Montgomery TennisPlex Served up National Award for Excellence
About 100 people came out Sunday to South Germantown Recreational Park to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the Montgomery TennisPlex, a facility that has just been selected as the only U.S. Tennis Association facility of excellence in the state of Maryland.
PHOTO |Andrew Riddle
The U.S. Tennis Association announced that Montgomery TennisPlex, in Boyds, is one of 12 winners of its Outstanding Facility Awards Program, which recognizes excellence in the programming, construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country.
The TennisPlex is the only facility to receive this honor in Maryland this year, according to a press release from Montgomery County Parks. Representatives from Montgomery TennisPlex were honored at the USTA Semi-annual Meeting in New York City on Aug. 30. On Sept. 7, Mike Riley, director on Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Craig Rice, president of the Montgomery County Council, and Gabriel Albornoz, director of the Montgomery County Recreation Department were on-hand for the official proclamation of the award along with Hall of Fame Coach Jack Schore to headline the festivities held at 18010 Central Park Circle.
Prior to the opening of the Montgomery TennisPlex in 2012, the Germantown area had virtually no tennis history. In the two years since opening its doors, nearly 500 kids are playing tennis weekly in the area and nearly 400 of those kids are playing at the PLEX, according to the news release. Through their outreach program, Montgomery TennisPlex offers 10 and under “Kids Clubs” at five area schools with roughly 100 students participating in before and after-school classes. With the tagline “Tennis everyone”, Montgomery TennisPlex has no membership or guest fees meaning people of all ages and income levels can enjoy the eight year-round, air-conditioned bubbled courts and four outdoor lighted courts.
“Montgomery TennisPlex has embraced many of our initiatives, including youth tennis utilizing 36- and 60-foot courts, which has introduced thousands of new players to the sport each year,” said Kurt Kamperman, chief executive, Community Tennis, USTA in the news release. “Outstanding tennis facilities like Montgomery TennisPlex help us grow the game at the grass-roots level, and for that reason and so much more, we are proud to recognize Montgomery TennisPlex for its ongoing impact and contribution to the sport of tennis.”
Facilities were judged on the following criteria: Overall layout and adaptation to site, programming quality and variety, excellence of court surface and lights, accommodations for players, aesthetics, amenities, social areas, and participation in USTA programs.
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