‘24

The tennis courts were finished being repaired in October. The last time that the tennis courts were resurfaced was in August 2017, 6 years ago. This year’s project included fixing the fences, adding new stairs, pouring new concrete paving, and installing new nets. Ramapo also had their tennis courts updated at the same time. 

The project took longer than expected. The BOE anticipated that the repairs would be completed before mid-September but, due to the frequent rain, the project took an additional month. Mr. Duncan said, “It displaced the Tennis team for a small bit, but I think we actually would have been ahead of schedule if the rain, heat, and humidity hadn’t played a part in delaying everything.” 

Tennis courts should be resurfaced every 4-8 years to maintain the texture of the court. A court that is slippy is not only a safety hazard but can cause differences in the ball’s play. A study conducted by the University of Sydney stated that “Tennis is played on a wide variety of court surfaces, which can be classified as fast, medium, or slow according to the coefficient of sliding friction between the ball and the court.”

So far, the girls’ tennis team players have noticed a difference in the court. Stephany Baik, a varsity senior, commented, “The courts definitely have more traction, so there’s less chance of injury like a twisted ankle, and the nets are more taut.” Jennah Tantawi, a varsity senior, similarly noted, “From my experience, the courts are definitely much nicer. They’re smoother and don’t have any cracks or anything anymore. And I’m sure that them being resurfaced will decrease the risk of injury on the courts.”

In addition to the courts themselves being updated, the area surrounding the courts was improved. The school administration decided to add stairs and a ramp instead of having a steep hill leading into the courts. Stephany Baik commented on this, saying, “The stairs are a little short, but a major improvement from the previous steep hill, and adding the ramp was a great idea to make the courts more accessible for everyone.” Leonora Kleinmann agreed, adding, “I really like the new updates of the courts and I definitely love that they put in stairs to go into the tennis courts, as before you had to go down a hill to enter the courts!”

The tennis courts’ improvements go beyond cosmetics. Gym classes and the girls’ tennis team will continue to use the courts over the next few weeks. Be sure to enjoy the shaded and newly paved areas around the courts for an outdoor study spot whilst catching a glimpse of the girls’ tennis team’s rallies.