The Otsego Public Schools tennis facility just got a MAJOR upgrade to kick off tennis season. 

Thanks to the work of Melissa Garrett, Otsego High School girls tennis team and Regional Coach of the Year award winner, Otsego Public Schools was awarded funding in the amount of $41,000 to support the essential resurfacing of the courts. 

The USTA’s Tennis Venue Services grant program is designed to enhance existing tennis venues and construct new ones in order to provide increased playing opportunities in communities across the country. The significant funding was made possible by the expansion of the grant program in 2025 in order to meet the increasing demand for tennis courts as tennis participation continues to rise nationwide. 

The grant all provided start-to-finish project management assistance from the USTA’s Tennis Venue Services team which provides industry-leading experience in tennis court and facility design, as well as technical assistance, including construction document review and business development insight to ensure the facilities can deliver tennis at a high-level. 

Coach Melissa Garrett said of the grant: “Our courts were in rough shape, to the point that they impacted play and were even unsafe during matches.  I am so grateful for this USTA grant and for Otsego's support to improve the courts. 

Not only will our Otsego athletes' benefit, but so will all students in their physical education classes and the greater community, as we plan to continue to leave the gates open for community members to access the courts. Tennis is a great lifelong sport, and this grant is really an investment in the Otsego community to continue to be active, outside, and enjoying time with one another on the tennis courts.  

As a coach, this resurfacing is a game changer.  We can now utilize all 8 courts, knowing that our players can focus on improving their skills, and not worry about twisting an ankle in a 3-inch crack.  We now have a facility that players and families can take pride in when they step on the courts.  We will also be able to have a more balanced schedule, instead of always traveling to away matches due to court conditions.  

4 year varsity senior Sara McCaw also shared, “Resurfacing the courts has given our team the opportunity to reach our greatest potential without interference from the many cracks and dead spots we had on the courts. Getting these fresh courts means so much to our team and sets us up for success. It truly makes a difference in how we’re able to play. ”

With the resurfacing and repairs complete, the Otsego boys tennis team hosted their season opener at home on Thursday, August 20th. While the boys took a hard-fought 5-3 loss against Marshall, they did have wins at three flights: #1 Singles Carson Wiser, #4 Singles Brendan Alkire, and #2 Doubles, Dillon Campbell and Lucky Town. 

Several other flights were extremely competitive. Chris Livieratos and Stephen Braun battled all the way to a deciding 10-point tiebreak at #4 Doubles before falling 4–6, 6–4, 9–11. Jack Badiner and Kayleb Nelson also had a tight first set at #3 Doubles, falling 5–7 before Marshall took the second set.

Boys coach Andrew Leneway said of his team, “Our players demonstrated great sportsmanship, made honest calls, competed hard, and did an awesome job supporting and cheering for their teammates.

We found plenty of things to continue working on, but we also saw a lot to be excited about. For our first match of the season, it was a great opportunity to learn where we are and where we can continue to improve.” 

Congratulations to Melissa Garrett, the Otsego High School tennis teams, and the community of Otsego on these improvements.