Protect focus in Gymnasium/Multipurpose

[NolanNolan]

Looking for advice on options that will protect lights from being knocked off of focus in a gymnasium/multipurpose room by soccer/basket/volley balls. The facility does not own a lift.

This is what exists. In my mind that cage protects the instrument but not the focus. If anyone has experience with something similar, if I rent a lift, tighten it down harder, will it maintain focus, or is it a lost cause?

I've also seen something similar to SSRC's, but might be out of budget.

I've also seen in-between size cages on short 4' pipes suspended by aircraft cable. I guess the idea being ball hits cage, cage swings, eventually comes back to neutral 'in focus' position.

What works? What doesn't?

 

[Amiers]

Yeah.... outside of a cage you won’t get much focus protection. And also if any and I mean any kid sees you on that lift then next day you can better believe that fixture will get every ball in PE thrown at it.

If you are in a highscool setting maybe you could get away with the shop kids building you some sort of bigger cage.

 

[Van]

I just installed, two of those SSRC cages in a facility in Covington Wa. they were static mounted below an existing catwalk. Why? IDK, but that is where they wanted them.
We, Stagecraft, Manufactured some custom cages mounted on ETC Panto-graph suspended by two Vortech hoists in Wilsonville, Or.

I really think this is the only way to protect the focus of the fixtures, not just the fixtures themselves.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

I have done a lot of Chicago Public Schools - mostly gymnatoriums - and have evolved to a wire mesh "pan" that sites on and clips to the bottom chords of the truss joists along with using incord nylon netting at sides and front and back - basically attached to truss joists.

Obviously hoists are desirable, but probably cost more than the lights and cages and everything else.