facilities are turning to trusted experts to create professional grade playing experiences. CSS offers customizable acrylic pickleball court systems ideal for: 

• Schools and universities 
• Parks and recreation centers 
• Private clubs and luxury residences 
• National and international tournaments 

Whether it’s a brand-new installation or a court resurfacing project, CSS delivers court systems that balance performance with long-term durability. Their courts are engineered with advanced slip resistance, UV stability and resilient coatings that stand up to everything from pro-level play to your neighbor’s overly competitive serve. They’ve spent decades perfecting court technology to keep athletes moving safely and confidently.  

As facilities adapt to this booming demand, they’re looking for surfaces that are as resilient as the players themselves. With CSS, they get decades of expertise, a commitment to quality and a court that’s ready to play long after the trend becomes tradition. 

FIBA certification positions Rebound Ace® Impact Polyurethane Flooring System as a world-class choice for professional and international basketball courts.

California Sports Surfaces (CSS), the global leader in premium athletic surfacing, is proud to announce that its innovative Rebound Ace® Impact system has officially earned certification from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the governing body for basketball worldwide.

This milestone marks a significant achievement in California Sports Surfaces’ ongoing commitment to safety, performance and quality. The FIBA Equipment & Venue Centre has rigorously tested and approved the Rebound Ace Impact surface for Level 2 indoor competition, verifying that it meets the world-class standards required for professional and international basketball play.

“Achieving FIBA certification is a proud moment for our team and a testament to the engineering behind Rebound Ace Impact,” said Caroline Field, vice president – general manager Australia and Asia Pacific, ICP Group. “This system was designed with athlete safety, shock absorption and performance consistency at its core — and it’s exciting to see that recognized on a global stage.”

Engineered for elite indoor play

Rebound Ace Impact blends cutting-edge polyurethane indoor cushioning technology with durable, low-maintenance finishes. The result is an impermeable surface that supports optimal ball bounce, controlled friction and player comfort, making it ideal not only for basketball but also for multisport and multipurpose indoor environments. Rebound Ace Impact offers an exceptional combination of player safety and high-performance features, including:

• Shock absorption to cushion impact and reduce injury risk.
• Controlled surface flexibility for better player stability and reduced fatigue.
• Consistent ball rebound aligned with professional play expectations.
• Reliable traction to support fast-paced movement.
• Durability to withstand wear and maintain performance over time.
• Load resistance to endure rolling loads and high-traffic use without compromise.

With this certification, venues around the world can confidently select Rebound Ace Impact for their basketball courts, knowing they’re investing in a FIBA-approved surface that meets the highest international benchmarks.

For more information about FIBA Basketball, visit www.fiba.basketball. To learn more about California Sports Surfaces, visit www.CaliforniaSportsSurfaces.com. To learn more about ICP Group, visit www.ICPGroup.com.

About ICP

Innovative Chemical Products (ICP) Group is a leading specialty chemical manufacturer in Australia, and provides coatings, adhesives and sealants globally. With operations headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, and multiple manufacturing facilities around the world, ICP serves multiple end markets, including building materials, specialty construction and sports surfaces. ICP is privately held and manufactures products under several recognized specialty groups. For more information, visit www.ICPGroup.com.

By Dani Sheehan. 

From the introduction of Plexipave® to a global portfolio of sport surfacing systems, California Sports Surfaces continues to lead with performance-driven solutions. 

For more than 70 years, California Sports Surfaces (CSS) has led the industry in developing athletic surface solutions. Their journey began in 1953 with the introduction of Plexipave when grass and clay tennis courts began giving way to harder asphalt and concrete surfaces. This change called for a new kind of solution that would not only protect the surface, but also enhance playability, comfort and safety for those using the surfaces. With Plexipave, CSS became the first company to deliver coatings designed specifically for tennis, laying the groundwork for decades of innovation. 

As demand for higher performance and longer-lasting surfaces grew, CSS expanded its offerings beyond tennis to include coatings for basketball, roller sports, running tracks, netball, cricket and the booming popularity of pickleball. In 1997, the company made another major leap by acquiring DecoTurf®, a multilayered surfacing system known for its versatility in indoor and outdoor environments. With that acquisition, CSS became the largest manufacturer of sport surfacing systems in the world, exporting to more than 50 countries. 

Throughout its history, California Sports Surfaces has remained deeply committed to the industries it serves through innovation and leadership. The company was instrumental in the founding of what is now the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA), helping set quality and performance standards that continue to guide builders, designers and manufacturers today. 

Seventy years in, the legacy of California Sports Surfaces is still being written. From championship courts to community centers, its coatings are trusted for their consistency, durability and ability to enhance the surfaces they protect. 

By Dani Sheehan. 

Performance grows, but the trusted surface stays the same. 

Competing in elite sports, milliseconds matter. Champions are made by skill, sweat and even the surface beneath their feet. For more than 70 years, California Sports Surfaces has been a foundation of trust for athletes. From DecoTurf® and Plexipave® to CoolTop ® and Rebound Ace®, the most iconic tournaments in the world consistently return to California Sports Surfaces because of their proven performance.  

Every U.S. Open from 1978 to 2019 was played on DecoTurf. The Australian Open has trusted Rebound Ace since 1988 and Plexipave for more than a decade. DecoTurf was also selected for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo – marking the sixth time a surface from California Sports Surfaces has been chosen for the world’s biggest stage. 

Their surfaces are engineered for consistency under pressure, tested through years of high stakes play, and refined with each evolution of the game. Here’s why champions continue to trust the surface beneath their feet: 

• Reliability under pressure: When the crowd is silent and the championship point is on the line, the court must hold. That level of reliability comes only through rigorous standards and time-tested solutions. 
• A history of excellence: You don’t get chosen for the Olympics six times by accident. California Sports Surfaces has proven itself at the world’s most visible events. 
• Consistency breeds confidence: Athletes train on the same surfaces they compete on. That familiarity is what builds confidence and fosters better results. 

The story of California Sports Surfaces is a legacy built on earning trust and delivering when it counts most. When the stakes are high, stick with what works. 

Want to learn more about how performance builds trust? Explore the full portfolio at California Sports Surfaces.