Missouri Valley / Iowa

Story City eyes court improvements as tennis participation continues to climb

David Smale | July 09, 2026

Jenny Nelson is a fourth-generation alumna of Iowa State University. But she had no prior connection to tennis when she accepted a job as recreation and aquatics supervisor in Story City, which is about 10 miles north of Ames.

She inherited the park’s tennis program when she started in May 2013, and the summer programming began shortly thereafter in June.

“I just knew how to run park and rec programs,” Nelson said on her introduction to the sport. “When I came in, they would let anybody teach it. That first summer I had to do it. Then you realize that it’s a profession.

“I knew nothing about tennis, but I started in May and the sessions were already scheduled. I conned one of my other part-time staff into doing it with me.”

The first summer, Nelson and her team figured out how to run the programs, but she quickly decided to enlist qualified help. She reached out to the Iowa State Tennis Club and the Ames Racquet Club for assistance.

She also has received a lot of support from the USTA, including John Terpkosh, senior manager of Tennis Venue Services for USTA Missouri Valley.

“John has always been a great resource for me and has helped me connect with instructors over the years,” Nelson said.

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Community Connections

The fact that Iowa State University is so close is very beneficial to Story City. There is a lot of programming going on, including but not limited to tennis. Nelson recruits volunteers from the Iowa State Tennis Club, which leads to a vibrant sports community.

“We are blessed to have so many amazing amenities for a community our size,” Nelson said.

Besides a healthy tennis culture and a fertile source of volunteers, Nelson also inherited a couple of tennis courts in poor condition. The courts were not brand new when she started 13 years ago, and they have not been replaced since then.

With that in mind, the Story City Parks and Recreation Department recently started the process of finding the funding to resurface the courts.

Story City, which is about 10 miles north of Ames, has plenty of amenities and programming — including tennis — for its residents.

Story City's two lighted tennis courts are heavily utilized by the community. Players from the Iowa State Tennis Club help teach clinics and lessons.

With the installation of new fencing and lighting completed, next on the to-do list is upgrading the tennis courts' playing surface.

Story City, which is about 10 miles north of Ames, has plenty of amenities and programming — including tennis — for its residents.
Story City's two lighted tennis courts are heavily utilized by the community. Players from the Iowa State Tennis Club help teach clinics and lessons.
With the installation of new fencing and lighting completed, next on the to-do list is upgrading the tennis courts' playing surface.

“Nobody likes the sport courts,” Nelson said. “They were necessary because the area where the courts are located used to flood easily when we had heavy rains.”

Sport court was the only surface that could survive the frequent flooding. But the sport court now has hollow spots that result in weird bounces.

“Our pickleball players who travel to other nearby communities don’t even like the new sport courts,” Nelson said.

Investing in Tennis

The parks department has done some mitigation with the streams that run through the park, making asphalt surfacing for the courts an option. The funding process should take one to two years to complete, with USTA Tennis Venue Services a possibility.

Much of the renovations around the courts, including new fencing and lighting, has been completed. So when the courts are refurbished, Nelson expects an enthusiastic response within the community.

Story City already has plenty of programming, with multiple clinics for various ages of kids wanting to learn to play tennis. Interest continues to grow, causing Nelson to add to her staff to keep up.

One of Nelson’s pool staff members played high school tennis. When she found out that Nelson needed tennis instructors, she volunteered quickly.

“Tennis has really grown over the last couple of years,” Nelson said. “Being able to have instructors here in the summer, plus our own dedicated staff, it’s a little easier to run programs when you’re not trying to partner with somebody else.

“Having those courts in great condition will only add to the appeal.”

Check out additional USTA Missouri Valley stories for Park and Recreation Month in July by clicking here.

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