The photo was taken of the 2022 PaliHi Girls Tennis Team Champs. Coach Bud Kling is on the right.
Palisades High School coach Bud Kling called Circling the News last week because he said his girls’ tennis team still had no place to practice or play. Kling has been searching for space since June.
The program, one of the most successful female athletic programs in CIF – LA City Section history, with 29 CIF-LA City Team Championships, was without courts.
“First covid, then the fire and now this,” Kling said. “Give the kids a break.”
PaliHi burned, during the January 7 Palisades Fire, and the school was relocated to the Sears building in Santa Monica. Prior to the fire, the girls’ and boys’ teams practiced and held matches at the Palisades Recreation Center, which has eight tennis courts: four upper (1,2,3 and 4) and four lower (5,6, 7 and 8).
After the fire, the Department of Water and Power was based at the Palisades Recreation Center and stored heavy equipment on tennis courts 5 and 6, which destroyed the surface.
Soil was tested in the park after the fire and some arsenic was found by tennis courts 7 and 8, adjacent to George Wolfberg Park, but not by the other six courts.
Residents were told courts 5 and 6 would be fixed in time for PaliHi’s girls tennis team to practice and hold matches. They are not. CTN reached out to DWP to find out why they haven’t been fixed. (When they respond the story will be updated.)
The park staff told the Councilmember’s office that Rec and Parks is still doing maintenance work in Pali Rec Center, and soil testing before DWP can proceed with the work. They said all courts are closed, which is not true.
Kling said the park staff washed the courts 12 days ago, but people were playing tennis on the upper courts before that and continue to play. He wondered why his team couldn’t use those courts.
CTN reached out to Councilmember Traci Park’s office, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass’ office and Los Angeles Unified School District to see if anyone could provide assistance.
Until DWP restores the lower courts, the team now has the Rustic Canyon Courts for a month, Mark Twain Middle School for two weeks, and future possible backup courts at Pepperdine or Penmar. Having two locations means varsity and junior varsity will have to practice at different sites.
Why people are allowed to play at the upper four courts at the Palisade Rec Center, but a girls team can’t, is still unanswered.
Councilmember spokesperson Pete Brown said he is trying to expedite the DWP cleanup of the courts at Palisades Rec Center, so the team can come home on the lower courts.
But, Kling said he could sleep tonight after months of worrying about a place for his team to practice and play.