In defense of Truman’s tennis courts: a tennis athlete’s perspective

In the April 24 issue of The Index, staff writer Ben Croat wrote an article discussing the upcoming reconstruction of Truman State University’s tennis courts, which will cost around $84,000 to fix the cracks and bubbling. These issues on the courts may seem minor at first glance, but quickly become a problem since the bubbles and cracks react with the weather, and tend to shrink, grow or contort in size and shape as the weather changes. Which, since the University is located in Missouri, happens quite frequently. 

A little-known fact about me: I have been playing tennis for over twelve years. Throughout my career as a tennis player, I have played against many schools that use public parks or older courts where poor maintenance and age take their toll on the court surface. It is no fun for anyone to have to play on a worn-out court, and I consider myself lucky that the University seeks to take care of its courts regularly.

The real gripe most people have, however, isn’t the shape the courts are in — it’s what it will cost to fix them. $84,000 is no pocket change, especially for a Division II school in rural, northeast Missouri. This cost does not necessarily mean a loss to the school, however. In fact, what it gains will be worth far more in the end. 

First, the repair cost can actually be considered a good deal, especially considering court resurfacing options and what must be done to fix them. All six courts have the bubbling issue as the air gaps run along the green areas on each. Many of the courts have large cracks or even small chunks taken out of them, with the worst of the issues being located on the far courts at the ends. The cracks are inevitable, as they happen to all courts eventually, but the bubbling is something that should not have happened in the first place, or at the very least should have had a very low chance of happening. Restoration can be very expensive, and with six courts to fix, the prices can get insanely high. In fact, the prospective plan was to replace the court surface with post-tensioned concrete — a very high-quality court surface that can last up to twenty-five years –- but it would cost well over $600,000. If the court’s problems continued to fester any longer, I have no doubt the price would only increase. I am honestly grateful the price is where it is, since while it did go up compared to the original allotted amount, it could certainly be far higher. 

Second, the cracks and bubbling themselves pose a safety issue if not fixed. When the bubbles first appeared on the courts, we players and coaches alike were worried about what potential issues this could cause. If, for example, an opposing team’s coach looked at the courts and decided not to want to play on them for the safety of their team, we would either have to move locations or postpone the match. And since the only other courts in Kirksville are the four courts located at the high school, it would not be a great situation for anyone involved. The bubbles and cracks on the University’s courts are minor hindrances, sure, but in the long run those hindrances pile up. The ball landing on the bubbles causes them to bounce oddly on the rise, making them difficult to hit, and a tennis ball landing on a crack can cause the ball to rocket off the crack at an unpredictable angle. A player can stumble, trip or roll their ankle over a bubble or crack, which is a hazard that can potentially end a player’s match — or even their season. With the courts fixed, the chances of those problems happening are reduced. 

Third, this is a project that will benefit more than just the tennis team. We — the women’s tennis team — are not the only ones who use these courts. It is easy to forget since they are located on campus, but these are community courts as well, and many other people can and do use these courts frequently. Plenty of Kirksville’s community spends their early mornings or late afternoons there, either playing doubles with friends, giving lessons or spending quality time with family. Club Tennis frequents the courts on Tuesdays and Thursdays every week, giving more University students a chance to play recreationally with each other. Kirksville High School’s tennis teams — both men’s and women’s — host their matches on the University tennis courts, since the University has more courts, and ones of a higher quality compared to the high school. I myself use the courts on occasion outside of practice to work on my serves and groundstrokes. These courts benefit both students and Kirksville residents alike, and as such, this is not just a campus issue: it is something that affects the Kirksville community. 

 So, while the price is steep, the cost of the repairs will weigh less than the benefits the repairs will provide in the coming years.