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All-Around Excellence

RSI and the ASBA bring you the best in tennis court construction.

By Peter Francesconi

Once again, we’ve joined forces with the American Sports Builders Association (formerly the U.S. Tennis Court & Track Builders Association) to bring you examples of excellence in court construction. Each year, based on entries submitted by an ASBA member, whether a contractor, designer, or supplier, the association selects outstanding tennis facilities that meet the standard of excellence determined by the judging committee.

For the 2004 contest, 23 courts or tennis facilities were deemed to be outstanding by the panel of judges. But two were chosen for special honors: The WaterColor Tennis Center at WaterColor Resort in Seagrove Beach, Fla., was named the Tennis Facility of the Year, and the multipurpose Thorbeckes Fit Life Center in Chehalis, Wash., was selected as the Indoor Facility of the Year.

The WaterColor Tennis Center, completed in June 2003, is a state-of-the-art facility with five Hydrocourts (including one stadium court with terraced seating), a 4,000-square-foot clubhouse in a “Southern Coastal” design, coordinating maintenance building, and custom cypress fence and shade shelters. Amenities for tennis players run the gamut, from seating at courtside to a pro shop, restaurant, p.a. system, etc.

To build the courts, Tennis Systems Inc., of Crawfordville, Fla., had to stabilize the soil to a depth of 18 inches due to the sandy conditions. The unique fence design was constructed using 460-pound cypress posts then, two three-man crews fabricated on-site 10-foot by 10-foot wood and chain-link panels.

Thorbeckes Fit Life Center is a multipurpose athletic facility that combines three synthetic turf courts with weight training, rock climbing, gymnastics, a therapy area, soccer and a restaurant. The project, which was completed in March 2004, has a total area of 56,000 square feet.

Tennis Facility of the Year: WaterColor Tennis Center

General contractor: Tennis Systems Inc., Crawfordville, Fla.
Specialty contractor: Ritzman Tennis
Surface: Lee Tennis
Fencing: Tennis Systems Inc.
Nets, net posts, line tapes: Lee Tennis
Lighting: LSI Industries
Shade shelters: Tennis Systems Inc.

Indoor Facility of the Year: Thorbeckes Fit Life Center

Specialty contractor: Atlas Track & Tennis, Tualatin, Ore.
Surface: California Products
Synthetic turf: Grass Manufacturers Pty. Ltd.
Indoor curtains: M. Putterman & Co.
Nets and straps: Court 1 Sports
Net posts: Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment

Taking the Prize

In addition to the WaterColor Tennis Center and Thorbeckes Fit Life Center, these 21 locations were chosen by the 2004 panel of judges for the ASBA as outstanding examples of court construction. You’ll read more about them in upcoming issues of Racquet Sports Industry. (The nominating company is in parentheses.)

• Allenwood Tennis Center, Great Neck, N.Y.
  (DeRosa Tennis Contractors Inc., Mamaroneck, N.Y.)
• Chautauqua Tennis Center, Chautauqua, N.Y.
  (Welch Tennis Courts Inc., Sun City, Fla.)
• Corash Tennis Courts at Clark University, Worcester, Mass.
  (Geller Sports Inc., Boston, Mass.)
• Four Seasons Resort, Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas
  (Fast Dry Courts, Pompano Beach, Fla.)
• Hunnewell Tennis Courts, Wellesley, Mass.
  (Geller Sport Inc., Boston, Mass.)
• North Shore Park Tennis Center, Miami Beach, Fla.
  (Welch Tennis Courts Inc., Sun City, Fla.)
• Ona Orth Athletic Complex at Bethel College, St. Paul, Minn.
  (Anderson-Johnson Associates Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.)
• Residential Court, Greensboro, N.C.
  (Oehler Court Co. Inc., Durham, N.C.)
• Residential Court, Lexington, Mass.
  (Cape & Island Tennis & Track, Pocasset, Mass.)
• Residential Court, Morgantown, Pa.
  (Horizon Sports Group, Coopersburg, Pa.)
• Residential Court, New Vernon, N.J.
  (The Racquet Shop Inc., Colts Neck, N.J.)
• Residential Court, Palm Beach, Fla.
  (Fast Dry Courts, Pompano Beach, Fla.)
• Residential Court, Rye, N.Y.
  (DeRosa Tennis Contractors Inc., Mamaroneck, N.Y.)
• Residential Court, West Linn, Ore.
  (Atlas Track & Tennis, Tualatin, Ore.)
• River Forest Tennis Club, River Forest, Ill.
  (Welch Tennis Courts Inc., Sun City, Fla.)
• Tennis Facility at Johns Island, Vero Beach, Fla.
  (Fast Dry Courts, Pompano Beach, Fla.)
• Tennis Facility at Logansport High School, Logansport, Ind.
  (Leslie Coatings Inc., Indianapolis, Ind.)
• The Club at Carlton Woods, The Woodlands, Texas
  (Trans Texas Tennis Inc., Houston, Texas)
• The Stirling Club at Turnberry Place, Las Vegas, Nev.
  (Welch Tennis Courts Inc., Sun City, Fla.)
• VillageWalk of Sarasota, Sarasota, Fla.
  (Welch Tennis Courts Inc., Sun City, Fla.)
• Woodfield Country Club, Boca Raton, Fla.
  (Fast Dry Courts, Pompano Beach, Fla.)

For details of the 2005 Outstanding Tennis Facility Awards, contact the ASBA at 410-418-4875 or e-mail info@ustctba.com.

See all articles by Peter Francesconi

About the Author

Peter Francesconi is editorial director of Tennis Industry magazine.

From the January 2005 issue
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