High school students seek practice tennis court

By Gan Matthews, NEWS 9

Down in Purcell, Okla. members of the high school tennis team are serving up a challenge to city government. In time, they hope to win--game, set and match.

The Purcell High School tennis team has no practice courts of its own. So the team is forced to practice at the municipal courts, and therein lays the problem. The courts are almost 40-years-old and maintenance is spotty.

"When it rains, the holes fill up with water and there is algae everywhere, and we've had quit a few just scraped knees and scraped elbows, probably just falling all over," a Purcell tennis player said.

City Manager Eric Johnson agrees the courts are in bad shape. Vandalism is also a problem.

Two weeks ago, with a little adult prodding, the team took its complaints to the Purcell City Council.

"We estimate it's probably going to cost somewhere around $35,000 to completely overhaul these tennis courts," Johnson said. "What we are looking at is a new location, a better location."

Team members said they'd prefer a brand new and larger tennis court facility. But with money tight in the city budget, they'll have to wait and see how the ball bounces.

The city may also ask the Purcell School System if it would like to share the cost of a new facility.