TCU builds purple snow room to give athletes an edge

TCU builds purple snow room to give athletes an edge

Texas Christian University is showing off its new not-so-secret weapon ? a purple snow room. So, while chanting about bringing the heat, the Horned Frogs also relish the cold.

FORT WORTH, Texas - Texas Christian University is showing off its new not-so-secret weapon – a purple snow room.

So, while chanting about bringing the heat, the Horned Frogs also relish the cold.

TCU Snow Room

What we know:

TCU’s new snow room is the first of its kind on a college campus in North America.

The temperature in the room stays at about 7 degrees. Artificial snow made with a real brine water solution falls every night for about an hour.

The room with purple illumination is defrosted and cleaned once a week. 

"There are a few in Canada, and in North America at some spas. But we are the first. It’s in Europe, in Australia, in China, a lot of professional soccer and rugby programs have it. That’s how we found the design," said Gretchen Bouton, TCU’s deputy athletic director.

The room is next door to a sauna, which allows athletes to experience a 183-degree temperature swing. 

The contrasting therapy helps athletes return to the field or court faster and endure more intense practices.

"With the hot therapy, your muscles tend to relax, so you’re able to get a lot more blood flow. And then with the cold therapy it kind of constricts them. So, the dilating and constructing is what we encourage, which helps lactic acid in muscles be released, which helps aid faster recovery," said Janna Singleton, the TCU recovery center coordinator.

What they're saying:

Many of TCU’s student athletes say they prefer the snow room to the traditional plunge pool.

"I’m seeing most of the athletes do prefer to be cold and dry for 8 to 10 minutes. It’s a little less stressful on the body," Bouton said. 

"We say it is Texas in the sauna and Colorado over here. So, you get the best of both worlds," Singleton added.

Olivia Clines is part of TCU’s reigning champs beach volleyball team.

"We’re gonna definitely use this to get another National Championship," she said. "I’ve been in here pretty much every day, either going in the snow room or the chairs or the red light. Like, I’m using this place often."