Baseline Sports Construction, LLC began surfacing tennis courts in 1982 as Empire Recreational Surfaces, and grew into a full-service athletic and recreational construction company providing a wide range of services such as tennis and pickleball court construction, running track construction, indoor sports facility construction, and natural and synthetic turf field construction and maintenance. Baseline is located in Tennessee with offices in Knoxville and Chattanooga.
We serve the southeast and are a licensed contractor in the states of Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Virginia, and West Virginia. Our services have grown to include consulting on recreational facility construction outside our geographic area, as well as full-service construction and maintenance throughout the Southeast. We are a long-standing member of the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA).
From private estates to public school districts, Baseline Sports Construction brings precision engineering and craftsmanship to every project we touch. We specialize exclusively in athletic construction — tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts, synthetic and natural turf fields, and running tracks — giving our clients a level of technical expertise that construction managers or other GCs simply can't match.
Whether it's a backyard court for a private residence, a multi-court complex for a country club, or a full track-and-field design or renovation for a university or municipality, we bring the same standard: built right, built to spec, built to perform.
Specialists, Not Generalists We don't build parking lots or driveways and call it a tennis court. Athletic surfaces are all we do — and that focus shows in every seam, slope, and surface we install.
High-End Craftsmanship Our private clients trust us with country club courts, estate installations, and premium residential builds where precision and aesthetics matter as much as performance.
Public & Institutional Experience We understand bid processes, storm water requirements, safety benchmarks, athletic governing body specifications (USTA, NFHS, NCAA), and the durability standards public institutions require.
Full Lifecycle Partner Design. Build. Maintain. We're not a one-and-done contractor — we support your surfaces for the long haul with resurfacing, repair, and maintenance programs.
John W. Ferguson (Will)
President, Will developed the recreational division of Empire Corporation beginning in 1982 and then bought that portion of the business in 2000 changing the name to Baseline Sports Construction, LLC. As President, his responsibilities include oversight of accounting, information technology, human resources, contract management, and all other areas of operations as well as involvement with sales and production of projects. Will graduated with a BA degree in political science from The University of the South in 1980. Will is a past Chairman of the Board for the ASBA.
David Clapp
Vice President / Sales & Production Manager, graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Tennessee with a Degree in Engineering Physics. After working in the aerospace engineering field, David has been with Empire Recreational Surfaces / Baseline Sports Construction since 1990. David has been designated by the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) as a Certified Tennis Court Builder and a Certified Track Builder, and he also edits the ASBA’s “Tennis Court Construction Manual”. He is also a past Chairman of the Board for ASBA. David is a licensed general contractor in several states and holds a commercial driver’s license. David and his wife have 2 daughters and a son.
Steve Clift
Vice President/ Sales & Production Manager, graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1995 with a BS degree in Business Management. Steve has been associated with Competition Athletic Construction, LLC as its managing partner since 2003 where his duties included management of day to day operations, project/facility design consultation, sales, estimation and project management. He joined the Baseline team through Baseline’s acquisition/merger of the 2 firms in 2015. Steve lives in Chattanooga, TN and his territory covers SC, GA, AL and MS.
Kent Harrison
Office Manager, has been with Baseline since 2003. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Maryville College with a degree in Economics, with later graduate work at Emmanuel School of Religion and Southern Baptist Seminary. Kent has over 25 years of experience in both the corporate (including construction, administration, and consulting) and non-profit (including parachurch and church ministry) areas. Kent and his wife Sandra Elizabeth have 3 daughters and a son.
Daniel Benner
Project Manager, is a Knoxville native and has been with Baseline since 2013. Daniel puts his energy into estimating and job production with a focus on relationships and integrity. He holds a commercial driver’s license, is a TDEC certified EPSC inspector, and is trained to test synthetic turf fields for safety. Daniel has been designated by the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) as a Certified Field Builder - Synthetic. He has degrees in Business Management and Human Resource Management from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Daniel enjoys the lake, golf course and lawn with his wife and son.
Charles clapp
Staff engineer, Charles came to Baseline in 2025 after over 25 years as a utilities engineer at multiple consulting firms. He is a civil engineering graduate from the University of Tennessee and provides project technical support from initial conception and sales to construction layout and as-builts. A lifelong Knoxvillian, he enjoys time in the mountains and learning about regional history and family genealogy. He and his wife, Tisha, have 6 children and serve in various capacities at their church and kids' school.
bradley clapp
Controller
Gayla Lemons
Project Coordinator, came to Baseline in 2017. She has over two decades of experience working with international and local nonprofits including the Billy Graham Association, the Luis Palau Association, the United Way, Feeding God’s Children, and others. Her roles have been as varied as executive assistant, volunteer coordinator, church relations director, event planning, and post-event follow-up. At Baseline, she offers Sales and Accounting support to the team in her role of Project Coordinator.
chad smallen
Project Manager, came to Baseline Sports Construction in 2018. He brought with him 8 years of experience as a roadway construction manager for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. He was also a small business owner for 10 years specializing in remodeling. As a Project Manager for Baseline, Chad oversees renovation and new construction of tracks, tennis courts, and both natural and synthetic fields. He lives in Ooltewah, TN with his wife, Kristi, and their 2 children, Natalie and Brock.
Misty Sprinkle
Accounts Payable Specialist, came to Baseline in 2019. She has a background in accounting and office management. Her attention to detail and her willingness to communicate with vendors and subcontractors adds another layer of support for the field team.
