BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — In 2016, Mark and Michelle Bowers opened the Bloomington Tennis Center to fill a need for indoor tennis space. After several tours of tennis “bubbles,” the Bowers decided this was the answer for Bloomington-Normal, so they created a space where juniors, adults, and local universities could play tennis indoors year-round. This vision has now expanded to fill another gap in the community for many other sports that struggle to find field space or are hindered by the weather. After a recent transformation of three courts, the facility now includes a multi-use turf marked for football, soccer, lacrosse, and softball and the “bubble” has been now been renamed to Bloomington Tennis and Turf.

Bowers is excited about the recent transformation and addition of the turf. “Like tennis, there are many other sports that have similar weather challenges and now we can offer teams space regardless of what the weather is like outside. We are able to provide a space year-round and give athletes of all ages an opportunity to train, exercise, and get better.” It is important to Bowers to provide this space and it is inspiring to see the successes of the kids and their advancement through the sports they play. The turf at the center can be divided into two sections and the courts can be separated by a net. The indoor turf is open for team rentals during primetime hours.

Bloomington Tennis and Turf is the proud home of Illinois State University men’s and women’s tennis teams.

The Tennis and Turf Center also includes a 36-foot mini court, which doubles as a pickleball court and is perfect for the younger kids ages 3-8 to train.  In addition to the mini court, there are three more regulation courts.

While filling time slots for the new turf is the latest focus, Bloomington Tennis and Turf will always offer a variety of tennis classes and tennis leagues to accommodate all ages and all skill levels. Whether you are looking for competitive tennis leagues around Central Illinois, a great workout, lessons, or field space to practice with your team, check out the website at bloomingtontenniscenter.com for more information and follow them on Facebook for updates and announcements.

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