IESA Headlines

IESA Joins FlexMedia Partnership In New Safety Fencing Program

BLOOMINGTON -- The Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) is working cooperatively with FlexMedia Partnership to introduce its Sport Safety Fence to IESA member schools, and to promote its use at facilities at school and in the community.

FlexMedia Partnership manufactures and contributes its portable safety fencing to schools and park districts by offering advertising opportunities on the panels of the fence. The fence is easy to set up and easy to transport from one venue to another. The program affords a highly visible promotional opportunity for local businesses, but also enables them to partner with and support the schools in their communities.

The Sport Safety Fence is scheduled to be used at the IESA state finals at girls' softball, boys' baseball and cross-country events. It was used in 2007 on one of the three diamonds at the baseball state final.

"We're pleased to have the support of the IESA, as interest in our innovative program continues to grow, not only in Illinois but throughout the entire country," said FlexMedia's Terry Goodin.

Schools receive the Sport Safety Fence at no cost. FlexMedia Partnership carefully selects local and national corporate partners who receive an advertising presence on the fence in return for their investment. FlexMedia Partnership facilitates all production and printing of the signage on the fences. A portion of the net advertising revenue generated by the Sport Safety Fence remains with the school for discretionary use.

"The state-of-the-art technology that is used to create Sport Safety Fence will be of great benefit to our member schools when they conduct outdoor sporting events and other activities, whether on school property or in the community," said IESA Executive Director Steve Endsley. "I've seen how the fence works for the safety of the athlete. We used it in last year's state baseball tournament. And the fact that the fencing can be easily moved from one venue to another gives the school's local advertisers more exposure for their investment. It becomes a win-win situation. In today's financing of school activities every opportunity like this is important."

Sport Safety Fence is a modular, portable, lightweight fencing system designed for use on athletic and recreational playing fields. The fencing consists of individual 9'8"-long x 4'6"-high aluminum alloy frames with printable vinyl mesh attached. The panels are installed adjacent to each other directly into the ground easily with minimal labor. An optional attachment also allows Sport Safety Fence panels to be used on any level surface, indoors or out, providing a valuable tool for crowd control and event management.

The patented, safety engineered design makes the fencing panels ideal for virtually all sports and recreational activities. Individual fence panels flex in either direction upon contact, reducing the possibility of certain injuries, and providing athletes and spectators greater peace of mind. It incorporates welded construction instead of screws, rivets and other sharp protrusions, and the single-piece tubing bends to eliminate sharp corners. The fence panels are made of a corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy that meets all relevant ASTM standards. The durable, breathable, polyester vinyl mesh resists weather, UV rays, abrasion, rot and mildew, and is easy to clean.

To learn more about Sport Safety Fence and how to bring it to an IESA member school, contact Terry Goodin or Randy Dwyer at (800) 495-0310. The web site is www.flexmediapartnership.com