Baylor University Fudge Football Development Center

Top-of-the-line amenities and current technology are more expected than nice-to-have for today’s student-athletes. Baylor University wanted its new Fudge Football Development Center to meet the needs of players, coaches, staff, medical trainers, as well as serve the university’s 18 other athletics programs. The center houses offices, strength and conditioning equipment, a medical training room, a large team meeting room, and an NFL scout room. It also features top-quality audio-visual  (AV) systems such as smart white boards, video walls, and some of the best sound systems available. Aptitude oversaw integration of AV, structured cabling, access control, and fire alarm systems on the project.

When someone first enters the facility, they’ll need to scan their thumb print to unlock the biometric access control (door lock) system. Biometric readers mean students don’t have to carry a badge or key and provide heightened security. Once inside, they’ll pass through a tunnel of Samsung LED Video Walls, one of three video walls in the building. Other notable systems include LED sports lighting, multiple digital display screens coaches use to communicate information such as workouts with athletes, smart white boards for watching film in the team meeting room, and impressive AV components throughout the building.

Simply selecting and installing premium high-tech systems sounds like a recipe for project success, but the reality of making it all come together often comes with logistical challenges and significant planning.

“We did a state-of-the-art sound system in their indoor practice field. With the pitched roof, the speakers were so high up that we had to come up with a specific rigging to hoist them up to secure them safely to the beams,” said Jacob Rosas, Aptitude Superintendent for the project.

The Aptitude team worked with the architect to design braces that wouldmount speakers to the ceiling beams and sought a stamp of approval from a structural engineer. Once the design was approved and the mounts were built, they used an electric pulley system for installation. An expedited schedule also added to the complexity of the project.

“Before you can install speakers and TVs you have to wait until the job site is almost completely dust-free, which pushes us to the end of a project and then it’s crunch time,” said Rosas.

Each ceiling-mounted speaker functions off one of 30+ touch screen panels throughout the facility. Rosas enjoyed the opportunity to hone his AV expertise, partnering with the university’s AV staff, learning the ins and outs of the facility’s equipment, and then passing on that knowledge through one-on-one training with coaches and Baylor Athletics staff. Rosas said that being a resource for Baylor throughout the project, overseeing the complex systems, and leading training sessions all led to a smooth transition.

“Our goal on any project is to put ourselves in the shoes of the end users and focus on how a building’s technology ecosystem will serve them,” said Sean Graham, Aptitude Operations Director. “In this case, it’s the coaches and athletes who will interact with the space. It’s vital that the systems in place to elevate their experience do exactly that. When technology is clunky, or systems don’t talk to each other, it’s useless. Getting to the desired outcome requires a holistic approach and a lot of planning. This is what Aptitude does best.”

Rosas said he has truly enjoyed working with the Baylor Athletics staff, even mentioning that his colleagues in Waco have converted him, a long-time Texas Longhorn fan, to a true fan of the green and gold.

“This is a top-notch facility. It’s exciting to see the football team enjoying it,” said Rosas. “I’m glad I got to help bring it to the finish line.”