Photo Credit: Courtesy of Randy Gaddo
Editor’s Note: This column, “LBWA” (Leadership By Wandering Around), is based on the premise that, in order to find out what’s going on in the field, a parks and rec leader has to leave his or her desk and “wander around” the area of operations, talk to people, ask questions, and kick around ideas with the individuals in the thick of delivering services to the public. So the author will bring up issues and ask the leaders among the readership to share their knowledge and experiences.
When it comes to maintaining outdoor tennis and basketball courts, beauty is more than skin deep. Parks and recreation professionals who care for these facilities are painfully aware of this.
Cracks in courts that sprout weeds, low spots that hold water, shaded areas that collect leaves, and debris that makes the court slippery—and a few more common travails of tennis and basketball courts—are the challenges maintenance practitioners face each year as spring turns to summer and people take to the courts.
Consider this: Nearly 70 percent of tennis played in the U.S. is played on public courts, according to information from the U.S. Tennis Association. It is the only traditional sport that has shown growth over the past 8 years.