Strength is Imperative to Safety
When implementing a basketball system there are many different choices of basketball posts. Basketball posts range from simple metal poles to complex apparatuses, with many different types in between. The basketball post is a crucial element of the basketball goal system because of its use as a stabilizer for the backboard and rim. Choosing a strong material for the post is imperative when choosing a basketball goal system that is very stable and provides the greatest basketball experience.
The material used for the post should be very strong and have high load bearing characteristics. The basketball goal system is either attached directly to the post or by way of extension bars. Regulation sized backboards made of high quality materials such as tempered glass can be very heavy. The basketball post must be able to adequately support this weight easily in order to be safe for the players to use.
Safety is a key concern when properly securing the basketball goal system in place. The basketball post should to be able to support approximately 200-300 pounds of force in addition to the weight of the backboard and rim. Backyard basketball systems are not usually built to support this type of weight, but any system used in a public setting can be subject to liability if players are injured.
Basketball Post Materials
Metal is the most widely used material for manufacturing basketball posts. Steel is the most common choice because it is easy to forge into the shapes required and it provides very high load bearing characteristics, even when bent.
Backyard basketball posts are usually made of hollow metal because they are not made to support as much weight as other types of systems. The backboards used for backyard systems are made of lighter material and are not made to be able to support players hanging from them. Stability is commonly sacrificed for price in these systems. These basketball systems are well known for allowing the backboard and rim to be set at different adjustable heights.
The posts necessary for public use and competitive leagues must be much sturdier in order to withstand the extra force that can be put on them. There are reinforced metal posts available that offer tremendous strength and resilience to handle the extra potential stress. The strongest posts are one-piece, fixed-height posts as the ability to adjust height comes at the expense of sturdiness.
Basketball Post Shapes
Posts are available in a few different shapes. These shapes all offer unique characteristics in regards to:
One of the most common shapes chosen for basketball posts is the gooseneck as it allows the goal to be supported over the playable area of the court while the post is outside of the playable area. This is one of the preferred shapes as it increases safety because players are less likely to collide with the post.
The same effect can be attained by using a vertical post with metal extension bars holding the goal out away from the post. The goal can be directly attached to the vertical post as well, but this is less safe as the post is extremely close to the playable area.