Greene County Tennis Center Celebrates Grand Opening in the Snow

Greeneville, Tenn. – Celebrating the Grand Opening of the Greeneville-Greene County Tennis Center in the snow may not have been what Helen Smith had envisioned, but the nasty weather didn’t keep the crowds away.

“Looking on the bright side, there are two good things: the 60-plus folks who showed up…and the misty rain removed all the pollen and dust from the court surfaces, the screening and the fencing,” said Smith, founder of the Greene County Tennis Association (GCTA).

Smith led the charge to get the tennis center built, and her fundraising efforts helped the GCTA secure $383,290, including a $65,000 grant from the Tennis in the Parks cooperative between the United States Tennis Association and the National Recreation and Parks Association.

Additional funding came from Greene County, the Town of Greeneville, the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development, the Mary G.K. Fox Foundation and local businesses and individuals.

Smith said that her hope is for the six hard courts, two clay courts facility to become a regional training center for Recreational Coaches Workshops.

“I really think we can tap into neighboring counties that are largely out of the USTA network right now and a session at our center would be a draw,” Smith said. “All of the local high schools already like our venue best.”

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