Tennis courts

As a townie, I have never seen the tennis courts in such horrible condition! I like to have local options in town, and with the courts in such disgusting shape and no program, I have to drive my kids to Mansfield in order to play. It's embarrassing that the Rec department/town officials have allowed the conditions to get so bad because now in order to fix they need to be redone! I'm sure they will all cry budget cuts, lack of interest, etc. You let it go, now fix it ASAP!

pool mom pool mom
Jul '14

Did you contact the H'town Rec Dept? (not sure if Rec owns the courts). Since you are pool mom, the same person who runs the town pool is also the Rec Dir. Worth the try.

Clyde Potts Clyde Potts
Jul '14

The tennis courts are the responsibility of the BOE

horatio
Jul '14

I play there all the time. I sent an email to the Mayor and she hasn't responded. That was a month ago. The double lines are annoying as well as the cracks which fill up with the weeds.

Nathaniel Nathaniel
Jul '14

No wonder the USA did so poorly at Wimbledon.

Andy Loigu Andy Loigu
Jul '14

Probably because it costs so much money - I don't know if any budgets have room for the repair. --- http://www.sportmaster.net/FAQ_resurface.shtml

trekster3- trekster3-
Jul '14

They are so old not sure if they are worth it for the BOE to fix. Does gym class even use them? We did and that was 35 years ago. They were built before I got into high school so they are at least 40 years old. If the school still does class and uses them I say fix them up. I learned how to play in those courts.

Christine Christine
Jul '14

Andy, that is funny but you can almost trace tennis court funding to the US tennis success.

Port Murray has great courts.

Anyone know where a backboard exists?

mistergoogle mistergoogle
Jul '14

Like, for hoops? I think there are a few at Meadow Breeze Park in Washington Twp., that's a nice park, I take walks there. Gotta keep looking down, though, lots of folks walk their dogs.

Kids often shoot baskets and play behind the Hackettstown Middle School.

Andy Loigu Andy Loigu
Jul '14

Tennis Andy, tennis...:>)

Can't really get better without a backboard. Really love using them but the last ones I knew was the great cement one, even with the holes, at Centenary, mowed under. And a small plywood one, pretty lame, at Port Murray.

mistergoogle mistergoogle
Jul '14

Ah, you mean a wall that you just keep hitting the ball at ... I remember doing that when I was about 25 ... during the Ford administration.

Never could hit it through that wall, hard as I tried.

Andy Loigu Andy Loigu
Jul '14

"you can almost trace tennis court funding to the US tennis success"


I don't care who you are, that's a funny joke right there. Nick Bollittieri and a half million a year per student are laughing all the way to the bank on that one.


I'll also have to disagree with the backboard idea. It makes every shot an overhead slam. You'd never know what a drop shot is, never understand the angles because they're all 45 degrees off, and never develop a slice or a good stroke. Sure great for plain old fun, but not for the serious player development who would be better with a paid partner.


I would love to see the courts repaired also. If the courts are the responsibility of the BOE, I wonder if THEY know that?


Uh, did you think I meant that a backboard would be the only tool to use to better your tennis? Surely you gest. And if every shot you hit on a backboard is an overhead slam, I would love to watch that practice session. But each to his own and the backboard is just a fun workout you can do by yourself and with no expense.

The good thing about a backboard is it returns each shot to the highest percentage area; it never misses, it never duffs. You can baseline or net it for a speed drill. You can even pick a target zone and see how close you can move the ball to it on every shot. You can't win, but you can excel the longer you can keep it going. Sure, it does not do what a player can; move the ball around, hit winners, but for speed drills and reflex learning, it's great. And cheaper than a machine.

Hmmm, from Essentialtennis.com on how to use a backboard correctly for TRAINING....... http://www.essentialtennis.com/backboard-or-wall-hitting-lesson/

From onlinetennisinstruction.com: "Using a tennis backboard is one of the best possible ways to practice your tennis game in my opinion! When I first learned how to play Tennis, I used to hit the ball against a wall in my parents garage every day for at least an hour and it helped my tennis game tremendously.

A proper backboard is actually not even necessary though to work on your game. All you really need is a wall and a surface where the ball gets a decent bounce!"

Well I am not sure of that. I used to bounce em off the barn and every thing on the walls kept falling off and coming down.

The best part is you can roll down all by yourself, one racket, one ball, and get a nice workout while auto-training your reflexes to move to the high percentage zone as you hit the ball, not after the return (unless you want to be chasing balls all day).

I love em.

mistergoogle mistergoogle
Jul '14

Not even a response from the Mayor ? She's probably busy in the war room planning an attack for the next big drug raid in town.

jerseycash5
Jul '14

Mister Google,

I use my garage door as a backboard. It works.

Observer3 Observer3
Jul '14

Good news at the BOE meeting last night they brought up the tennis courts and are working on either resurfacing them or totally replacing them. Hopefully this will get done by next spring

Darwin Darwin
Aug '14

Ask for a backboard, cement. You can always ask..........

mistergoogle mistergoogle
Aug '14

When I first placed the post it was a frustrated plea looking for an audience. I am impressed and inspired that the BOE has stepped up and so quickly! Now the important thing is for all of the people that visit the courts to be respectful. That means the courts are not a dog pen, spectator area during football practice, or trick space for bike/skateboards. All behavior I have witnessed since the repairs have started! We will all pay for this repair in some form or another, so do like (Hopefully) your parents told you and take care of your things or we can't have nice things. Thank you BOE for taking care of this eyesore! My children thank you for restoring sporting options and valuable teaching tools! You never know one of them maybe, just maybe the next Chris Everett now that they have a place to play and practice. US Open starts next week, those of you with concerns about the US program should check it out.

pool mom pool mom
Aug '14

Kids Fall Tennis Program is now starting in Mansfield Township and is open to residents of all towns.

