Portsmouth High School tennis coaches applaud Mayor McEachern for new tennis courts
The Portsmouth High School boys tennis team opened its season on Wednesday, and for the first time in years, the Clippers didn’t have to travel across town to South Mill Playground for a home match.
Instead, head coach Anthony Sillitta and his team christened the six new courts at the high school.
“The courts are fantastic,” Sillitta said. “First and foremost, we have to thank Mayor Deaglan McEachern. He really stood by and helped us even before he was mayor. We appreciate the work he, others in the school system and the city did. It was fantastic work on all their part.”
The Clippers, with the previous courts at the high school in disrepair, had been playing their home matches at South Mill Playground for years. However, shortly after the COVID pandemic, two of the six courts were removed due to the installation of pickleball courts.
The elimination of two courts meant high school matches, with six singles and three doubles matches, would last about 90 minutes longer to accommodate the wait for courts to open to start doubles matches.
“The mayor looked at the high school courts which were in quite disrepair, and helped get the ball rolling to get us new courts,” Portsmouth girls tennis coach Wendy Poutre said. “We give credit to him, Portsmouth athletic director Tom Kozikowski, and lots of other people in the city who pushed this forward. This was quite the project. It’s been about five years in the making, but it’s all worth it. We’re all very grateful.”
McEachern said Portsmouth High School deserved six new courts at the high school,
“Both (Sillitta and Poutre) have built up great programs and I am glad these new tennis courts can match,” McEachern said. "It looks like a great place. I think a lot of kids are going to learn how to play tennis, learn how to be on a team there. I think the kids are going to appreciate we invested in them."
The Portsmouth boys opened the season with a 7-2 win over Souhegan.
“I feel like our high school facilities are the best in the state,” Sillitta said. “We’re lucky for what we have; a first-class job was done, and the kids are really going to benefit from it.”
Poutre and the Portsmouth girls team played its first home match of the season on Thursday, beating Oyster River, 8-1.
“Our new courts are absolutely gorgeous,” Poutre said. “It’s a beautiful layout, they did an excellent job designing it. We now have, probably, the best facility in the state as far as high schools go.”
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth High School unveils new tennis courts, coaches grateful
