Local High School Students Stress Need For Public Tennis Courts

Local high school students are seeking the help of the Crossville City Council to secure public tennis facilities.  SMHS Senior Class President Carrie Houston and CCHS Sophomore Molly Neal addressed the need during the City Council’s July session. According to the students, tennis courts are being removed from CCHS to build an auditorium, and now the four usable courts at Stone Memorial High School have to be shared by three teams and two schools. That greatly restricts practice time.   Ms. Houston noted that last year, the SMHS girls team advanced to the Final Eight in double-A Division I and one singles player, her sister Rachel, made it to the state quarter-finals. Houston credits SMHS’s success last year to being able to practice every day during tennis season.  This year she is concerned about court availability. Since the courts at Centennial Park have been converted for pickelball play only, Ms. Houston and Ms. Neal are asking the council to consider including dual pickleball tennis courts in any future recreation facility plans.