Okay, so I got the itch to hit some tennis balls the other day, but finding a partner is sometimes a hassle, you know? I figured, a backboard would be perfect for just getting out there and practicing my strokes solo. Simple enough idea, right? Well, finding one turned out to be a bit more of an adventure than I expected.
First thing I did was hop online. Searched for “tennis courts near me” and then tried adding “with backboard” or “practice wall”. Got a bunch of results for parks and clubs. Some websites listed amenities, but honestly, most were vague. They’d say “tennis courts” but nothing specific about a backboard. Pretty hit or miss.
So, I decided the best way was just to go look myself. Made a little list of local parks that supposedly had courts.
My Search On Foot (Well, By Car)
- First Stop: The big community park nearby. Lovely courts, really well-maintained. Six of them! But guess what? Not a single backboard in sight. Just fences all around. Kind of disappointing.
- Second Stop: A local high school. Sometimes they leave courts open. Drove over there. Found the courts, but they were locked up tight behind a high fence. Strike two.
- Third Stop: Another park, a bit smaller this time. Found the courts tucked away in a corner. And hey, there was a wall! But it was just a plain brick wall, part of a building nearby. Not really a proper backboard, the bounce was all wrong and kind of rough on the balls. Better than nothing, maybe, but not what I was looking for.
At this point, I was thinking this was harder than it should be. Why aren’t backboards more common?
Finally, Success!
I remembered an older park, one I hadn’t been to in years, over on the west side of town. Figured it was worth a shot. Drove over there. The park itself is a bit dated, you know? But nestled back behind the baseball field were two tennis courts.
And there it was! One of the courts, clear as day, had a proper, angled, green tennis backboard standing at one end. It wasn’t brand new, had seen some use, but it looked solid. Success! Felt like I’d discovered buried treasure.
Got my racket and balls out of the car right then and there. Spent a good hour just hitting. Forehands, backhands, serves. Just grooving my strokes. The bounce off the board was consistent, way better than that brick wall. It’s a great workout, too, keeps you moving constantly.
So yeah, it took some driving around and a bit of legwork, but I found one. If you’re looking for a court with a backboard, my advice is don’t just rely on websites. Sometimes you just gotta go check out the older, maybe less popular parks. You might get lucky like I did.
