At McAdams, our athletic facility design team is focused on performance and durability, helping owners deliver fields, tracks and courts that hold up to daily use and game-day pressure season after season.
Our team of athletic facility design specialists brings hands-on experience across natural turf, synthetic turf, running tracks, tennis and pickleball courts, backed by the site grading, drainage and soil stabilization expertise that keeps a field playable through its full lifespan. This expertise joined McAdams through the integration of Sports Design Group in 2026. Our team understands the material science and construction sequencing that separate a field built to last from one that fails within a few seasons. We work alongside our other departments to plan a facility’s full lifecycle, so game-day performance and long-term maintenance are considered from day one.
Our Experience by the Numbers
McAdams Athletic Facility Design brings decades of certified, field-tested expertise to every project, backed by the resources of a full-service engineering firm.
Our Expertise
Our team designs synthetic turf systems for football, soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and multipurpose athletic fields, from monofilament systems built for professional stadiums to fully infilled turf for collegiate programs and school districts. Every design accounts for engineered subsurface drainage, and our synthetic turf test protocol evaluates fiber composition, fiber weight per unit area, backing weight, fabric grab-tear strength and G-max impact attenuation through an independent lab, with G-max monitoring continuing throughout the life of the warranty.
Natural grass athletic fields designed and built on soil science rather than surface appearance alone. Our approach starts with site grading, subsurface and storm drainage collection, base aggregates and soil stabilization, work that matters most in regions with expansive or unstable soils. For fields near environmentally sensitive areas, we apply a storm water treatment-train approach, sand filtration, filter strips, biofiltration swales and wet ponds, to protect water quality while keeping the field playable.
We design and evaluate tennis and pickleball courts, including surfacing selection, drainage, and multi-use conversions that let a single court serve both of the country’s fastest-growing racquet sports. This work draws on the same site engineering and drainage expertise behind our field and track design, and includes inspection of existing courts for districts weighing renovation against replacement.
Our field and track design work is backed by ASBA-Certified Field and Track Builders, with direct oversight from design through final construction testing. We design rubberized and cinder track systems, including full track and field event layouts, and manage renovations on tight, fixed-schedule timelines when a season opener or district meet is on the line.
Our athletic facility design team works alongside ASBA-Certified Field and Track Builders, bringing certified, hands-on expertise to every project. We test synthetic turf systems for fiber composition, backing strength and G-max impact attenuation through an independent lab, monitored through the full life of the warranty. On natural turf projects, our storm water treatment-train approach, sand filtration, biofiltration swales and wet ponds, protects water quality without sacrificing field performance.
Construction Management
Athletic facility design doesn’t end at approved plans. Our team stays involved through bidding, testing and construction, so decisions made on paper hold up on the field.
- Bidding and construction documentation
- Field and track construction inspections through project completion
- Subgrade and imported material construction testing
- Continuing G-max testing throughout the warranty period
- Cost estimating grounded in an ongoing, regularly updated project history
- Fast-track scheduling for season-driven and emergency rebuilds
- Owner and advisory committee education on turf and surfacing options
When a season opener or district meet is on the line, timelines don’t move. Our team has a track record of managing accelerated rebuilds, evaluating damage, redesigning and rebidding a field or track in time for the next season, without cutting corners on testing or documentation.
Meet the Team
Behind every field, track and court is a team that has spent decades solving the challenges most people never see. Through the integration of Sports Design Group, Richard McDonald brings specialized athletic facility expertise that complements the experience of McAdams team members Jason Galloway, Josh Barton, Nick Welch, Dylan Stubbs and Nick Lowe. Together, they deliver comprehensive planning, design and engineering solutions for sports complexes, athletic facilities, recreational fields and community-focused outdoor spaces.
Richard joined McAdams through the integration of Sports Design Group, bringing 26 years of athletic facility design experience. His background includes work with several NFL and MLB organizations, major university athletic programs and premier sports facilities across the country, where he has specialized in creating high-performing, durable athletic environments.
Jason serves as a Senior Project Manager in the Civic, Education and Healthcare Engineering department. With 18 years of experience, he specializes in public projects including sports complexes, recreational parks, parks, streetscapes and community spaces. He works closely with clients and project teams to translate community priorities into functional, enduring spaces for athletes, families and visitors.
With 19 years of experience, Nick leads parks, recreation and community planning projects for public agencies across the Carolinas. His expertise includes sports fields, recreational facilities and community-focused public spaces. By prioritizing sustainable design and placemaking, he helps communities shape authentic, enduring destinations that enrich quality of life.
Josh is a Group Manager in McAdams’ Civil Engineering department with more than 12 years of experience in public-sector site development. He has worked on athletic, municipal and educational projects across North Texas. Josh collaborates with clients and project teams to deliver site development projects that serve communities throughout the region.
Nick serves as a Project Manager in McAdams’ Land Development department. With 11 years of experience, he has worked on educational, park and athletic projects across Texas, Oklahoma and North Carolina. His experience also includes commercial and industrial developments in both the public and private sectors. Nick enjoys working on projects that create spaces for communities to gather and connect.
Dylan serves as a Construction Administrator in McAdams’ Construction Administration department. He works with municipal clients, private developers and contractors throughout the construction phase of projects. His responsibilities include reviewing submittals, processing RFIs and conducting site visits to monitor construction progress and compliance with approved plans.
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