If you have ever wanted to hit some groundstrokes and punch some volleys under the Midnight Sun, there’s no better time than Friday night at the Mt. McIntyre tennis courts.
Tennis Yukon is hosting a fundraiser to help promote the sport in the territory and raise money for such initiatives as resurfacing the four courts located next to the Mt. McIntyre Rec Centre.
“People always say, ‘Well you don’t have lights,’ but we don’t need them. So we thought we’d play a little on that and have an event through the night,” said Tennis Yukon president Stacy Lewis. “All the Tennis Yukon members will be there.
“Part of this is because the city won’t repave the courts and the courts were build in 2000 and they need some resurfacing,” added Lewis. “The people who play here are interested in seeing the facility maintained.”
With all the courts being used for the fundraiser, activities will include skills games, using the organization’s recently acquired tennis ball machine and having service speeds measured by a radar gun.
The evening of tennis, which will start at 6 p.m. and run through until about 3 a.m. the next morning, will also feature some exhibition doubles play by local celebrities such as Olympic weightlifter Jeane Lassen, Sport Yukon president Tracey Bilsky, city councilor Batty Irwin, CBC radio host Dave White, as well as a local sports reporter (i.e. me).
“We invited people who have a public job,” said Lewis. “We’re just working on having things be fun, busy and lively through the night.
“Everyone is welcome; it will have an open house feel. Anyone wanting to find out more information, we’ll have information on our programs.”
Following the exhibition doubles will be a match to determine the current top-spot on the local men’s ladder, with Tennis Yukon head instructor Jan Polivka challenging the ladder’s Number 1, Kyle Marchuk. The match will be a rematch of the men’s singles final in the 2008 Yukon Championships, which went to Marchuk.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com