Tennis team invites community to open courts nights

Area tennis players are invited to participate matches each Tuesday and Thursday beginning at 7 p.m. at the Charlie and Nancy Herrington Tennis Center on the Marble Falls High School campus.

Head coach Samuel Whitley has been opening the facility since the 2023-24 school year ended and has been encouraged by the number of athletes who are playing.

“Pretty much it’s open to anyone who wants to come,” he said. “We’re getting high school and middle school players and a lot of incoming freshman girls. Probably at least six courts have high schoolers.”

The students who are playing brought a smile to Whitley’s face, particularly since the high school program will compete in the Class 4A team tennis season that starts in September.

The competing in District 25-4A with the Mustangs and Lady Mustangs are Belton New Tech, Burnet, Jarrell, Lago Vista, Liberty Hill Legacy Ranch, Little River Academy and Salado. The district is in Region IV.

The district competition makes using the summer important.

“They’re getting in practices during the summertime,” the coach said. “Our fall season starts quick. They’re getting the work in. They need to be practicing for the fall.”

The main emphasis is fun and Whitley said the players choose if they want to play singles or doubles. Sometimes he pairs individuals.

“I rotate people around,” he said. “I’ll do a little bit of instruction here and there.”

Scores may be kept during matches, but win-losses records are not. Again, the focus is on having fun and getting the opportunity to improve.

“We’ve had full courts,” he said. “No one is sitting off to the side, waiting and playing.”

The program will enjoy a two-week break from Tuesday, June 25-Thursday, July 4, and resume Tuesday, July 9.

Jennifer Fierro publishes reports about area youth athletic events on her website TexasChalk-Talk.com. To send her a note, email fierrojennifer@yahoo.com.