The Start and End of Every Tournament: Court Setup and Breakdown
Court setup and cleanup are the bookends of every tournament — and both are essential.
Setting up a court from scratch takes time, tools, problem-solving, and teamwork. And once the final game ends? There’s still work to be done. Boards, banners, and gear don’t pack themselves.
If you’ve typically show up to a tournament just in time for your first game — or leave the court as soon as your team is out — you might not realize how much effort goes into creating and restoring the space. This guide is for you.
Here’s what really happens behind the scenes — and how you can help, even if you’ve never done it before.
🧱 Setup Starts with Planning
Organizers have already been working before the weekend begins. They’ve scouted the surface, measured dimensions, confirmed the layout, and figured out what tools and materials are needed.
Want to help? Offer to measure dimensions, haul gear, or grab supplies. Ask: “Do you need tools, chalk, tape, or extra hands?”
🚚 Help Haul Everything In
Boards, goals, banners, drills, tents, and snacks — everything has to get to the court. Often this means loading trucks from someone’s garage and unloading early in the morning.
Want to help? Don’t wait to be asked. Show up on time, wear gloves, and help carry — even if it’s just one load. Stick around to help sort and stage things where they belong.
🛠 Build the Court
This is the most visible part of setup — laying boards, positioning goals, taping lines, and transforming a public space into a playable court.
Want to help? Pitch in by aligning and screwing boards, clipping zip ties, taping lines, placing benches and shade tents, and setting up water stations. Bring your own tools or tape if you’ve got them.
🧹 Clean the Surface
Even after setup, the court might be dusty, cracked, or cluttered.
Want to help? Grab a broom or a trash bag and help sweep gravel, fill cracks, or clear trash from corners. A clean court is a safe court.
🧭 Add Finishing Touches
Scoreboards, signage, hydration stations, snacks, and a welcome vibe — these small things matter more than they get credit for.
Want to help? Think like a first-timer: “What would I want to see if I just arrived here?” Then help make that happen.
🧱 After the Final Game
The final whistle blows, people cheer, maybe there’s a trophy — and then what? A lot of people start packing their bags, saying goodbyes, and heading out. But the court still looks like a tournament happened there.
Because it did.
Just like setup, break-down is an act of collective care. The space we used doesn’t magically reset — and it’s our job to leave it better than we found it.
🪛 Unbuild the Court
Boards, goals, chalk lines, and corners all need to be disassembled, sorted, and packed.
Want to help? Start unscrewing boards, stacking parts, rolling banners, and sorting brackets and hardware. Ask someone organizing the load-out where to start — don’t just dive in.
🧹 Trash Patrol and Lost-and-Found
The court is usually littered with bottles, wrappers, broken ties, and forgotten gear. Be the one who handles it.
Want to help? Walk the court like a scavenger hunt. Grab a bag, label lost gear, and help get the trash to the proper bins. Ask about recycling or composting before tossing things.
📦 Load it All Up
Once it’s packed, it needs to get home. Boards, tents, goals, and gear all go back into storage.
Want to help? Offer your hands — or your vehicle. Loading is a puzzle, so follow whoever’s coordinating. Don’t just throw stuff into a truck and bounce.
🧭 Final Site Check
Before heading out, organizers usually do a last lap of the site to check for forgotten gear, leftover trash, or unspoken thank-yous.
Want to help? Join them. Walk the perimeter. Ask, “Are we missing anything?” Stay until the very end if you can — it means more than you think.
🧡 The Whole Weekend Runs on Help
You don’t need experience to be useful. You don’t need to be in charge to make a difference. You just need to show up with a little energy and a willingness to ask, “What needs doing?”
Setup and takedown are where the real community work happens. It’s not about glory. It’s about care — for the game, for the space, and for each other.
🧹 TL;DR — Set Up, Take Down, Leave It Better
The tournament doesn’t start when your first game begins, and it doesn’t end when your team gets knocked out. It starts with tools and teamwork. It ends with trash bags and thank-yous.
So pitch in. Arrive early and/or stay late.
Be someone the organizers remember — not because you scored the final goal, but because you showed up when it counted.
Want to Keep Helping?
Supporting a bike polo tournament doesn’t stop here. This post is part of our series on what really keeps tournaments running — and how you can pitch in.
Next up: Ref, Goal Judge, Timekeeper: The Invisible MVPs of Tournament Day → Learn what these roles involve, why they matter, and how to step in with confidence.
Or start from the beginning with So You Want to Help? Here’s What Makes a Bike Polo Tournament Happen
