Activation Type: K-12 School Tents, Athletic Team Tents, Track & Cross Country Tents
After years of hauling an aging steel-frame tent to cross country meets, Frankenmuth High School's coaches Mike and Lori Snyder were ready for an upgrade.
With an accomplished cross country program that has earned multiple team and individual state titles, the Snyders wanted a tent that reflected their pride in the Frankenmuth Eagles. That meant a setup that stood out at big meets, offered plenty of room for their boys' and girls' teams, and provided dependable protection from Michigan's unpredictable weather.
But like many school athletic programs, they also had to be thoughtful about where they invested their money.
The Snyders eventually chose a custom 10'x20' MONARCHTENT (Heavy-Duty, Standard Peak) from TentCraft, complete with heavy-duty, all-aluminum construction, school branding, and a combination of solid and windowed sidewalls designed around their meet-day needs.
They even returned a few years later to place the exact same order for their Track & Field team.
For Frankenmuth's cross country program, upgrading their team tent meant finding the right balance of durability, functionality, and school pride. The Snyders had three priorities in mind:
Replacing their aging tent was an opportunity to invest in something they could count on for seasons to come. With athletes, coaches, and parents helping transport, set up, and take down the tent throughout the season, they wanted a heavy-duty structure that could handle regular use.
Late-season cross country meets in Michigan can get pretty cold, windy, and wet. The Snyders needed a spacious 10'x20' tent solution for both teams, with sidewalls that could help block the elements without completely cutting off visibility of the course and surrounding activity.
With a history of successful cross country seasons and state championships, the program has plenty to be proud of. The Snyders wanted a tent that looked the part, with prominent school branding that would stand out at meets and give athletes, coaches, and families an easy-to-find home base.
Of course, investing in a professional-grade team tent came with a significant price tag.
“Honestly, we were a little scared by the price,” Lori admitted. “We are always looking for a bargain, and this took me a little outside my comfort zone.”
We worked with Frankenmuth to create a custom 10'x20' MONARCHTENT that gave its cross country program plenty of room for athletes, prominent school branding, and flexible weather protection.
The team chose a bright red canopy featuring the Eagles logo and prominent Frankenmuth Cross Country lettering. The finished setup is easy to spot at a crowded meet and gives athletes, coaches, and families a recognizable home base that reflects the program's school pride.
To prepare for Michigan's changing weather conditions, the Snyders selected a combination of solid red sidewalls, clear-windowed walls, and a roll-up door. This gives the team flexibility to enclose the shelter when temperatures drop or winds pick up, while still allowing athletes and coaches to see what's happening outside.
That combination proved particularly useful during a cold, windy national qualifying meet in November. Athletes and parents installed the sidewalls to block the wind, creating a sheltered space where runners could gather between races. The team even set up a table with coffee for parents and a small space heater to help take the chill out of the air.
“It didn't really matter how crazy the weather got, we always felt protected,” said Coach Mike Snyder.
Of course, getting to that point took some consideration. As the Snyders explored their options, one of our TentCraft product specialists walked them through different configurations to help them find the right fit for their program.
Because we design, manufacture, and support our products in-house, our relationship with customers doesn't end when their tent ships. We're here to help with questions, replacement parts, and other needs that come up along the way.
For the Snyders, knowing their tent was being made right here in Michigan, just a few hours from Frankenmuth, made that relationship even more meaningful.
“I absolutely loved that the company is in Michigan,” Lori said. “Honestly, I stopped looking anywhere else after I learned that.”
The Snyders initially planned to fundraise for the tent, but one parent stepped forward and offered to purchase the entire setup for the team.
Looking back on the experience, Lori encouraged other schools to consider the long-term value of a professional-grade team tent.
“Other teams that are on the fence about going with TentCraft need to see this as a true investment,” she said. “It's worth fundraising for because once you have it — as long as you take good care of it — it's going to last a really long time.”
That's exactly the kind of long-term value we want schools to feel confident they're getting. We build the MONARCHTENT with a heavy-duty, all-aluminum frame designed to handle years of transportation, setup, and takedown, backed by a limited lifetime frame warranty and a 7-year canopy warranty.
And because unpredictable weather comes with the territory in outdoor sports, the MONARCHTENT line-up also has independently certified wind ratings, giving schools another reason to feel confident in their setup.
Years later, Frankenmuth came back to us for another custom 10'x20' MONARCHTENT, this time branded for its track and field program. Today, both programs have their own recognizable team shelters, built to support the demands of their respective seasons.
Related Case Study: How Detroit Catholic Central Created the Ultimate Team Shelter for Cross Country & Track (+ Video Walkthrough)