Save Perry Tennis

The Situation

The tennis courts at Perry are being removed to make room for a new middle school. We support the new school — our district needs it, and the funding is in place. But there's a critical problem: there is no plan to replace the tennis courts.

What happens without courts?

Without tennis courts, there can be no tennis program. The district's position appears to be: wait 4+ years after the middle school is complete, then maybe rebuild courts — by which time the program will no longer exist.

This Season's Success

Best Season in nearly 30 Years

35+ Atheltes Affected

0 Replacement Plan

Our student-athletes are thriving. This is not the time to end their program.

Timeline of Events

2017

Community outreach to survey and understand the needs and priorities of residents

2018-2019

Implementation and discovery, community meetings to discuss survey findings and master plan implementation

2020

District bond issue passed on first attempt to secure OFCC funds, covering 62% of total construction costs of new elementary buildings

2022

Groundbreaking for three new Perry neighborhood elementary schools

2023

New elementary schools’ construction continues

Fall 2024

Three new elementary schools open their doors to students

Spring 2026 (current target)

New middle school construction begins on Hartwick Park and tennis court site

2028-2029?

Possible timeline for court replacement — after Pfeiffer/Edison abatement and removal is complete

By then...

The tennis program will no longer exist

The Real Issue

The district claims it's about money, but the new middle school will be constructed through Perry Local Schools' participation in the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission’s (OFCC’s) Classroom Facilities Assistance Program (CFAP) and the Expedited Local Partnership Program (ELPP), covering the full $62 million project cost without new taxpayer funding.
This money has already been allocated to the district by the state with great thanks to the wise voters of Perry Township and the passage of the 2020 elementary building replacement bond issue.
Even if funding is tight, the original plan included replacing the courts after other projects finished
A 4-year gap without courts means the program ends — and once it's gone, there's no need to rebuild
30 families and dozens of students have shown they care deeply about this program
The administration may have underestimated community support, expecting families would simply accept the decision

Why This Matters

Tennis teaches discipline, sportsmanship, and lifelong fitness. It's a sport students can play well into adulthood. Our boys and girls have worked incredibly hard this season, achieving results we haven't seen in three decades. They deserve the opportunity to continue building on this success.

This isn't about being against progress or the new middle school. This is about poor planning and a lack of commitment to our student-athletes.

What You Can Do

Our voices matter. Here's how you can help save Perry tennis:

Share This Page Contact the Board Attend Board Meetings

Together, we can ensure our tennis program has a future.

This is a community advocacy effort. We support our district and our schools.
We simply ask for a real plan to preserve tennis for our students.