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The Freedom High School tennis courts have a new look and feel just in time for the fall girls tennis season.

Seven of the facility's 10 courts were resurfaced this week, adding more traction, the lack of which Freedom athletic director and head tennis coach Steve Amaro said was adversely affecting play.

On the first day of practice, Sarah Osborn was out there with one of the girls and she slid on the court, Amaro said. She wasn't in danger of hurting herself, but the courts have become so slick that the lack of surface was affecting play. I think they'll have to make adjustments in their game to having surface there, but it will benefit them in the long run.

The courts were repainted Falcon blue and red, something Amaro said could be a historic milestone. These very well might be the first tennis courts in California, if not the country, that are blue and red, Amaro said. You just don't see that.

The cost of resurfacing was nearly $20,000 and was paid for entirely by the program's fundraising efforts, which include camps and annual tournaments. The Freedom Invitational, Amaro said, is the largest tournament of its kind in Northern California.

Next on the program's to-do list is to erect lights on the courts for night play.

We have the funds available right now to put lights up through developer fees especially for this purpose, Amaro said. Our timeline was December, but it's unclear whether it will happen by December. But I'm really optimistic that it will happen sooner rather than later.

Amaro intends to continue his active fundraising efforts to benefit the future of the program. I want the girls to realize the importance of fundraising, not only for T-shirts and uniforms, he said, but for the long-term needs so that future Freedom High School tennis players can also enjoy the facility.