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Builder/contractor of the year: Pro-Sport Construction

By Mary Helen Sprecher

Some tennis court construction companies started out as general contractors or drifted in from other trades. But Pro-Sport Construction Inc. of Devon, Pa., has always been there.

That’s because, when other 15-year-old kids were cutting grass or bagging groceries, Mark Brogan was learning to build tennis courts. He worked for a specialty sports contractor, then for a family tennis court business. Along the way, he picked up knowledge about how he wanted to do business.

As a Super-B champion squash player and a golfer, he was already aware of the importance of good sports facilities. It wasn’t any surprise when he founded Pro-Sport Construction in 1995 that the company built not only all types of tennis court surfaces, but sport courts, air structures, putting greens and more. “We tell people to diversify and expand their businesses so that they’ll survive during the tough times,” he says.

Now, the team at Pro-Sport has a combined 75 years of sports-specific experience, and Brogan himself still personally oversees every project. Brogan serves as the Tennis Division President of the American Sports Builders Association, is a committee member of the USTA Awards program, and has been a Certified Tennis Court Builder (CTCB) since 1996. And his company is RSI’s 2010 Builder/Contractor of the Year.

“When you talk to someone in the industry about Mark Brogan, you’ll get a smile,” says Fred Stringfellow, executive vice president of the ASBA. “His sense of humor is as much a hallmark as Pro-Sport’s excellent construction. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who has worked with Mark who doesn’t genuinely enjoy him.”

Tips for success

• Specialize, but don’t limit yourself. Pro-Sport’s primary focus is tennis, but the company has also branched out to other sports facilities.
• Keep the customers. Pro-Sport prides itself on long-term relationships with its clients, and on working out strategies to keep their facilities looking good.
• Get behind new player initiatives. “QuickStart Tennis is going to be huge for our industry. It might not be an immediate benefit for builders, but I think it’s going to have a long-term effect. People are definitely going to see the benefits.”

See all articles by Mary Helen Sprecher

About the Author

Mary Helen Sprecher  is the managing editor of Sports Destinations Management Magazine, a niche business-to-business publication for planners of sports travel events, in addition to being an RSI Contributing Editor. She is the technical writer for the American Sports Builders Association and works as a newspaper reporter in Baltimore City.

From the January 2011 issue
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