A net securing system and method of securing the net including a blow molded part with a plurality of holes, channels, and vertically tapered clips. Each of the plurality of vertically tapered clips is spaced apart from a central vertical axis of the holes at a distance greater than the hole width. In many embodiments, the net securing system has at least one protrusion on the inner surface of the vertically tapered clip. The net securing system secures a sports net when part of a net is inserted through the hole, around the vertically tapered clip and pinched within the channels. The net securing system may also include a backboard, a base connected to the backboard by a support rod, an attachment support connected to the support rod, a rim, and a net. Also disclosed is a method of forming the net securing system.

A method of forming a tread comprising two or more layers of rubber is described. The method includes the steps of: extruding a rubber compound through an extruder and a gear pump and mixing with an accelerant and then applying a continuous strip of rubber directly onto a tire building machine to form a first layer of rubber having a first cure rate; adjusting the amount of accelerant to obtain a second cure rate different than said first cure rate, and then applying a strip of rubber having a second cure rate onto the tire building machine, wherein one of the cure rates is faster than the other cure rate.