MUGA Courts – What Makes Them So Popular?
Written By Sonya Wilson
Walking by your local community centre on a warm summer evening, you hear shouts and laughter. Heading towards the sounds you see people leaning on a fence that encircles what looks like a court or arena, watching a pick-up game of soccer. Sitting on top of the fence on a wide aluminum plank, not unlike a bleacher seat, players sub in and out of the game like hockey players over the boards at an ice rink. Some of the spectators have chosen sides and are cheering for their “team”. Leaning on the fence to watch the action you notice basketball nets above the soccer goals, and strike up a conversation with a neighbour who tells you that they played a game of pickleball in the arena earlier that day with some friends.
What is this place?
It’s a soccer and field hockey pitch. It’s a pickleball, tennis, and basketball court. It’s a place to have fun, hang out, and play games. This is a multi-use games area (MUGA) from Agorespace, a premier manufacturer of MUGA Courts based in France. It takes its name from the term Agora, which derives from an ancient Greek term meaning “to gather together”. It also commonly translates to “assembly place”. Their unique multi-use game areas provide a community hub where people of all ages and abilities can build healthy connections through playing sports.
Top 5 Technical Features Unique to Agorespace MUGA Courts:
- Nets instead of metal bars for the end goals. The nets are made of a coated steel reinforced cable, so when you score a goal it sounds and feels like a real soccer or hockey net. An added bonus to using nets is that the ball doesn’t come ricocheting back out as it would against steel bars.
- Shock absorbers on every post and board limit vibration and dampen sound.
- Angled corners keep the balls in play. Players can use the fence structure as a “teammate” to keep the ball in continuous play.
- Anodized aluminum planks cap the fence all around, for casual leaning and sitting on.
- Height adjustable basketball boards allow players of different ages and abilities to play at a level that feels comfortable for them.
MUGA Courts are ideal for smaller community spaces with their low-profile fences, shock and sound absorption built in, and natural aesthetic. They can be considered when replacing underused single sport courts like a tennis or basketball court. Folks of all ages will feel drawn to participate in some way, whether that means joining in the game or cheering on from the sidelines. Schools may also consider the installation of Agorespace MUGA Courts to complement PE curriculum and intramural games.
The benefits of participation in team sports in children and youth is well documented and include enhancing physical and emotional well-being, developing positive social skills, building motor skills, and enhancing academic performance. Although there are lines on the court for playing 9 different sports, users can also create their own rules, for a limitless number of unscripted games. Playing pick-up games that are not part of an organized sports team is a fun way for kids and youth to practice their technical skills, build resilience through navigating game play with players of other ages and abilities, and develop their social skills. The play in MUGA Courts mimics pick-up games played on a neighbourhood street, but without having to lift up and move the net every time a car needs to pass.
As the sun sets and the soccer game wraps up, you and your neighbour arrange to meet back at the MUGA the following morning with your kids. They will bring racquets and an assortment of balls and you’ll bring the coffee and orange slices. Let the games begin!