For the first time in years, the Patrick County High School (PCHS) tennis teams played a home match, thanks to the brand new courts recently completed at the school. The April 15 match against Martinsville was an unfamiliar experience for the boys’ and girls’ teams after playing all their matches on the road.
The five new courts, painted in Cougar green and gold, “turned out better than we could have imagined,” said athletic director Terry Harris.
PCHS needed new courts, with the old courts becoming increasingly unplayable because of age. “The last time we played on the courts was about six years ago,” said girls’ coach Ashley Nowlin, “and we only had three courts at the time, and they were pretty cracked and had grass growing in the cracks.”
Of the new court project, she added, “it’s a pretty big deal.”
“The previous school board got the ball rolling. They and Mr. Wood, our superintendent, were instrumental in getting the project started,” Harris said when recounting how the process to build new courts began. With funding approved, C.W. Cauley & Son won the bid to build the courts and had a huge role in the final product.
“They probably saved us thousands and thousands of dollars because they’re a local company and they donated portions of their work and their time,” said Harris. “We probably couldn’t have gotten it done the way we got it done without them and their support and their help,” enabled the school to afford to build the courts.
“Personally, I was happy to just get the three that we had replaced,” said Harris. “When it came down to it, the school board and Mr. Wood all worked together.” With C.W. Cauley & Son’s help, the school could build five courts, which will be a huge plus for the Cougar tennis program.
The benefits of the new courts are many.
Having five courts will allow the tennis teams to have more matches on the court at the same time. “Three courts take an eternity to hold a match. Now we can get our matches done in a timely fashion. It’s just better for everybody,” said Harris.
Boys coach, Andrew Terry agreed. “Both teams (boys and girls) can get out here and get after it. It saves a lot of time for practice.”
Speaking of practice, Terry added, “ever since we got them done, the kids have been out here on the weekends or stay after we get done. They’ve really been enjoying it. They’ve been getting a ton of use.”
Having a true home court for the Cougars will help the teams in other ways, including reducing the travel time spent getting to away matches. “We had to travel, not only for our away matches but also for our home matches,” said Nowlin. “You’ve got this mindset, you’ve got to travel.”
The hope is the first-rate facilities will encourage future Cougars to take up tennis and tryout for the team. Terry believes the courts “create interest,” which will help his team in future seasons. “I’ve got five seniors, so we’re going to look to get new players for next year,” he said, adding the courts will help “recruiting wise and keeping the kids interested throughout the year.”
“It’s hard to recruit kids to come out and play tennis when our tennis courts were in such bad shape,” said Harris. “Now that they’re done, and the community sees the courts, and the students see the courts, we believe we’re going to have more kids interested. Hopefully, the community will get more involved and we’ll have more kids coming out to play tennis for the high school when they get there.”
Harris also believes the visibility of the new courts, near the school’s entrance, will increase interest in Cougar tennis, and attendance at home matches.
“There’s always a good group of parents that come out, and now with the new courts, I think we’ll see more people coming. They’re going to see them and hear about them, and people are going to want to see what a wonderful job was done. The more people that will come to look, maybe it will spark more interest in the community.”
Nowlin said she sees the benefit beyond the school and the teams. The courts are “not only great for athletics here at Patrick County High School, but for the community. It’s a place they can come and learn tennis.”
The Cougar boy’s tennis team will host Floyd County on April 29 at 4:30 p.m., and the girls will next play at home on May 2 at 4:30 p.m. when they take on Allegheny.
