CrosscourtCO

What does poetry have to do with tennis? We’ll find out at this year’s Wimbeldon. A Championship Poet has been hired to write poems summing up the matches and atmosphere at the Grand Slam tournament.

At first I thought was a really strange idea, but it could be very creative, funny and entertaining. The man they’ve chosen to write the poems is Matt Harvey. He’s a British comedian and poet. Apparently Harvey is going to write poems on all thing Wimbledon “from the grass and its bounce to rain and the roof; strawberries and cream and all the unfolding drama of the matches and players.”

Can’t wait to hear more.

The City Park tennis complex may not get an upgrade this year after all. The City of Pueblo earmarked $560,000 for this and other park improvements based on money Pueblo County has pledged to give to the city. However it now appears the county will postpone their commitment because of budget problems.

This stadium is fenced off to the public because the concrete seats are crumbling apart.

This doesn’t come as a big surprise to me, but no doubt it’s a disappointment for tennis players in Pueblo.

The tennis courts at City Park were slated to receive $200,000 for improvements. The city parks department says that money would be used to renovate the clubhouse which was built around the 1930s. It’s not wheelchair accessible and has outdated restrooms.

Although it appears the county won’t fund the project this year, they’ll have to fork over the dough at some point. In 2006 Pueblo County voters approved Ballot Measure 1A, which gave the county permission to keep excess tax money–with the clear directive that money would be used for improvements at parks and other facilities, plus would be used to build a new health department.

City council has scheduled a meeting Feb. 20, 2010 to talk more about this issue.

We must continue to follow this issue and force the county to stay committed to our wishes!!

This week a revelation from one of the best tennis players of all time stunned fans across the world. In his new autobiography Andre Aggasi admits he used crystal meth in 1997.  Aggasi reportedly said: “There is a moment of regret, followed by vast sadness.”

Agassi’s drug admission was shocking, but what I found equally stunning was that Agassi says he hated tennis, and played only because his father pushed him to play.  What! Really? Agassi is perhaps the most recognizable tennis player in the world. That hurts. It’s disappointing to say the least. I can’t understand why someone would devote his life to something that he hated? I don’t know if I really believe him.  Why did he compete so hard? He won 8 grand slams for pete’s sake.

But then I think about his drug use. He claims he used meth to destroy his career.  I don’t condone his actions, but I do sympathize for him. He must have been in a world of pain to take the steps he did.

I wonder how long he used meth, and how often? When did he stop? Does he still struggle with it? I guess we’ll have to wait for answers until his book comes out.

Sadly, this puts another scar on the sport of tennis and I’m sure millions of fans are feeling how I feel simply “disappointed”.

Oct. 12 2009

The Pueblo West cyclones swept the competiton to claim the State 4A Region 7 tennis championship.

Congatulations!

Photos

This rustic stone clubhouse looks quaint from the outside. However inside, the restrooms and main room are in need of a major upgrade!

Great news for tennis players in Pueblo! One of the biggest eyesores will get an upgrade according to the city. Unfortunately it may not happen for another couple of years.

I’m talking about the tennis clubhouse and bleachers at City Park. The clubhouse, built around the 1930s, is not wheelchair accessible. About a fourth of the restroom space is taken up by dismantled showers. Also, the concrete bleachers have been fenced off for roughly 20 years, according to one city employee.

The City Parks Department says there are plans for a much needed makeover. “We’re looking at renovating the clubhouse,” said Mike Sexton, City Parks Department. “That’s probably number one right now.”

The parks department plans to fix the bleachers so they can be used again. Plus, upgrade the restrooms to meet standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Sexton says the city will pay for the project using money from Ballot Question 1A. The measure, which voters approved in 2006, allows the county to keep excess tax money instead of refunding it to property owners. So far the money has been used to fund a new health department building and a major renovation project at the Pueblo ice arena.

Scott Hobson, a city planner says money from 1A will help fund two other main projects: the city park tennis facility and the city’s swimming pools. 

However, the project isn’t a done deal by any means. “We’ll probably have to sit down with an advisory committee and get some recommendations because people have priorities,” said Sexton. “People want tennis (improvements), but people also want to see Lake Joy repaired and more kiddy rides and the softball fields upgraded,” he added.

So here is where you come in. We need to pressure our city leaders to fix the clubhouse and bleachers—which have been neglected far too long. Please join me in this effort and support the project. The City Park tennis complex is one of the best tennis facilities in the state! Let’s make it even better!!

Closed tennis court at Fairmount Park on Pueblo's north side.

Leaves blow across the fractured surface of a tennis court on Pueblo’s east side. It’s fall in Colorado, but even if it was summer it’s unlikely you’d find anyone playing here. Sadly, after years of neglect neighborhood tennis courts throughout Pueblo have become deserted wastelands.

No one plays on them because the courts are a mess! The concrete is cracked and crumbling apart. Tennis nets are torn. A majority of them don’t even have nets. In fact, most of the posts have been removed. Abandoned—the surfaces are now covered with weeds, rocks and broken glass.

This is the scene at tennis courts all across Pueblo: south, east, west, north. A total of 11 courts have been declared closed—that’s more than a third of the tennis courts managed by the city.

The net may be torn, but this tennis court in El Camino is one of the few with a net.

So why hasn’t the city maintained them? Or do something now to fix them? Mike Sexton with the City Parks Department says the courts were built poorly in the 1970s. “Soon after they were built, they started falling into a state of disrepair,” said Sexton.

