The Barrhead Tennis Club is getting ready for another season.
For the last two to three years a group of die hard tennis players have been meeting every Tuesday and Thursday evening.
Martin Taylor, who most people might recognize as the Town of Barrhead’s Chief Administrative Officer, said he and his wife, Sharon, started the informal club about two years ago after Barrhead and Westlock hosted the Alberta 55 Plus Summer Games.
“It started out with my wife and I getting together with a few friends to play tennis,” he said, adding the group started to get more and more attention.
Soon people who didn’t play started to drop by the tennis courts and ask if they could take lessons.
It is something the Taylors happily agreed to.
“Tennis is a great sport and the more people we are able to introduce to it the better,” he said.
On most evenings there are upwards of 20 people, depending on the night and the weather.
“We have people of all ages and abilities, from men’s and women’s singles and doubles teams, to mixed teams to everything in between,” Taylor said.
On most Tuesday and Thursday evenings activities start at 7 p.m. and go until about 10 p.m., once again depending on the weather, the amount of daylight and how the players are feeling.
Because it is an informal group, all the players chip in to make sure the courts are in proper condition.
To protect both the special playing surface and the players themselves, the courts must be periodically swept to make sure they are clear of gravel and other debris that may have blown on to the courts.
This season the group hopes to play a few games during the dusk period. Although during spring to fall months it stays light well into the evening, occasionally players have wanted to play a bit longer.
Taylor said the courts have a light above them, but he is not sure if it would provide enough light to play tennis.
“It is more of a singular type of light, that is meant more for security than for playing, but this year we might try playing under the lights, especially in the summer when it’s too hot to play until it starts to cool down late in the evenings.”
The Barrhead Tennis Club will meet this year on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 7 p.m., beginning on April 21. There is no fee to play, but players are asked to bring their own racquets and balls. The tennis courts are located behind De Herdt Gardens. For more information about the Barrhead Tennis Club contact Sharon or Martin Taylor at 780-674-4440.
