As supporters of Olympic High School's Varsity and Junior Varsity tennis league , we are quite concerned and appalled at the condition of the county's courts on Fairgrounds Road. Since OHS does not have it's own courts, the athletes are relegated to play on county property that has not been well maintained. In fact, the courts have been neglected and should be deemed a safety hazard.
The positioning of the six courts below the hills of the Fairgrounds makes it vulnerable to rain and mud run off. There are severe fissures and grooves on the playing surface. All but one of the courts have deep cracks that run the entire length of the court. There is an accumulation of moss and stagnant water making the surface slippery. The uneven undulating surface further decreases the integrity of the court contributing to the loss of traction. It is not only an aesthetic eyesore, it is also a safety and liability risk. In addition, there are rain outs and practice sessions are aborted during the season causing a loss of valuable training time. Lastly, it impacts school pride as other visiting tennis teams are invited to play on our dilapidated home turf.
We recognize the already existing financial burden the county and the school district constantly endure. The need for prioritization of any allocated county funds or school levies should be carefully considered and equitably distributed. These athletes and their leader Coach Trainer, have proven their commitment to the program despite the odds of frequent rain outs and sub par playing fields. OHS finished 2nd in league for the 2014 tennis season. The answer is not to close a successful program because of it's barriers but rather seek out ways to remove some of these obstacles. Please consider a long term goal of constructing new courts for OHS and at bare minimum, resurface and address the drainage problem of the existing county courts to meet basic safety standards. These considerations should be aligned with the district's values of keeping our students' safe and it demonstrates to the students that hard work really does pay off.
Updates
March 21, 2015
The momentum is undeniable. Pressure on the county is mounting.
Reached 100 supporters
March 21, 2015
39 Comments
Our athletes deserve a safe place to practice and since we share this area with the community, improving the complex helps the community as well.
CKHS also shares the courts. Despite the horrible conditions of the courts, the county has blocked the dirt parking near the courts and has forced both teams to share the extremely small parking lot with the park, which on a sunny day is impossible to find a parking spot. The cramped parking has caused many accidents that easily could of been avoided if we were provided with a better facility.
Tens year ago this spring was my final season as head girls tennis coach at NKHS. I know the fairgrounds court very well. They are in shameful condition and a place we least liked to compete. Cracks, sagging nets, lewd graffiti, worn surface and faded boundary lines. The Fairgrounds tennis courts are used by two high schools, community league play and players in the Silverdale area, but their condition does not speak well for Silverdale and/or Kitsap County. Please give funding to repair this much needed facility.
We've been needing new courts for a while. They have mold or some slippery substance growing on the courts. The courts are also cracked with random bumps. There's poor drainage, so heavy rainfall remains on the courts for at least a day or two.
When I bring the NK tennis team to the fairgrounds in the fall I am always a bit concerned about the courts that are situated under the grove of trees that backs up to the courts. There is very little sunlight on that area and it becomes quite slick and dangerous. it is too bad, because it is a very nice venue.
You could get permission to hold a fundraiser at the school store and walk around during lunches before and after school selling something everyone likes with help the country Cort writing on it and take home the fundraiser and go round selling then and have the main office or a staff member hold all the money collected each day
Update 6/17/2015. Met with both Mr. Arena and MacKenzie, CKSD Administrators. They assured me that they have spoken with the County and are in negotiations as to facility repair and trimming back the foliage of the trees surrounding the courts. Unfortunately there are layers of bureaucracy within the County before any agreement can be reached. Discussions with the Coach's Association regarding allocating an Assistant Coach to the team are in progress. New courts would be ideal and definitive in resolving the major problems with the existing courts, however I did not get the sense that is even in the realm of possibilities. Thank you for everyone's support, without your help even the repairs would not be initiated.
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As supporters of Olympic High School's Varsity and Junior Varsity tennis league , we are quite concerned and appalled at the condition of the county's courts on Fairgrounds Road. Since OHS does not have it's own courts, the athletes are relegated to play on county property that has not been well maintained. In fact, the courts have been neglected and should be deemed a safety hazard.
