Aug. 29—The Conrad Weiser Tennis Facility has been named a USTA National Outstanding Educational Tennis Facility of the Year.
Representatives from Weiser received the honor Monday during a ceremony at the U.S. Open in New York.
Each year, the USTA “recognizes facilities throughout the country to encourage increasingly high standards for construction and/or renovation,” according to the USTA website, usta.com.
“We are very proud of our students, staff and administrators for creating an environment where tennis has become more than a sport,” said Dr. Ryan Giffing, Conrad Weiser superintendent, in a press release. “Those individuals who participate in our program learn not only the game of tennis but valuable lessons in leadership and life that they will carry with them forever. On behalf of our Board of Directors, I want to thank USTA for this recognition. We are honored and humbled.”
Attending the event at Flushing Meadows were Ryan Knarr, Conrad Weiser girls and boys tennis coach and president of the Conrad Weiser Tennis Association; Eric Lutz, Conrad Weiser’s director of facilities and grounds; Dr. Alissa Sweigart, Conrad Weiser administrator; and Tom Breneman, president of Breneman Company in Lancaster, which renovated and resurfaced the courts.
According to the USTA, facilities, which must have at least two courts, were evaluated on quality of court area and surface, quality of court enclosure and lighting, overall layout and adaptation to site, accessories and amenities, USTA membership and SafePlay compliance.
Conrad Weiser was one of three educational institutions — which includes colleges, universities, public and private grade schools, middle schools and high schools — recognized.
Other categories were small public tennis centers (2-11 courts), large public tennis centers (at least 12 courts), small private facilities (2-11 courts) and large private facilities (at least 12 courts).
The Conrad Weiser Tennis Facility was renovated in 2012-13 as part of a two-year project. This was done through a USTA national facility assistance grant given to the school and community tennis program that is run by the Conrad Weiser Tennis Association. During this renovation, professional-level lighting was added to all five courts.
The facility was resurfaced in 2021, with USTA 36-foot and 60-foot lines offering progressive development for red and orange ball play for youth players ages 4-12.
In addition to its use for Conrad Weiser tennis programs, physical education classes and the CWTA community programs, the facility also hosts the Conrad Weiser Hits for Hope Tennis Tournament, which draws 250-300 players each June.
“Our Conrad Weiser tennis program is humbled to win this National Outstanding Educational Facility Award,” Knarr said in a press release. “Conrad Weiser Tennis Facility has been a place the last 11 years that has inspired a generation of students-athletes and our community to share in the magic and power of tennis.
“It is a first-class facility that brings together young people to help them reach places they thought they could not go, and achieve dreams they only dared to dream. I want our kids and their families in our community to realize that there is no better place to grow up and also the impact tennis can have to change their lives.”
