New floor at Earl Crabbe Gym keeps original layout

Placer High School's historic Earl Crabbe Gym renovation is complete with the installation of the new floor and lighting system this summer. The renovations, which included upgrades to the exterior and lobby in 2022, was completed with an emphasis on preserving the gym's classic character while making sure the surface is playable for teams to compete. "I think they did a phenomenal job of keeping the integrity of the gym with the way we tinted the floor and stayed with the original design," said Placer Athletic Director Mike Sabins. "We made some tweaks here and there, but I think everybody will be really happy with it. The quality of the floor is unbelievable." Sabins said maintaining the original floor layout was a top priority, admitting he explored a new court design but opted to keep the original floor layout Placer fans love. "We ended up going with the original design, just spruced it up a little bit, made it pop more with the outline," said Sabins. "We're very happy with it." The gym is already known as one of the premier high school sports venues in the region, and the updates complete a multi-year facelift that also brought new heating and air systems, windows and upgraded lighting. "It's like the cherry on top of the sundae," Sabins said. "You can't beat our gym. It's top notch and it's a great experience and a great venue to play in." Sabins said iconic pieces of the old floor such as the block P and the Hillmen script will be preserved around Placer's athletic facilities in the future. "It's kind of cool to see pieces of the old floor still living on," Sabins said. The Hillmen will debut the renovated floor next week when the girls volleyball team hosts Del Oro in a Foundation Game on Aug. 20. Placer coach Karly Sipherd-Smith said she's excited to break in the new floor, noting her teams can begin practice on the new surface Monday. Said Sipherd-Smith, "It's hard to let go of something and I'm a pretty nostalgic person so it's hard losing something that I played on, that my parents played on, but this new floor is beautiful. I can't wait to get my athletes on it."