By GARRETT SAGER
Hays Post
The old rugged looking tennis courts by the Hays USD 489 Administration Building, 323 W.12th, have been unused for many years, but now a Fort Hays State University student organization is taking on the project to turn those old tennis courts into two usable basketball basketball courts for community use.
“One of our executive members noticed the state of the tennis courts out at the old high school, and he thought it would be a good idea to do something with it and put it to good use,” KeShawn Sewell, chair of Tiger Pals said.
Sewell set up a meeting with the USD 489 Superintendent John Thissen to first get his permission to do something with the tennis courts.
“He was completely on board with it,” Sewell said.
Tiger Pals eventually rested on basketball courts as their project.
“When you look at Hays, there really are not many places to play basketball in the community and that’s what college kids love to do,” Sewell said.
The plan drawn up is for two basketball courts complete with four basketball goals, four benches (two on each side), installing lights, and two sets of bleachers (one on each side).
Length-wise the courts are regulation, but are a bit more narrow, according to Sewell.
They will start with just two basketball goals first and, as the process goes on, they will add two more to complete the project.
The original plan for the project was to raise funds in the fall and begin construction in the spring, but after talking with Thissen and noting how well fundraising already has gone, Sewell said they can get it done before the winter months arrive.
“We’re kind of in scramble mode right now as far trying to get it done before it gets cold,” Sewell said. “You probably won’t be able to see the full effects until spring.”
Even though the organization has only been in existence for a few months, Tigers Pal decided to tackle the $10,000 project.
“It’s kind of crazy for a new organization, but we’re pretty excited for the challenge,” Sewell said.
Tiger Pals has already done fundraising to raise money for their project. The organization put on a 5K run in August, which was also held in conjunction with a pancake feed.
“That was pretty awesome with it being our first event,” Sewell said.
Sewell and the rest of Tiger Pals also went around Hays to local businesses and spoke to them about sponsorship opportunities in an attempt to raise money for their project.
“Through businesses, we have been able to put together quite a few funds,” Sewell said.
Without the businesses involved, the project would not be able to happen, he added.
The Hays Recreation Commission donated money to help paint the court, Commerce Bank made donations for backboards, and Midwest Energy made donations to install lights.
“We’re going at it like this if you donate money, we’ll put you on the backboard to get you some advertising,” Sewell said.
Additional funding has came in for the benches and the other necessities needed such as repairing the fencing around the property.
Tiger Pals also has a Gofundme page where people can make donations.
Tiger Pals is a volunteer organization that assists individuals with special needs and disabilities by enhancing their physical, social and mental well being through engaging activities. Tiger Pals promotes disability awareness with unique mentorship opportunities and community involvement. They provide a matching system that fosters mentorship between FHSU college students and individuals.
Affiliated partners with Tiger Pals are Arc of the Central Plains and Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas.
“We’re kind of like a Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. We try to match college students up with kids with special needs in Hays,” Sewell said.
When deciding to make the basketball goals, it was also taken into consideration that the Reed Center, DSNWK was right across the street.
“When we talked to the superintendent, he mentioned that there were at-risk individuals who attend school there and they really don’t have a place to play say for like recess,” Sewell said. “We took it as a great opportunity for them to go shoot some hoops.”
Tiger Pals also works with Wilson Elementary School, and volunteers will go to the elementary school and spend an hour the kids there once or twice a week, according to Sewell.
Right now, the group has 40 members counting the executive members and its affiliates. Currently 25 people are signed up for the Wilson Elementary matching program and the rest are signed up to be matched up around the community.
“It’s a pretty good number for it just being in our first year,” Sewell said.
The student athlete teamed up with two fellow track teammates to get the student-funded organization started.
“We did something like this in high school and just wanted to see if there was any way to implement it at the college level,” Sewell said. “We just went for it, and it’s been going pretty well so far.”
For more information on Tiger Pals or help with the project, click here.