DC’s government doesn’t exactly have a reputation for acting hastily, and the Fort Reno tennis courts are no exception. There are three courts that the Jackson-Reed tennis team uses to practice (which all face into the sun, an issue of its own), and two of them have cracks. 

These cracks are not only annoying, because when a ball hits one it could truly go anywhere, but also a hazard. Tennis requires a lot of running, but also a lot of stopping quickly to turn around or hit a shot. When there are tripping hazards on what should be a flat court, the risk of an ankle injury—or worse—increases greatly. It makes playing on the courts both unfair and scary, with the threat of a season-ending injury looming over every point.

Christine Dooley, the head coach of Jackson-Reed’s tennis team, said she is “so upset about the state of the courts,” and described them as both “100% dangerous” and “embarrassing” for the school. She explained that the courts have been that way for years, and that the lack of action by the school and city “doesn’t show the kids that this sport is valued.” 

She hopes a “new effort by the Assistant Principal [Minsker] will have some traction,” but is stressed that community advocacy and involvement is vital to getting the city to take some action and invest in fixing the courts.

When they could, the tennis team practiced at the University of District of Columbia (UDC) courts in Van Ness, which have recently been resurfaced and are in much better shape. But the courts are only available when UDC’s team doesn’t need them and, during their season, Jackson-Reed had to compete with Maret and St. John’s for court time. This meant practices had to be shortened and court availability was limited. The only other nearby courts are in Forest Hills, but there are only two there and they aren’t in much better shape than those at Reno.

The lack of quality courts and time for the team to practice on them means a team that already struggles to compete against the best teams in DC can’t improve as quickly. A lot of less popular sports struggle to receive the financial and administrative attention they need and deserve, and it’s frustrating for the coaches and athletes alike to see their needs constantly overlooked.