The Florence Tennis Association held its sixth annual Preseason Girls Tennis Tournament on Friday.
In previous years, the tournament was held at multiple sites throughout the city such as Timrod Park, South Florence High School and West Florence High School.
This year, though, the 16-team tournament, which includes Wilson, South Florence and West Florence, is being held at the new $6 million Eddie Floyd Tennis Center.
The facility has 24 hardcourts and six clay courts.
“It is more convenient and, obviously, when teams finish matches, they can go watch other matches that they have heard so much about,” West Florence coach Jamie McGee said. “It’s also more convenient for the FTA. In the past, they had to get different places and they had to relay scores and get them from everywhere.”
“One of our visions is to have all the kids to be able to play at one place. They would come before and never see the other schools play,” tournament director Ed Sprenger said. “They get to be in one place and get to hang out. It’s easier to run and coordinate, plus they get a first-class facility to play.”
Sprenger hopes to use the facility for more events in the future. The Adult Mixed Doubles State Championship will be held at the center, and the FTA is bidding on junior team tennis and adult state championships.
Sprenger also hopes to put a proposal together for the high school individual or team tennis state tournaments. This year, the girls championships will be held in Sumter, and the boys will be held in Lexington.
“I think the high school league is open to looking around,” Sprenger said. “No one has put a proposal to them. If it is open to bid, we are going to bid on it. That’s what we built this for is the economic impact it would have on the community.”
McGee believes Florence would be a great location for the state tournaments.
“I think it would be awesome to have it here,” he said. “Once this thing gets going, I think it will match what they have in Sumter and Lexington.”
As far as the play on the court, the tournament features some good competition. There are three state champions and four state finalists in the field.
“Our whole goal with the tournament is to get the bugs out,” McGee said. “You play a whole lot of tennis in a short amount of time. You might get beat up some, win some, but there is just a whole bunch of talent. If you aren’t ready to play after this tournament, then you need some help.”
Matches will continue today with the championship being held Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
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