Fans will notice how different the Mexico High School gym floor is starting in the fall.

Gary Filbert Court got a makeover over a two-and-a-half month period beginning in April, complete with the late coach’s signature. There are only a few finishing touches before the floor is ready for activity, according to Mexico activities director Brandon Schafer.

Schafer said the sleeves for the volleyball net still need to be dug out. The surface also has to cure, or ensure that the finish is completely dry, for three to four weeks before activity can be allowed on it. He said Mexico can wait a few more weeks following a process that dates back two years, when a bond was issued to cover school projects including, but not limited to, the softball field turf and new tennis courts.

“Missouri Floor Company, they’re the ones who did the floor, have been really great to work with,” Schafer said. “We have our two security cameras (in here), and I was just watching the process. Once they started putting paint down, it was like, ‘Oh, this is cool.’”

The floor has Mexico’s iconic red and gray color scheme, with gray filling in the 3-point territory around the lanes and along the baselines and with red lettering of “Mexico” and “Bulldogs” decorating the baselines; rubber track lines for indoor practice; and a big Bulldogs logo at center court. The basketball boundary and 3-point lines are also red while the main volleyball court lines are black and the two secondary volleyball court lines are gray. Everywhere else on the surface is tan for a much brighter look than the previous brown floor. 

Schafer the previous floor that was in place since 1995-96 was warped in the lane close to one of the baskets and had some discoloration, making it “a top priority” at the time of the bond issue. He thanked Superintendent Dr. Troy Lentz and Assistant Superintendent Julie Lower for their help and coaches Darren Pappas, Makenzie Mudd and Tami Sells for their input on the floor.

“The real work didn’t really start until last September where I worked with (boys basketball) coach Pappas, (girls basketball) coach Mudd and (volleyball) coach Sells on what they wanted in the court,” Schafer said. “We went red and gray, and then we did the red lines to make some red pop. One of the biggest things the coaches noticed was, when they first gave us the layout, they had Mexico and Bulldogs on the end lines with just the red with no outline. When you put that black outline on it, it just pops.”

Schafer said these were difficult decisions, so he’s glad he had input from those who would be using the court the most. The easiest call for everybody was to have Gary Filbert’s signature again on the surface that is named for him. 

Pappas said he can’t wait to use the new court and is thankful to the community for making this happen.

“It’s a beautiful sight and great facility,” Pappas said. “We’re excited to get on it this fall and winter. I can’t thank the community enough for their support and getting that passed so we could get a new court. I just can’t wait until the fans get full of fans, and we can compete on a high level on it.”

It was time for the old floor to go, but Schafer said he will miss the classic and “kind of orange” look of it. He said he liked the brightness of Orchard Farm’s court when the Mexico boys played the Eagles in sectionals two years ago.

Schafer said Mexico is looking at future changes in the gym such as updating the records displayed high on the walls of the gym or having video boards, which he noted would take sponsorships from local businesses. The bottom line is that Mexico wants to have the best possible atmosphere for the community, giving them what “they deserve.”

“When other teams come here, it shows the community cares about our facilities and giving the kids who participate in these sports the best of the best,” Schafer said. “Dr. Lentz and past superintendents have done a good job of ensuring that our facilities are top-of-the-line and high-quality.”