Texas

Facility Highlight: Spring Branch Tennis Association/Jumbo Evans Park

October 27, 2026

Spring Branch Tennis Association Facility Building (Photo by Binh Tran / USTA Texas)

Set against the scenic backdrop of the Texas Hill Country, the Spring Branch Tennis Association (SBTA) facility at Jumbo Evans Sports Park has quietly become an essential lifeline for grassroots tennis across Comal and Blanco counties. Serving as a dedicated hub for youth development, enrollment overflow, and community play, the public park venue bridges the gap between high-end private clubs and underserved rural communities.

Operating as a community-first public asset owned by the county, the SBTA facility provides an affordable, open-access haven where players of all socio-economic backgrounds and skill levels can step onto the court.

For Executive Director Erinn Murray and her son, Kendall Murray—who serves as Director of Tennis, Tournament director, and Junior Team Tennis (JTT) coordinator—the mission is deeply personal. Years ago, finding a place to play in the area was nearly impossible.

Skip Advertisement

"When we were kids, me and my sister had nowhere to play," said Kendall Murray. "I would drive from Canyon Lake High School to downtown San Antonio every night just for practice. This facility meets players where they're at. A lot of the high schools and middle schools lock their courts, so if I wanted to play and not be here, I'd have to go very far."

The Hill Country region features stark economic contrasts, with high-end private clubs in nearby New Braunfels and north San Antonio often out of financial reach for everyday families. SBTA fills that void with accessible programming and public court time.

"We have this really high economic level here in the Hill Country, and then we have this really low, with not a whole lot in between," Erinn Murray said. "This gives us an opportunity to meet the needs of those on that lower end and be much more cost-effective."

From Minimal Amenities to Exploding Demand

Founded in 2007, the facility began with six lighted hard courts. For years, amenities were bare-bones, relying on portable toilets and without on-site running water. Players persevered with help from early national facility assistance in 2012, which provided canopies over player seating and bleachers.

The game-changing transformation came in early 2020 when a permanent building featuring restrooms and running water was completed.

"Demand has creeped up and creeped up, and honestly, when we built the building, that is when the big shift came," Erinn Murray said. "Prior to that, we were using port-a-potties and had no water. Once the building came, participation numbers just shot through the roof."

The timing was dramatic. SBTA received the keys just two weeks before COVID-19 shutdowns began. But as outdoor, socially distanced sports surged across the nation, tennis boomed in Spring Branch—pushing the six-court complex well past capacity and prompting waiting lists for popular programs.

Spring Branch Tennis Association Courts (Photo by Binh Tran / USTA Texas)

Spring Branch Tennis Association Mission Statement (Photo by Binh Tran / USTA Texas)

Spring Branch Tennis Association Facility NJTL Learning Zone (Photo by Binh Tran / USTA Texas)

Spring Branch Tennis Association Pro Shop Merch (Photo by Binh Tran / USTA Texas)

Spring Branch Tennis Association Courts (Photo by Binh Tran / USTA Texas)

SBTA 1
SBTA 2
SBTA 3
SBTA 4
SBTA 5

Comprehensive Youth Pathways and NJTL Impact

Today, the facility's programming is roughly 95% junior-focused and 5% adult. As a National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) chapter, SBTA combines tennis instruction with academic and life-skills enrichment.

The NJTL curriculum includes homework assistance, guest speakers, annual dedicated boys' and girls' play days, and field trips to professional events like the ATX Open in Austin.

Beyond its on-site courts, SBTA's reach extends deep into the public education system. The association services 12 elementary schools with rotating six-week after-school clinics, while feeding into four area middle schools and three regional high schools, including Blanco and Canyon Lake high schools.

While mornings bring weekday adult drills and open play, weekends feature competitive action. SBTA frequently hosts sanctioned USTA junior tournaments, including Level 5 events, and provides crucial overflow court space for local high school spring individual district matches alongside nearby Smithson Valley High School.

Looking Ahead: 2027 Milestone

With court demand far exceeding current capacity, SBTA is looking toward a landmark year in 2027 marking the facility's 20th anniversary, as well as the 10th anniversary of the Hill Country Fun Fest—the organization's signature annual fundraiser that funds operational costs and provides college and youth tennis scholarships.

SBTA is currently working with county officials to pursue a USTA Tennis Venue Services grant aimed at adding two new courts in 2027 to alleviate congestion.

"2027, hopefully, is going to be a really big year for us," Erinn Murray said. "It's going to be a big leap."

Spring Branch Tennis Association

Address: 144 Jumbo Evans Bvld, Spring Branch, TX 78070

Established: 2007 (Clubhouse Facility Opened: 2020)

Number of Courts: 6 lighted outdoor hard courts (blended 36-foot and 60-foot junior lines; 4 courts lined for multi-use pickleball play)

Key Amenities: Clubhouse with restrooms and fresh water, shaded player canopies, spectator bleachers, equipment loaners

Facility Type: Public County Park Facility / Community Tennis Association (CTA) / NJTL Chapter

Tournaments
Programs

TOURNAMENTS NEAR YOU

PROGRAMS NEAR YOU