From left, Gridley High School tennis players are Aubrey Mangan, Beck Stewart and Shawnacy McGilvray, who hope that the Gridley Unified School District will reverse its decision to discontinue the tennis program. Photo by Cindy Scott

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Gridley Unified School District will dissolve the Gridley High School girls’ and boys’ tennis teams, starting next year. At the Gridley High School board meeting on May 28, tennis players, family members and community members requested that the board reverse the decision to end the program or at least ask for more information before allowing it to go forward.

Gridley High School Principal Rikki-Lee Burresch took the first 15 minutes of the hour-long discussion to discuss the decision. Burresch said that increasing athletic program costs was the fundamental reason. Students are asking for girls’ flag football and boys’ volleyball teams, Burresch said, and a program must be sacrificed to make way for the new sports.

“We want to start with empathy and understanding that it absolutely does affect some athletes and that is an unfortunate reality,” Burresch said.

Burresch discussed current athletic program costs. The cost of reconditioning the Gridley High School football helmets increased to $19,000 this year. Officials’ fees, which are mostly contracted through the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), are also increasing. While Gridley High School will increase its gate prices, gate income usually only covers the cost of officiating, which Burresch anticipates will be $30,000 next year. Gate proceeds of the higher-profile sports pay for the officiating at all Gridley High School sports which require it. Gridley High School tennis competitions are not officiated.

Gridley High School plans on incorporating an athletic trainer into the sports program next year, which the California Interscholastic Federation is expected to soon require. The California Interscholastic Federation is also now requiring supervision at away football and girls’ and boys’ basketball games. There are also the usual costs of equipment, transportation and coaching stipends.

Art Cota of the Gridley Unified School District Board asked how the Gridley High School athletic program is funded. Burresch said that student funds (Associated Student Body), the general fund and gate proceeds provide funding. Two extra teams would put more fundraising pressure on the community, according to Cota. Burresch responded that a booster club will be organized next year to help with that.

Burresch discussed the girls’ flag football team and boys’ volleyball team at length, calling them “high interest, low start-up cost” sports. She also anticipates that they will be high spectator sports. 

Burresch spoke about the 75-year-old tennis courts, saying that resurfacing them to fix the cracks would cost $38,000. Burresch said that she contacted Live Oak, Oroville and Las Plumas High schools and the schools are all willing to let Gridley High School tennis players practice with their teams and still compete for Gridley High School.

Beck Stewart, a Gridley High School sophomore tennis player, spoke with several other tennis players standing behind him. He discussed the team's recent successes. Stewart competed in sections both his freshman and sophomore years, adding, “My goal was to be able to play in sections my junior and senior year and do as well as my sister did. That won’t be possible now that Gridley High has cancelled the tennis teams.”

While players in larger towns such as Chico and Yuba City play almost daily at local racquet clubs, Stewart said, Gridley doesn’t offer the same opportunities.

“It has been awesome that, despite fewer chances to play, we have competed well through hard work and determination as a team,” Stewart said.

Stewart asked the board, “With this much success on both teams, why did you cancel them?”

Shawnacy McGilvray and her mother, Mandi, said that Shawnacy played soccer in her freshman year but was then diagnosed with scoliosis. Her doctor recommended against high-velocity sports, so she joined the tennis team. Shawnacy McGilvray said that the tennis teams have the same number of players as the golf team, adding that tennis is a low-cost sport. The team travels in one van and most matches are less than an hour away.

“It’s not about money,” Shawnacy McGilvray said and asked the board how much the tennis program cost.

Mandi added, “She wants to continue playing sports but she doesn’t have a lot of options.”

Gridley High School tennis player Joe Latona, a first-year player, recalled Burresch’s accounting of the number of tennis players, saying, “In those few people, you must realize that we are all human and we have emotions, too.” He said that removing the courts would impact the youth by reducing physical activity, opportunities for skill development and life lessons, community engagement and economic benefit to Gridley. 

Latona emphasized what he called a negative role modeling, saying, “The removal of recreational facilities sends a message to youth, implying a lack of investment in their well-being and future. It’s crucial to consider these broader implications when making decisions about community resources.” 

