The Shadow
ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS (VR) – As spring sports return to the Alleghany Highlands, one program is quietly succeeding on some of the most neglected facilities in the district: the Alleghany High School’s tennis teams.
While football remains the dominant sport in much of Virginia, and Alleghany is no exception, parents and athletes want safe, respectable conditions for every extracurricular program. Recent investments have reinforced football’s prominence. The football stadium has received a new set of locker rooms and upgrades to the visiting team facilities, part of a broader effort to unify and improve athletic spaces following the consolidation of Alleghany High School and Covington High School. Tennis, however, has yet to feel the same attention.
Observers say anyone taking a close look at the Alleghany tennis courts would likely be disappointed. Both courts’ playing surfaces are in an unfortunate shape, with one court having a large crack running through roughly a quarter of the playing surface, raising concerns not only about appearance but also about safety and playability for student athletes and visiting teams.
This comes as the Alleghany girls’ tennis team is off to a strong start. The Cougars recently opened their season with a convincing 7–2 victory over a Shenandoah District opponent at Mary Baldwin, where they faced Staunton. Those familiar with the program note that the team has enjoyed considerable success in recent seasons, often outperforming the quality of the facilities they call home.
According to one person close to the situation, the school board had discussed setting aside funding for tennis court improvements a year or two ago. However, to that individual’s knowledge, little concrete progress followed those early conversations. Others in the school system similarly reported that there has not been much sustained discussion about the courts.
That may now be starting to change. At the March meeting of the Alleghany Highlands Public School Board, the condition of the tennis courts surfaced during a budget presentation outlining a multi-phase capital improvement plan. Phase one focuses on putting new roofs on two aging school buildings, which officials described as being in desperate need of repair.
Tennis appears in phase two of that plan. The first part of phase two calls for major drainage work serving the softball, baseball, and soccer fields, as well as the track. The second part includes the construction of six new tennis courts with fencing. Initially, there would be no lighting, but the courts would be built to accommodate lights in the future. The estimated cost for that component is about $1.2 million.
A proposed third phase would complete the broader athletic complex, adding lighting and other amenities to improve comfort and usability around the courts. Still, a central question remains for many in the community: “Can the district afford to wait?” With visible cracks already running through the existing courts, some supporters are asking whether temporary repairs or stopgap measures can be made now to shore up conditions until full funding is available. Beyond safety, they argue that facilities shape how athletes feel about their sport and their school.
Supporters say Alleghany’s tennis players deserve to feel proud when they host opponents, rather than self-conscious about deteriorating courts. As the capital plan advances and budgets are debated, the future of those courts, and how long athletes must compete on damaged surfaces, will be a key test of the county’s commitment to all of its sports, not just its most popular ones.
