MORE THAN 500 K-12 STUDENTS LEARN SUSTAINABLE PROCESSES OF THE MAKING OF THE MADE-IN-MICHIGAN OFFICIAL COURT OF THE2027 MEN’S FINAL FOUR®
IRON RIVER, Mich., Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Connor Sports® today hosted a sustainable forestry education event here in partnership with the Forest Park (MI) School District, Iron Mountain (MI) School and West Iron (MI) Schools and local industry partners to begin the production process for the Official Court that will manufactured at Connor Sports’ manufacturing mill in Crystal Falls (MI) for the 2027 NCAA® Men’s Final Four®.
The Natural Resources Educational Day at the Cooks Run forest in Iron River was focused on providing a fun and educational way to learn about responsible forestry for more than 500 Forest Park, Iron Mountain and West Iron K-12 students as part of the process of sustainably harvesting the timber for the 2027 Final Four court.
Students visited a series of interactive field stations staffed by Connor Sports and 20 local industry partners including learning about strategic timber selection as certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and hand-cutting methods.
A highlight of today’s activities was the felling of a forest tree by certified SAWW Level 1 trainer Brock VanOss of Crystal Falls, MI-based VanOss Forestry to be used in the manufacture of the Official Court for the 2027 NCAA Men’s Final Four. Through observation, students learned through proper techniques and safety methods of tree felling and chainsaw operation.
“Sustainability has always been a priority for Connor Sports in our position as the industry leader in hardwood basketball court manufacturing, and today’s event in partnership with our valued Upper Peninsula timber industry partners provided a classroom in the woods for students from the Forest Park (MI) and West Iron (MI) school Districts,” said Benjamin Bachman, CEO Gerflor North America/Connor Sports. “We thank all those who developed such as tremendous education program to show local students first-hand the process of responsible forestry and how those forest to floor methods and products will be used for the Made in Michigan Official Court of the 2027 Men’s Final Four in Detroit.”
Educational stations included: hand cutting and tree selection; use of heavy equipment; impact of sustainable forestry on wildlife; cutting of logs into lumber; production of the court including a court panel similar to those to be used for the Final Four court, and the “landing” area where the cut logs are staged and prepared for transport to the sawmill.
Connor Sports local industry event partners included: United States Forest Service; LP Building Solutions; New Leaf Consulting, LLC; Whitewater Associates; Natural Resource Conservation; American Bird Conservancy; Conservation Districts; Billerud Americas Corporation; Renewable Resource Solutions; Great Lakes Timber Producers Association; Forest Industry Safety & Training Alliance; Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Michigan Association of Timbermen; MI Conservation Officers; Shamco/Shamco Lumber; GEI Consultants; VanOss Forestry; Cooks Run Committee and U.P. Michigan Works.
“The Detroit Local Organizing Committee greatly values the emphasis on the importance of the 2027 Men’s Final Four court being produced with sustainable methods as an important element of the overall focus on environmental responsibility for the entire 2027 Men’s Final Four including both off-court ancillary events and the exciting competition on the court at Ford Field in Detroit,” said Dave Beachnau, CEO Detroit Local Organizing Committee.
ABOUT Connor Sports
Founded in 1872, Connor® Sports is the leader in hardwood sports flooring and is a preferred provider to the NCAA, NBA, FIBA, FIVB, and other global sports organizations. Connor Sports is a part of the Gerflor® company. Gerflor’s cutting-edge technology, history of innovation, and design-forward products as an international leader in the flooring industry provide Connor Sports with global scope and enhanced research and technology resources. The Gerflor portfolio also includes Sport Court®, Taraflex®, Dumaplast®, SnapLock Industries® and Stage Step®. Connor Sports has a proven commitment to sustainability with an excellent environmental record in responsible forestry, including the use of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified materials. The company’s manufacturing facility in Amasa, MI, is independently-audited and compliant with ISO 14001 standards. Connor Sports products include leading permanent hardwood sports flooring systems, dance studio systems, and premium vulcanized rubber sports surfaces. Connor Sports is on the web at www.connorsports.com, Facebook at www.facebook.com/connorsports, LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/connor-sports, and on Twitter @Connor_Sports.
Connor Sports Environmental Responsibility
- In 2009, an independent environmental engineering firm audited and designated Connor Sports a “Zero Waste Company.”
- As a member of the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association (MFMA), Connor adheres to that organization’s strict grading and quality standards.
- Maple hardwood used in the courts is from a renewable resource, with the U.S. growing six times more hardwood than is harvested each year.
- Connor recycles 100% of its waste material and offers Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood. The FSC mark represents products from well-managed forests.
- Connor was the first MFMA member to be certified by the Rainforest Alliance and is the only independently certified Zero Waste sports flooring manufacturer.
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SOURCE Connor Sports