Jaxon Nako, a sophomore tennis player, said to the board that he tried football and basketball but they didn’t work out for him, “and then I found tennis.”

Nako finished this year as one of the top players. Tennis fills his physical education credits and helps Nako build his college resumé.

“By taking away tennis, it hurts not only your students athletically but also academically, which is the whole point of Gridley High School,” Nako said.

Caleb Stewart addressed the lifelong nature of tennis, saying “I played in high school. I play all the time with my kids. All my friends that played football and all these other sports in high school, of course they’re not going to play that anymore.”

Linda McDowell, who coached Gridley High School tennis for 10 years, recalled the sport’s low cost nature. While the team received two boxes of tennis balls and, one year, new nets, the players provided all court maintenance.

When Cassandra Jiminez Smallwood coached, McDowell said, the district paid to repaint the courts but only after a parent threatened to bring in the media. McDowell recalled organizing fundraisers, going to local service clubs for funds and offering summer tennis camps to raise the needed funds. 

Colleen Haymond addressed the board.

“I’m literally begging you, do not get rid of the tennis program or the tennis courts without looking at all the possibilities,” Haymond said. “My fear is that if tennis is taken away, it’s probably never coming back.” 

If the courts are in the way of the planned new gym building, Haymond said, “Can it just be admitted?”

Haymond expressed her gratitude for Justin Kern, the Gridley Unified School District superintendent, and his focus on students. Haymond said that he told her, “This is the kids' money. We’re going to spend it on the kids.”

Haymond spoke about the disenfranchising of tennis athletes, noting that her brother and her daughter played Gridley High School tennis, and that with the tennis program, “You are reaching a whole different set of students who are not as apt to play the other sports.” 

“The tennis courts are not in perfect shape but they’re not catastrophically falling apart either,” Haymond said. “I think it’s not outside the bounds to limp them along until you can put it in a five- or six-year plan and get it in the budget, ‘Hey, we’re going to replace these and we’re going to do it right.’”

Graciela Guitierrez’s daughter played Gridley High School tennis for four years. Guitierrez told the board how her daughter began as a novice and a shy player and the sport helped her develop confidence and courage. Her daughter became the No. 1 player on the team and is today a high-level budget coordinator, according to Guitierrez. 

“I can still play, even at my age,” Guitierrez said. Her six-year-old grandson has a racquet.

Guitierrez said that her sophomore granddaughter has played for two years and she plays with her.

“My little grandson says he wants to grow up and be a tennis player. In this district, he won’t be able to do that,” Guitierrez said.

She requested that the board look at the district property on Randolph Avenue as a site for new courts.

“Look at your program reserves,” Guitierrez said. “Try not to eliminate or take away from the students.”

Jen Warfield’s daughter is on the Gridley High School tennis team.

“My daughter found a sport she actually enjoys,” Warfield said.

The tennis team can only take seven players and had to cut players this year, according to Warfield. She requested that the board “let the team continue as long as they have those said players.” She also discussed the possibility of using the two courts at Vierra Park.

Warfield also has three younger children who plan to play tennis.

“Not everybody can play or afford the other sports. My son is not able to play contact sports. Tennis would be an avenue for him to participate in the Gridley High School sports world,” Warfield said.

Leticia Stewart has a son who played tennis for Gridley High School and her grandson currently plays.

“Individual sports like track and tennis have a place in the school that are irreplaceable. A lot of students don’t do team sports,” Stewart said. “I can see that there’s want for these two new sports, I’m happy for them. I just feel like it’s unfortunate to stop a sport that has been successful this last while to make way for two new team sports. That’s a bit of a mistake.”

Stewart asked the board to look at the student survey, which shows the number of students who would leave other sports to play girls’ flag football and boys’ volleyball.

“There are several teams that could be impacted by this,” she said. “We may have sports that will not be in place anymore.” 

Stewart emphasized the community asset that the tennis courts and track are to the community, saying “If you stay in Gridley your whole life, you’ve been on that track and you’ve been on those tennis courts over and over again.”