Sexton also says it’s not a priority to fix the courts. He estimates it would cost about $30,000 a piece to fix them. Even if they were repaired, the city doesn’t think they get much use. “We have converted some tennis courts into basketball courts, because of the neighborhoods—people didn’t play tennis,” said Sexton.

Right now, most tennis players play at the City Park tennis courts, where there are 17 courts. But what I don’t like is that during the summer you have to pay $4 for a court. Wait a minute! Don’t I pay tax dollars! Isn’t this a public facility?!

So here’s a clever thought: Use court fees to fix up the old tennis courts. Nope. Can’t do that. The parks department says the money collected from court fees goes into the city’s general fund.

Okay so it doesn’t look like the damaged tennis courts will be fixed anytime soon. But that’s sure to upset the folks who analyzed our city parks last year. A private consultant firm recommended the parks department do more to improve tennis. In fact, they wrote a report that recommended the city should build 7, yes 7 more tennis courts in Pueblo over the next three years. That’s based on population growth and interest in the sport.

Sadly, I doubt Pueblo will get 7 more courts, primarily because some of the existing courts are in such bad shape.

Pueblo tennis courts declared closed:

• Drew Dix Park, Drew Dix Dr. and Gamble Ln.
• El Camino Park, 50 Verdosa Dr.
• Fairmount Park, 29th St. and Colfax Ave. (No tennis net!!)
• Mineral Palace Park, 1500-2100 N. Sante Fe Dr.
• Northridge School Park, North and Peakview Dr.
• Plaza Verde Park, 710 Ash St.
• Portland Park, 1725 E. 19th St.

Pueblo City Park's tennis stadium is closed off to the public because its crumbling apart.

Soon families and athletes from all over the state will be in Pueblo for the State 4A Boys tennis tournament. It’s a shame they’ll get a close up view of perhaps the worst maintained sport’s building in the city.

Close up of erosion.

Let’s start with the old stadium bleachers. A chain-link fence marked with “KEEP OUT” signs surrounds what’s become a slab of crumbling concrete. Weather erosion and other wear-and-tear have taken its toll. There are gaping holes in some spots. A few of them covered with metal panels to keep curious trespassers from hurting themselves. The exposed rebar tips are another clear hazard. Plus, weeds have sprouted up through some of the cracks, turning this once appealing stadium into a disgraceful mess.

The barricaded stadium sits south of the clubhouse, built sometime in the 1930s. The rustic stone building looks quaint from the outside, but go inside and you’ll see a different picture. The restroom facilities are inadequate for the busy flow of traffic they might receive during a state tournament.

Inside men's restroom. Shower area dismantled, floor covered with plywood. There's one bench. No lockers.

 About a fourth of the space is taken up by a dismantled shower area. The nozzles and handles have been removed and a sheet of plywood covers the floor. It’s wasted space. Especially considering there’s only one bench for players to use when changing. Lockers would be a luxury, and that’s perhaps why you won’t find any here. There’s nothing luxurious or appealing about the restrooms, which features painted green leaves on the walls and a brown and tan checkered tile floor. But personal tastes aside, there are clear inadequacies. For example: there’s only one sink for dozens of sweaty players. At least there are three private stalls (two toilets and one urinal.)

It’s been a few months since I’ve been in the main room inside the clubhouse. So I’ll reserve my comments on that until a later post.

The last big upgrade the tennis facility had was in 1997/1998. About $900,000 was spent to improve the tennis courts. But why hasn’t the city done anything about the other problems? The tennis courts at City Park are the best in the city. What a shame the restrooms and stadium have become a scar on this popular complex.

See more photos

I was so excited to start using my new tennis racquet I got as a gift from my parents. Sure, I was in my mid-20s, but I felt like a kid–getting his first bicycle! I had my racquet and tennis balls… but now I needed to learn how to play.

I decided to take summer tennis lessons at the Pueblo City Park. I paid $15 for 3-weeks of instruction. And from that moment on, I was hooked!

I signed up for lessons again the following year and played in my very first tournament. Well it was a tournament between the lessons players. My doubles partner Sarah and I made it to the final round. The final match was against two older women–who I instantly brushed off as weak competition. I was a bit cocky, thinking Sarah and I were gonna school them… Boy was I wrong. I can’t remember the final score, but they beat us and took home trophies that night. I was humbled by the experience.

There was another tournament that summer. Sarah and I signed up as double partners again and guess what?? We made it to the finals again!! And so did the older ladies who beat up last time. It was round two… and I wasn’t going down with a fight. I remember it was a close match, but I wasn’t gonna let a granny (no offense to older players) beat me twice!! Sarah and I gave it our all that night, and it paid off!!! We beat them!!! We won!!! And we got trophies!!! I was so proud. I wanted to show it off right away to one of my tennis instructors who was playing a match on a nearby court. I remember saying “Hey look what I won!”… she responded “You won that playing what?”… “Tennis!”-I said. Geez. What little faith she had. But I was so excited. It was my first tournament win and my first tennis trophy!

I’ve been playing ever since. There have been more tournament losses… and unfortunately no more trophies to add to my collection. There have also been moments of frustration, but I haven’t lost my love for the game. Sometimes all it takes is an old lady to beat you… to motivate you to keep trying and keep getting better.