Contact for dates, times and cost.
Phone # 877-607-6807
tennis@mansfieldtownship-nj.gov

Choose:
Saturday Morning Classes
Tuesday Evening
Thursday Evening

Includes FREE T-Shirt to each child.

cuhfs cuhfs
Sep '14

Kids Tennis Spring 2015 (at the Mansfield Park Courts)
Registration form attached.
Open to residents and non-residents

http://www.mansfieldtownship-nj.gov/images/Recreation_Forms_and_Docs/Forms/spring_tennis_final_form_2015__2_.pdf

Call Jonathan for details 877-607-6807

cuhfs cuhfs
Apr '15

So the BOE tennis courts (on Warren Street) are open to the public?

jmo517 jmo517
Apr '15

I play at the tennis courts and they still have not been fixed.

Anynomous Anynomous
May '15

Re: Tennis courts

Kids Fall Season -
Tennis program Mansfield Township but open to other town residents too.
Kids Ages 5-12
Dates / Times / Prices - click link
http://www.mansfieldtownship-nj.gov/images/Recreation_Forms_and_Docs/Forms/Fall_tennis_Flyer_2015_final_ver.pdf

cuhfs cuhfs
Sep '15

My father grew up in upstate NY and used the side of a barn to practice on.

He said it was the best tool he ever used being that it had an uneven surface and would shoot the ball back at him in all kinds of unpredicted ways.

He then spent decades being the #1 ranked player and a very coveted opponent in all of the tennis clubs he belonged to.

Really?
Sep '15

Really?. ...
I like your post.
Whether it was your father's predicament or not, adversity can sometimes be your best teacher.

hapiest girl
Sep '15

Does anyone know what the plans are for the tennis courts?

Spence Spence
Sep '15

I heard it's going to be too expensive to repair/replace. No idea what will eventually become of the space, but it doesn't look like it's going to be tennis courts.

BeerFan
Sep '15

I used my barn, was a pretty even surface but all the tools hanging on the walls kept falling down :>) And I had to clear 20 ft of grass so the shots had to be hard and high making more tools fall. Guess I should just fix those problems and move on.

Even walls are like playing the high percentage return, uneven walls would be like playing a player hitting the difficult low percentage shots. Good and bad in both but certainly great to learn to play with surprises.

The old wall at Centenary had some holes so sometimes your opponent ate the ball. Talk about a pause in the flow.

I do feel that if you become well versed on the wall you're game becomes much more instinctive. Especially if you get to the point you're like boxer on the speed bag. I used to do a short speed drill from 10 or 20 feet to really get that speed bag feeling. Ball never touched ground.

strangerdanger strangerdanger
Sep '15

I am very disappointed to hear they may not be replaced. Our children use those courts all of the time, despite their terrible condition. It is such a nice thing to have available in town. I do hope they will reconsider and not take the tennis courts away. Who makes this decision? I would like to give some input at a meeting - is it the school board or the town? Our taxes should more than cover replacing the tennis courts!!

Spence Spence
Sep '15

I would rather see the broken down tennis courts become outdoor basketball courts since we have brand new tennis courts up the road at the new part.

CraftBeerBob CraftBeerBob
Sep '15

Update on tennis courts - they are in terrible shape and the school districts insurance provider recommended to shut them down until repairs are completed. Yes the BOE owns them and yes the BOE has looked into options which include new fence; re surfacing or other uses.

Unfortunately we do not have a tennis team at HHS or any sustainable youth program to support one. In addition tennis is not taught in gym class.

The BOE facilities committee has directed the facilities dept to gather quotes to resurface ;new fencing etc. the committee is also looking into the possibility of converting to a parking lot which will reduce the traffic on Wareen Street.

Nothing had been decided and there is a BOE meeting on Sept 16th at 7 pm HHS media center. Please come out and ask questions or make suggestions we would be happy to see you!

If you can't attend please feel free to email me. my e mail can be found on the district website.

Gus Bordi - Hackettstown BOE president

Gus Bordi Gus Bordi
Sep '15

What were the lyrics?

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."


A parking lot? Oh my.

OnTheEdge OnTheEdge
Sep '15

The only way a parking lot makes sense to me is if they made the whole left side of the field a parking lot, along the wood line. I don't think the football players practice over that far. Tear up the tennis courts and just put grass over it. This would give the HS track throwing team a little more room.

brown bear
Sep '15

Craft Beer Bob, where are the new tennis courts you are referring to?

Spence Spence
Sep '15

Sorry Spence. I thought the post was talking about the decaying tennis courts in Mansfield. With that said there are new courts on Port Murray road.

CraftBeerBob CraftBeerBob
Sep '15

http://hackettstown.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=9682&ViewID=047E6BE3-6D87-4130-8424-D8E4E9ED6C2A&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=8119&PageID=1

???

Matt101 Matt101
Sep '15

The new Port Murry courts are grand; wonder where they came up with the cash.

strangerdanger strangerdanger
Sep '15

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