By: James Weber, jweber@communitypress.com
Covington Catholic coach Al Hertsenberg speaks at the Yung Family Tennis Complex dedication Thursday.(Photo: The Community Recorder/James Weber)
When Al Hertsenberg first started coaching tennis at Covington Catholic in 1990, the team had practice at Devou Park in Covington, and the new coach got lost getting there.
"I had no idea where the courts were," he said. "I was driving through Ludlow and Bromley. At first, there were six courts at Devou, then there were four courts. It was kind of like an Agatha Christie novel, because now there's none."
That first year started more than two decades of scrambling for practice space, as the Colonels eventually started practicing at private clubs such as Five Seasons, across the street at Notre Dame Academy, and also at players' residences.
That all has changed as the Colonels now practice in their own backyard, in a six-court facility named the Yung Family Tennis Complex. The facility was dedicated in a ceremony Thursday night at the school following a Colonels match win over Lexington Catholic. The courts had opened in time for last year's postseason tournaments and this is the first season the team has been able to practice on it.
"Today is a day of thank you," Hertsenberg said. "I walk out here every day and I pinch myself. We were driving all over Northern Kentucky for practices and that's a little scary when you have 16-year old boys. Now we walk out the door and have practice."
The grounds, which used to have a small lake and a greenhouse, has six courts and ample bleachers and tables for spectator seating. Roughly 300 supporters showed up for last year's postseason matches, the Region 9 finals and CovCath's state tournament matches.
"They're out there stretching at 2:55," Hertsenberg said. "We have 35 guys on our roster and I see there are 35 guys doing something. Nobody's sitting around, they're all doing something. They enjoy each other and it's a wonderful environment."
The courts are all named after donors and first families of CovCath tennis, many of whom have had members of the team in recent years. The Drees family has the designated center court. Others are Roebker, Molony-Hussey, Feighery, Meier and Schafer.
Bill and Marty Yung are the namesakes of the facility. Grandsons Jake and Jared Haught make up the first doubles team for this year's Colonel unit.
"The families bring you into the tennis program here," said Derek Haught, their father and one of the leaders of the project. "We were welcomed in and we hope to bring new families in and enjoy the family atmosphere. All the kids have dinner together. The regional tourney last year was one of the most rewarding I've ever had as a parent."
CovCath's first singles player is Anthony Bosch, and his family put in benches and bleachers at the facility. Kevin Molony, whose daughter Kara Molony-Hussey is one of the top players in Northern Kentucky, and whose younger daughter Lyndsey is Notre Dame's head coach, headed the fundraising.
CovCath is 11-3 in matches this year.