“We’re kind of starting our birthday celebration,” she said. “We wanted to do something special for our regular customers and get the word out. We’ll do something in December and have a big party in January.”

The open house included refreshments, available court time for the public and a demonstration of the center’s cardio tennis class.

“Cardio tennis is one of our more popular programs,” Mactaggart said. “That got started a couple years ago, so it’s been really growing.”

Mactaggart said the facility is open to students, MSU faculty and the public.
“We get a very good mix of people,” she said. “We love to have students and faculty come in and play as much as they want.”

Sue Selke, a representative for the United States Tennis Association and an MSU alumna, said she remembers the day the facility broke ground.

“I’ve been around for a while, so it’s great to see how tennis has grown in our community,” she said. “I played tennis for MSU from 1972 to (1975). It’s been great (to visit the facility) because of being a Spartan. I try to come out and cheer on the teams.”
Selke said the facility helped the MSU tennis teams expand.

“The tennis teams didn’t really have a place to go,” she said. “The facility gave teams the opportunity to grow and bring in top players because now they had a place to train year-round.”

Mactaggart said the center is different from other facilities because its layout is attractive.

“We have eight courts,” she said. “It’s very open. All down the concourse, there’s no obstructed view and that’s one reason why the coaches love coming here. From a coaching standpoint, it’s a very easy place to have your team play.”

Athletic training junior Gavin Page said he developed an interest in tennis after watching professionals play.

Page said the people at the center are what keep him coming back.

“I love it here,” he said. “I love the people, I love who I’m playing with and I love the instructors. I haven’t really played anywhere else, but I would have no reason to go anywhere else.”