Students have been taking advantage of the recent warm weather by playing tennis on the KU tennis courts, although matches have been cut short due to burnt out light bulbs. Yes, it may be warm, but the days have become significantly shorter, and the sun begins to sink in the early evening. This, unfortunately, has been terminating tennis matches that should be able to continue well into twilight.
The KU tennis courts are equipped with lights appropriate for playing after sunset, yet these lights are not being utilized, or serving their purpose, because of their burnt out bulbs. Alex Latimer, Wichita sophomore, explains that the bulbs have been out for about a month, and she, a competitive tennis player, is not happy.
The danger this lack of illumination offers may seem obvious—tennis balls soaring towards player in the dark at tremendous speeds, does not seem promising. This can lead to an array of injuries, minor or possibly serious.
Galen Springer, Safety and Security Officer at Robinson Center available at (785) 864-3385, responded to the report. “I’ll call it in to the KU Maintenance Department. They are responsible for managing the [tennis] courts.” When asked for the maintenance contact information, Springer replied, “Unfortunately, that information in confidential. Although, I will report the problem, and insist that it be fixed promptly.”
For Latimer, she describes that the danger possibility is not what irks her, but the frustration she encounters as a player. “It is so irritating to be playing a great game and then feel the pressure to hurry up and finish. Students should be able to play at our own pace, and enjoy what little free time we have to enjoy this nice weather.”
Comments (2)
Thanks for saying something! It is hard to find time to play during the day sometimes and it is really annoying to finally find time at night and not be able to because the light posts don't have working lights in them!
Posted by Kaleigh Hudson | November 26, 2007 8:53 PM
Posted on November 26, 2007 20:53
I am so glad that you decided to "fix" this! I am a tennis player and have experienced the frustration of cutting a match short, or not even being able to play at all. You are right that this problem is unsafe on so many levels. It makes the courts unsafe to play one anytime after six o'clock and if a ball were to fly over the fence into the nearby Naismith Drive, the drivers wouldnt see it coming. So thank you very much for making this problem known and I hope that you get it fixed!
Posted by Anne Slaughter | November 26, 2007 11:31 PM
Posted on November 26, 2007 23:31