Can anyone give me some valid reasons why T high has deamed it necessary to cover there tenis courts. As a tax payer in the t high district, I was wondering if my money was going towards this project? Couldn't the other new indoor facility be utilized? Surely some of you loyal T high supporters can provide me with some insight on this issue. Convince me that this was the best use of funds.

Guess it depends on how important you feel the tennis program is....

Guess it depends if covering the tennis courts makes for a better tennis program.

How many other 4A schools have covered tennis courts?

So if it helps you dont mind?

Guess that my main issue would be that there is already an existing indoor facility. Is it only used for football? And No, I wouldn't mind, especially if I had a child in the tennis program.

I have never seen one set up for tennis. Football, soccer, baseball, etc...

So, everyone is using the other new indoor facility except tennis?

Not sure that I agree with your theory of how important the program dictating the amount of money spent on it. The need, number of participants, money that it brings to the school.... would be more of a deciding factor. Swimming pool and golf course would be beneficial to those programs.

"... money that it brings to the school..."

If this were the case, then the majority of high schools across the state would have nothing more than football, and the smaller schools without football would only have basketball. I'm not sure any other sport clears a profit. Also, most money made at football games goes into the general fund of school districts.

Ok, lhorn. That was only one determining factor. I'll agree that it was not the best.

The first indoor facility supposedly benefits numerous different programs. What programs other than tennis will there facility accomadate?

1. the roof on the indoor facility is probably too low.

2. I am not from t-high, but i have heard that they have 200 some students in the junior high tennis program which means that the talent level of the high school program is high; therefore, its somewhat important.

Ennis has an indoor tennis facillity. Four indoor courts, and five outdoor. That is the only one I know of close to east texas.

first thing i would have done b4 building a covered tennis court is move grim stadium out of the friggin' ghetto...

Kinda weird hearing this as a T- High alumni..... When I played it was football, football, football, and some swimming since they were good.

Glad they are making changes and improving the athletic facilities... but covering your tennis courts??? Sounds a little extreme ..... or they had extra money laying around... if so.. contact me and I will let you know where to send the check too... I need it for bills.

First you cant play tennis in the current indoor facility because the turf wouldn't work. Secondly, Coach Watson has a tremendous program with hundreds of kids involved from Jr high to Sr high. The tennis program has won district for over 10 years i believe and has had countless kids make it to regionals and the state level. I think it is great that the AD and TISD looks to advance all its programs. To all of you who think THS is just a "sports" school- you should look at all options available to students. Tiger Vision, Drama, Art school, band and many more extra circular options are all class acts. Also look at all the new class rooms and advancements (not to mention the new Engineering & Mathematics Elementary School which opens soon)
TISD is investing money in the future. Our kids. If you don't like it go to the meetings on bond issues and voice your opinions. IF not move somewhere else. TO SHARKB8r -- I believe that the posts you have written are usually promoting LE. Why not move there?

I think TigerBaseball nailed it. The indoor facility does not support Tennis with turf. Tennis is a year round sport at Texas High. The rainy season begins in November and goes through the Spring. Hard to play on wet courts. The tennis program is the second largest program at Texas High in terms of participation from Middle School to High School. The eight courts are used from 8AM to 5:30 daily at the school. What do you do with students when it rains? The logical solution is to hold the classes in Tiger gym, but it is booked with PE classes, Girls Volleyball, & the Basketball program.

Highland Park and Ennis have indoor courts. Ennis acquired an old raquet club. The covered courts are modeled after courts in Wichita Falls.

The program has won district 17 consecutive years.

I think it is a valid question to ask, just like the new baseball, softball fields and indoor facility. The truth is that Texarkana has 4 school districts within the combined city limits and there is extreme competition between the schools (ala free enterprise). If the end result is a better product in the workplace, I quess it will be worth it. If not, it will have been a waste of taxpayer money.

Agree,

There are tons of kids in swimming & tennis and these programs were pumping out winners long before the football
team became good again. The tennis program has earned
the facility. I'm not sure if/when the swim team will get the same. They practice at TCC & it's so close it's probably cheaper to pay them.

not trying to be rude...and i dont know what tiger vision is...but doesn't every school have band, art, drama, and all those other classes also? and though education is the main goal of a school district...not all of them are known for it because their athletic program overshadows their academic success...or they just aren't very smart. i would assume that texas high is one overshadowed...

i think the new indoor courts will be great. my kids don't play tennis but they play baseball and football. the coaches/players on those teams never have to worry about the weather ruining a practice. other schools may have to watch film or go through a light workout in the gym, but our teams can still practice. i think it is a huge advantage when trying to prepare for games. tennis is really big at T-High and now they will have the same benefits as other school teams.

