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Wednesday, July 18, 1973
University Daily Kansan
Tennis Everyone?
By JAY W. CURTIS
Kansan Staff Writer
"All at once tennis has just gone crazy!" said Wayne Bly, director of parks and recreation for the city of Lawrence. "When we started planning courts for our parks several years ago we thought we'd have plenty to fulfill people's needs, but there's been a tremendous upsage of interest within the past three years."
Steve Carmichael
A shortage of tennis courts in the Lawrence area and a mushrooming interest in the sport have created crowded conference facilities. The University of Kansas campus this summer.
"Every morning we have to tell people we're sorry but we've got a class and they'll have to get off the courts," said KU tennis coach Carmichael, Mulvane graduate student.
Carmichael explained that the physical education department tentatively expected an enrollment of about 40 students for tennis classes this summer.
"We hope to teach just two classes of 20 students each," said Carmichael.
Instead, the department has an enrollment of ten tennis students in three classes. (25, 42)
"I'm on the courts from 9:10 until 12:30
said Carmichael. "Yes, I am
am surrubbed."
He said that 75 students were too many for the physical education department's tennis team.
"There are new courts being added on the west but these won't be enough to solve the problem."
Fred DeVictor, head of Lawrence's summer tennis instruction program for the city's parks and recreation department and raised a in tennis class enrollment.
"All of our summer classes are filled and
turning people away," said DeVictie.
The parks and recreation department operates 23 separate tennis classes and has 200 people presently enrolled for the summer."
"We had six adult classes filled the first day," said DeVictor. "Now we have a waiting list and we plan to open two more classes."
The city maintains 15 separate courts, five lighted courts in city parks and ten court houses.
Bly stated that additional courts are "scheduled for development" in a new 40 year plan.
Lawrence Avenue. He gave no indication of when the courts would be ready, however.
Bly admitted that the city had not done any studies on the use of it's tennis facilities even though interest in the sport has increased profoundly. He also said that University courts are used for Lawrence's summer tennis program.
Carmichael said that the physical education department at KU must bear the entire cost of maintaining its courts, even though the courts are used by people other than KU students. He said that he believed that it was not fair that the department pay for the entire expense when the terminal utility got so much use from non-students.
"Our backboards need repair, but the cost is high so I guess they'll have to," he
DeVictor said that he believed that the increased popularity of the sport may be due to the fact that it is relatively inexpensive.
"All you need is a racket and balls. You can do it anywhere at about any time," he held up his arm.
That observation may not be totally accurate as those who have vainly searched for an available court in Lawrence can attest.
Tennis Anyone?
Kansan Photos by Pris Brandsted and Hank Young