Fiend at Court Unplugged
The September challenge for the USTA “Tennis Champions” program was to hang a large banner that promotes tennis play. I hung my banner on a fence that borders a highly trafficked running and biking trail. It is highly visible to active people in the area who are currently outside the tennis ecosystem.
I am carrying out my Tennis Champions initiative challenges in Wichita Falls, Texas. My childhood home town was once a tennis hotbed, but somehow collectively lost the passion for tennis. Participation is currently as low as it has ever been in my lifetime. To make matters worse, Wichita Falls has largely missed out on the recent “tennis boom” observed in other parts of the country during the Covid crisis.
It is the desire of the USTA for this sign to be hung at a non-tennis facility. However, when considering locations for the banner, I discovered that Wichita Falls has very restrictive signage ordinances. My options for legal placement were extremely limited. In addition to not breaking any laws when hanging the sign, I wanted to install it in a location where it would likely remain for a long time while remaining highly visible to a good target demographic for tennis.
As we stepped back admiring our work, it was striking at how many people passed by on the trails. The vast majority took obvious notice of the new signage. It is a good location that achieves the spirit and intent of the desired placement by the USTA.