Texas High's tennis team has been the second most successful sport at THS for a while (behind swim). If it rains all week leading up to a tournament, the team wont be able to practice at all. The only thing the tennis team can do in the "multipupose" facility is run line drills.

I think that the tennis team has earned it with their consistency over the last 20 years.

Steve-O

TigerVision is a Multi-media program at Texas High where the students prepare programs for viewing by the students & at times the community. They produce the Barry Norton school and edit highlights from a Friday night game which are shown at noon on Saturday. The students are taught how to film, edit and produce programing. The quality is as good as any of the local television outlets.

The students involved in this program have recieved national recognition in competitions. It is viewed by the community to be a program which in quality is at the same level as the football, tennis, & swim teams.

It is a state of the art program which requires large capital investments by the district to keep the program cutting edqe.

That is why the program was mentioned.

Many schools have these programs as you mentioned. The question is if you want a program or an excellent program.

Wow. Isn't this really reaching to try to find something to criticize? Two tennis courts will be covered. What's the big deal? This is not a major expenditure and it will allow some degree of participation on bad weather days. There are literally over 300 kids involved in the tennis program (which reaches down to the sixth grade). Tennis is a great lifetime sport. I'm glad twelve year olds are being exposed to tennis. The district is far from football only and this is a sign that the tennis program is viewed as significant.

As far as moving the football stadium is concerned, where's your big check? It will take up to $15 million to build a replacement facility. That's hard to justify for five friday nights in the fall. A new middle school was completed a few years ago. A new elementary school will open next fall. The new state of the art science facility has just opened at the high school. Teacher salaries have been raised above those of other districts in the surrounding area. A few thousand dollars have been spent to have two covered tennis courts. Sounds to me like the priorities are in the right place at TISD.

Way to go TISD. I never have bought in to the "football subsidizes everything" arguement. It's like comparing apples to oranges. Let's level the playing field and build me a lighted tennis stadium, let me have my matches at 7:30 on Friday nights, build restrooms, have a nice concession, let the cheerleaders and drill team perform, and let the band perform between matches ...then I will guarantee you it would be a revenue producing sport!!!!!

I believe we are missing the point. Athletic performance doesn't warrant more money invested or programs with stuggling records would not receive anything. I have never said that it was a bad idea especially if I had a child in the tennis program. Some good points have been made, especially with the number of participants. My concerns are with the yearly requests to raise school taxes. I ask questions because I want to know that my tax dollars are going for what the district needs the most. It sounds like the current indoor facility should have taken into consideration all the athletic programs in the school when they built it.

I think you have missed the point. The indoor facility has artificial turf. Your can play badminton on the turf but not tennis. I doubt the football, soccer, baseball, & softball team would want to practice on a hard surface. My quess is the band is indifferent as to the surface.

With the number of kids in the program there is a percieved need by the board. It is success of the program that has built the numbers. It is difficult for most folks to understand how big tennis is in TISD. Most schools in Texas treat it like a minor sport with a caretaker as coach. I understand why they would consider it as a luxury.

Ok, so poor planning on the current indoor facility excluded the tennis program? As far as a need, how about have TISD start there football program in the 7th grade like everyone else. Compare the numbers there when you consider all the Middle Schools. Kinda blows the theory of creating a better facility based on performance since T High has a winning football team. My current understanding as to why they don't have a 7th grade football program is because it would cost too much money because of the large number of kids.

YOU Can't play tennis on that turf...........gosh......
Go vote on the next bond issue and that way you express your feelings with A VOTE. IF you didn't VOTE on the last bond issue......It is a little late. Kind of like griping about the president when you didn't take time to go vote. Oh yea, guess what your money is paying for the new tennis facility!

Funny how the Bond issues presented are all about academic needs, but yet there is always money for athletic needs.

I kinda guessed that you couldn't play tennis on turf. Don't suppose that there is a surface that would accommodate everybody in some way.

Since my money is paying for it, can I go play tennis there????? How about a game?

Not opposed to spending money. Merely questioning what it is spent for. I think there is a need for a 7th grade football program which would cost far more money.

You sound inteligent, so why not do some reserach before you type. It might help you -not to look so...uhhh..riduclous. If you did some minor reseach you would find out exactly what each bond is for and for how much. They do this with every bond that goes to a vote.
EXAMPLE: go to the TISD web site and it will tell you EXACTLY how much money will go where on the new proposed Bond OH yea, you better hurry voting is May 12th
and its 27 MILLION...
I will make it easy for you GO HERE-> http://www.txkisd.net/TISD%20Bond%20Brochure.pdf
There ya go. Does that help?

Thanks for the tips. Basing my comments on the prior bond that had a new science building on it which did not get built till way after the new indoor facility. Check me on that one, I may be wrong on that one too, don't think it mentioned the indoor facility. This is why I bring this up so people can enlighten me.

