“The tennis courts are hard courts with an asphalt base and a water based coat on top of it,” Medlin said.

     The tennis courts will not need another upgrade for a while considering they are hard courts. Although they are still outdoors, causing them to need minor repairs over time. The gym floor was outdated, and over time, it had worn down and gone out of style.

     “[Replacing the gym floor] was overdue, for new design and a new look,” volleyball coach and physical education teacher Ginny Howard said. “The last court had been here since this place was built; it was time and it was needed.”

     The features of the new gym floor are different from the last court. They consist of lighter color, blue volleyball lines and a new design.

     “It is not necessarily a rebrand, but teams come here and see this new court,” Howard said. “Visually, it's more pleasing and makes the gym brighter and overall better.”

     Although the courts were due for a rebuild, the process was difficult. The volleyball and tennis teams faced multiple conflicts.

     “We wanted to get in the gym to do open gyms and tryouts, and it just kept getting pushed back," Howard said. “I think the whole process just took longer than we expected, causing us to reschedule our home opener against West Carteret.”

     In the meantime, the volleyball team practiced at East Carolina Junior Volleyball Club. The tennis team is practicing and playing home matches at River Birch Tennis Center until the courts are finished.

     There have also been some new rules that apply to the gym floor. 

     “We need to make sure the right shoes are worn on the floor so we don't scuff it, we are trying to conserve it as long as we can, " Howard said. “No food or drinks are allowed and we try to keep gum and candy off the best we can.”

     Although the process presented challenges, these upgrades make our courts a much more functional environment for our athletes and visitors. 

ogether,” Chandler said.