July 2020 - Parks & Recreation - 14

WE ARE PARKS AND RECREATION
Tennis, Anyone?
The U.S. Tennis Association oﬀers guidelines for safely reopening tennis facilities
By Victoria Chiesa

A

s individual states and local communities begin to reopen on the
heels of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the U.S.
populace will be particularly eager to return to some form of
physical activity and social engagement. They will want to be
active, and to, once again, spend time with friends and family. Tennis is one
sport that is particularly well-positioned to satisfy those desires, as it requires
no direct physical contact and, when played within specific guidelines, can
be played both safely and enjoyably. For those reasons, tennis is primed to
serve a central role in the recovery of communities across the United States.
Indeed, tennis figures as the ultimate return sport. The U.S. Tennis
Association has outlined specific
guidelines for both players and facilities that, when followed correctly and
in conjunction with local, regional
and federal regulations from government and health agencies, will create
a safe and fun experience for all.

Keeping the Sports
Community Safe
Because tennis is played in a variety of venues across the United
States, from local parks courts to
private facilities, it is imperative
that teaching professionals, coaches, facility administrators, and park
and recreation managers all commit to playing an important role in
Tennis serves as
the ultimate return
sport.

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keeping the sports community safe
at all levels. Though staffing capabilities may vary, those involved
should, nonetheless, be both proactive and diligent in providing a
clean environment, adhering to
sanitary practices, planning activities, storing and distributing equipment, and communicating their
plan of action to staff and patrons.
At the start, programming should
be limited to activities, such as casual court rental, one-on-one coaching, small groups and private lessons. Staff must wear masks or " like
in kind " and gloves when checking in
players and should wash their hands
and gloves often and after touching
items. Teaching professionals for
structured programming should be
assigned to specific courts and, if possible, specific days and times. When
booking courts for play, staff should
stagger sessions to create a buffer that
will allow for the proper disinfecting
of courts and other areas. It is encouraged that every other court be used,
where possible, to further promote
physical distancing. Capturing accurate, complete information upon reservation is a must - in the event that
proper health authorities need to trace

who has been on-site.
At all facilities, all surfaces - such
as counters, tabletops, doorknobs,
bathroom fixtures and toilets -
should be cleaned several times a day
while wearing disposable gloves. The
use of indoor spaces, such as locker
rooms and shower areas, should be
avoided, and these should be kept
closed whenever possible. Court
gates should be left open, while stair
rails should be wrapped with caution
tape to discourage touching, or else
should be wiped down every hour.
On court, scoreboards and similar
devices should be removed from nets,
and disinfectant soap, hand sanitizers
or wipes should be available for participants. Players should be discouraged from handling balls and other
equipment during lessons - instead,
the coach or instructor should handle
these items and work closely with
staff to ensure proper disinfection.
Using new balls regularly is highly
encouraged, as is restricting balls to a
particular group, court or day of the
week and labeling them with a permanent marker. Although there is no
specific evidence that tennis balls can
spread COVID-19, contamination by
respiratory droplets from an infected person can potentially survive on
hard surfaces for up to three days.
By taking precautions to help
keep all participants safe, you're
ensuring that tennis not only will
return to courts all across the country, but will again thrive there.
Victoria Chiesa is Content Producer and
Editor for U.S. Tennis Association
(victoria.chiesa@usta.com).
July 2020 - Parks & Recreation

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