LTC 215-2009 Response to question regarding Hard Courts for High School Tennis Play (2)f7. .~r..., ,r
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OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC#215-2009 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: August 11, 2009
SUBJECT: Response to question regarding H rd Courts for High School Tennis Play
This Letter to Commission is intended to provide you with information requested during the discussions on
the reconstruction of the Flamingo Park Tennis Center. This discussion was prompted by the initial
recommendation that five (5) hard courts be installed at the Flamingo Park Tennis Center, to be used by
the Miami Beach High School Tennis team for home matches and practice. As you know, local tennis
players requested all clay surface tennis courts at the renovated center; which the Commission ultimately
approved.
Miami Beach High School's request for the courts, and the Administration's desire to explore the ability to
accommodate this request; was inconsideration that the Beach High tennis team is comprised of our young
residents and there is no single location on Miami Beach that has a bank of five {5) hard courts, which
provide the number of courts necessary to permit matches within the timeframe typically available for such.
(As you may recall, a secondary consideration for hard courts at Flamingo was that even after seriously
inclement weather and rains storms, the hard courts could be quickly dried off and made available for our
residents to play on until such time as the clay courts were dried out and groomed for play).
The question of the "required" need for the high school tennis team to play on hard courts was raised at the
June 25; 2009 Finance/ Citywide Projects Committee meeting when the Flamingo Park Master Plan
discussion was held. At that meeting, the question was asked if hard tennis courts are required for high
school tennis teams to play on. Although the response provided was that it was to be understood to be the
case, it was not responded to definitively.
Subsequent to the discussion. the Administration contacted Mr. Gary Piggott. Sr. Director ofAthletics for the
Florida High School Athletic Association (HSIA), and is who is directly responsible for high school tennis
statewide. Mr. Piggott stated that although either hard surface or clay surfaced tennis courts are acceptable.
he would estimate that 85%-90% of all tennis courts played on by high school tennis teams are hard
surface: he indicated further that private schools more frequently used the clay courts. Additionally, all four
class levels of tennis competition played at the High School State Tournaments are played on hard surface
courts, because that is the surface that the vast majority of tennis team players use to play.
A second contact was made with Ms. Cheryl Golden, Instructional Supervisor, Greater Miami Athletic
Conference, and Division of Athletics /Activities with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools to gain
additional information. Attached is an email from Ms. Golden relating her conversation with Mr. Pigott and
the FHSAA position on the matter of tennis court surfaces.
Although there is no specific requirement that high school tennis team practices/ matches be played on hard
surface tennis courts, there is clearly a preference for them, and players who advance to the state
tournament level will have an advantage if they are accustomed to playing on them.
Please advise if you have any questions or require additional information
JMG/HMF/KS
-----Original Messa?e-----
From: Golden, C'her'yl 1`9. ~nutiito:C'Gnkien:~;dadcschools.nctJ
Sent: Thu 6~`2i,•'2009 ]U:OI :1i\~1 to be used by the Miami Beach High School Tennis team for home
matches and practice.
Ib: Aida Sanchez Gomez
C'c: Golden, Chervl M.
Sunject: Temtis Lour[ Specs litr High School Tcntils
.Aida
1 spoke to A~Ir. Gary Pigott. Florida High School .Athletic Association
(FI IS.1:1). He is the administrator in charge of tennis. He slated to me
that the FIISAA Statc'1'cnnis'fournament would ahvays be played on "Hard
Coups". Due w other schools not ha~~ing access to "cloy or hybrid
courts" the FHS;\.\ recommends that the high school tennis programs he
taught and run on the "Hard Court" surlitce.
~hith that said. Miami-Dade County Public Schools when building tennis
courts at senior high schools Drily considers the "hard court" surface. I
.could recotntncnd that the. i coons at Flamingo Park that arc currently
'Hard Courts" he redone as "hard courts" fur the use of the 1,Qiami Beach
Senior high School tennis program and the Nautilus Middle School
Program.
Thank you for allowing us in put in this decision
Chcn~l :1. <iolden. Instructional Supers°isor
Greater Miami Athletic Cottferencc
Division of Athletics.:Activitics
Miami-Dade Couniv~ Public Schools
30~-995-12j0 - Ot~icc
30j x)95-774 -Fax