The positioning of the six courts below the hills of the Fairgrounds makes it vulnerable to rain and mud run off. There are severe fissures and grooves on the playing surface. All but one of the courts have deep cracks that run the entire length of the court. There is an accumulation of moss and stagnant water making the surface slippery. The uneven undulating surface further decreases the integrity of the court contributing to the loss of traction. It is not only an aesthetic eyesore, it is also a safety and liability risk. In addition, there are rain outs and practice sessions are aborted during the season causing a loss of valuable training time. Lastly, it impacts school pride as other visiting tennis teams are invited to play on our dilapidated home turf.
We recognize the already existing financial burden the county and the school district constantly endure. The need for prioritization of any allocated county funds or school levies should be carefully considered and equitably distributed. These athletes and their leader Coach Trainer, have proven their commitment to the program despite the odds of frequent rain outs and sub par playing fields. OHS finished 2nd in league for the 2014 tennis season. The answer is not to close a successful program because of it's barriers but rather seek out ways to remove some of these obstacles. Please consider a long term goal of constructing new courts for OHS and at bare minimum, resurface and address the drainage problem of the existing county courts to meet basic safety standards. These considerations should be aligned with the district's values of keeping our students' safe and it demonstrates to the students that hard work really does pay off.
Updates
March 21, 2015
The momentum is undeniable. Pressure on the county is mounting.
Reached 100 supporters
March 21, 2015
39 Comments
I have taught at Olympic HS since 1992 and am a strong supporter of the OHS tennis program. From the beginning I have been very concerned about both the quality and the safety aspects of the Fairgrounds courts. As a former high school and college tennis player I know the importance of maintaince for the prevention of injuries. The dangers caused by the cracks and continually dirty surfaces are accurately protrayed in this petition. The OHS tennis program has produced some very high quality athletes and has always been a popular sport. Kitsap County has stepped up to the plate for the softball/baseball program and it is now time to do the same for the tennis program. Let's fix this 30-year-old problem.
Our athletes deserve a safe place to practice and since we share this area with the community, improving the complex helps the community as well.
CKHS also shares the courts. Despite the horrible conditions of the courts, the county has blocked the dirt parking near the courts and has forced both teams to share the extremely small parking lot with the park, which on a sunny day is impossible to find a parking spot. The cramped parking has caused many accidents that easily could of been avoided if we were provided with a better facility.
Tens year ago this spring was my final season as head girls tennis coach at NKHS. I know the fairgrounds court very well. They are in shameful condition and a place we least liked to compete. Cracks, sagging nets, lewd graffiti, worn surface and faded boundary lines. The Fairgrounds tennis courts are used by two high schools, community league play and players in the Silverdale area, but their condition does not speak well for Silverdale and/or Kitsap County. Please give funding to repair this much needed facility.
We've been needing new courts for a while. They have mold or some slippery substance growing on the courts. The courts are also cracked with random bumps. There's poor drainage, so heavy rainfall remains on the courts for at least a day or two.
When I bring the NK tennis team to the fairgrounds in the fall I am always a bit concerned about the courts that are situated under the grove of trees that backs up to the courts. There is very little sunlight on that area and it becomes quite slick and dangerous. it is too bad, because it is a very nice venue.
You could get permission to hold a fundraiser at the school store and walk around during lunches before and after school selling something everyone likes with help the country Cort writing on it and take home the fundraiser and go round selling then and have the main office or a staff member hold all the money collected each day
Update 6/17/2015. Met with both Mr. Arena and MacKenzie, CKSD Administrators. They assured me that they have spoken with the County and are in negotiations as to facility repair and trimming back the foliage of the trees surrounding the courts. Unfortunately there are layers of bureaucracy within the County before any agreement can be reached. Discussions with the Coach's Association regarding allocating an Assistant Coach to the team are in progress. New courts would be ideal and definitive in resolving the major problems with the existing courts, however I did not get the sense that is even in the realm of possibilities. Thank you for everyone's support, without your help even the repairs would not be initiated.
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I have taught at Olympic HS since 1992 and am a strong supporter of the OHS tennis program. From the beginning I have been very concerned about both the quality and the safety aspects of the Fairgrounds courts. As a former high school and college tennis player I know the importance of maintaince for the prevention of injuries. The dangers caused by the cracks and continually dirty surfaces are accurately protrayed in this petition. The OHS tennis program has produced some very high quality athletes and has always been a popular sport. Kitsap County has stepped up to the plate for the softball/baseball program and it is now time to do the same for the tennis program. Let's fix this 30-year-old problem.