Nobody has addressed the idea of adding a 7th grade football program. Help me understand that one. I thought it was a worthy cause.

I just wanted to add that I agree with everything that Shark said and he is my hero

I don't think its a money thing on the 7th grade football. I think it is more a safety issue. I don't think many orthopedics believe you should play tackle football until your body has developed. I think the kids go through 12 month offseason program to develop their bodies and learn technique. Knock on wood, Texas High has had few injuries. I think if Barry Norton wanted a 7th grade program, it would exist.

the new BOND issue will lower taxes. TISD wants to be a well rounded district, that is why the new courts are there.

I would imagine that you would have the same luck as
if you took your video games into the new tech labs &
wanted to play games on the new computers.

Wrong the Bond election will raise taxes. The state of Texas is lowering property taxes by 50 cents over 2 years. Next years tax is scheduled to be reduced 33 cents (17 cents this year). The bond election will raise taxes from this base. The full 33 cent reduction will not be realized.

That is correct. The new tax compression is what is lowering the taxes and the compression is greater than the increase from the bond, so it appears to be lower but only when compared to this year's rate. However, if you compare what the tax rate would be next year without the bond, you will see that the bond will raise the tax rate.

Sorry, I don't agree. It is about money. In speaking with administrators from T High, it is about money. Look at the numbers currently envolved in the 8th grade football. Now, figure money for equipment and additional coaches. I don't believe for a second that T High is being a martyr protecting young athletes.

Bordertown, do you really think that T Highs rational for not having a 7th grade football program is to protect the kids? That's pretty weak considering that Mallet played Varsity after only one year of experience in the 8th grade. You think that Norton was worried about an adolescents safety or winning football games? This forum has enlightened me in a few ways. First, although a covered tennis court is not a bad idea, it may not have been the best use of funds at the time. Second, nobody can come up with a plausible reason as to why there is no 7th grade football program.

not that i'm in the conversation or anything, but mallett played 7th grade football in hooks if i'm not mistaken.

These dang small schools endangering these young children!!!!!!

I think you answered the question yourself in your converstion with a "TISD administrator". But if Barry wanted 7th grade football, it would happen. Obviously the lack of 7th grade football has not hurt the high school program. The dollars for the uniform & equipment could be handled. But the coaching staff could be a concern. The administration may have decided they can not have anymore coaches/teachers and still teach classes to the non athletes. But I think their are about 18 coaches involved in football. Barry may want to use them at the high school level versus junior high.

So basically, if Barry wants to not have 300 plus kids in the 7th grade football program to increase his high school coaching staff, you are okay with that? I would venture to say that other schools with fewer coaches manage to have a fine program. Example, LE, State Champions. My point was that with the participation that would be in a 7th grade program, it was more of a worthy investment than covered tennis courts.

Not what I said. First there are 300 in the 9th to 12th grade program, so I doubt there would be 300 in the 7th grade program. But if you have 150 kids in 7th you need coaches. The coaches now teach classes and general PE throughout the district. 7th grade football is an afterschool program and I assume an athletic period. Barry may rather have 18 coaches for 8th, 9th, JV & Varsity. Adding another grade could take away from the High School program. I do not know but Barry may rather have a defensive line coach rather than give up the position for a 7th grade coach.

I respect your opinion that 7th grade football is more important than covered couts. But I disagree. Not sure how you can compare covered courts to 7th grade football. The district could have opted not to build an indoor practice facility. The interest on that structure alone could have bought uniforms for the 7th grade program. As a parent who had 3 kids in the tennis program, there were many lost days to practice. My children were both male and female. The females obviously would not have been served by 7th grade football (statistically over 50% of the student body) and my son was not built for football. Your thougt the indoor practice facility was flawed in the choice of surfaces. I am struggling to find a surface that meets the needs of all the programs. Also in the fall, which program has priority on a rainey Wednesday afternoon? I think we both know the answer to that question.

I thought you were an LE fan anyway, so why do you care if TISD has 7th grade football.

Don't really care since my kids go to LE. I however pay taxes in T High district. Only concern, was this the best use of money. Especially when trying to pass another bond issue where 1.5 million is going to do more for the indoor facility. I haven't researched surfaces that would accommodate all sports, but think that a compromise could have been made. As far as the number of coaches at the highschool level, either other surrounding schools are severely understaffed in the coaching field or they are doing more with less. If you have read earlier post, you will have noticed that I did consent that if my children were in the tennis program that I would not have any issues.

don't see what the big deal is. if coach norton wanted 7th grade football, we'd have it. lots of schools have 7th grade football and don't teach the kids one thing. they just play to play. i believe that if not taught properly at a young age, you get players hurt later.