Tennis v. Pickleball

Last month. at the school district election and budget vote, there was an exit poll to solicit public opinion on whether or not the historic tennis courts at Montgomery C. Smith should be striped for pickleball. When the results of the election were shared, the outcome of the exit poll was not. The only information offered in response to an inquiry was that the Board of Education would be discussing the data from the election at its June 16 meeting.

This morning, Gossips received an email from former mayor's aide Justin Weaver, an avid and accomplished tennis player who regularly plays at the M.C. Smith courts. With Weaver's permission, that email is quoted below:

I was out playing tennis on those very courts at Montgomery C. Smith School yesterday, and the contractors who will be performing the renovation showed up, alongside of the Hudson City School District facilities crew. They were carrying plans and clipboards and going from court to court, taking notes. I asked them if the courts were going to remain tennis courts, and they told me two of the courts will also be suited for pickleball. I found out later . . . that the two courts that will become suited for pickleball are the two courts closest to the bleachers. Surprising that this is happening without any known disclosure to the public about the results of the survey voters filled out on the day of the budget vote. I'm thinking that the survey was just something to ameliorate the masses and this was the plan all along. I also find it surprising that the two courts that will become suited for pickleball are considered the show courts as they are closest to the bleachers. Whenever there was a tournament there, the bleachers would be filled with spectators watching the matches. The best matches were featured on those two courts and usually had the best players playing on those two courts. Apparently now, spectators can bask in the glory of pickleball players. Alas, change is inevitable. Tennis players will now be fighting for the tennis court furthest away from those pickleball courts and closest to Paddock Place or, like myself, will be searching for a new place to play tennis.

Tournaments may not be a consideration in the future. I seem to recall Ken Sheffer, whose knowledge of all things tennis and of the history of these tennis courts is boundless, saying that sanctioned tournaments cannot be played on tennis courts that have been striped for pickleball.

I do wonder if the public will ever learn the results of that exit poll.

COPYRIGHT 2026 CAROLE OSTERINK