Finally, I have managed to co-ordinate the schedules of three other friends and have arranged to meet them at the MSA tennis courts for a long-anticipated match.
Unfortunately, all four courts are full and a queue is building. We decide to head over to MEI as the wait looks more than an hour at this point.
As it is more often than not, the courts at the private school are closed and the nets are not even up. We know we cannot play at Jubilee Park, since both courts have been converted to create eight pickle-ball courts, and the threat of more conversions is looming.
Since our available time is nearly gone, we give up and just rally amidst broken glass and other unspeakables in the parking lot. Defeated.
Tennis is not a dying sport, nor a fad, and the city should fight to protect it. Today I joined a group of 12 ladies who play every Saturday morning and are very concerned that more of the precious few available courts will be converted to pickle ball. Please stop.
If the new craze of pickle ball is worth our tax dollars, then please build new courts dedicated to the sport and leave the tennis courts alone.
Amber Balzer