Open-air in summer, indoor in winter

The dismantling of the two airdomes of TC Wettswil is imminent. Club president Marco Merazzi and Andrea Dürst, head of the tennis school, talk about their experiences in a short interview.

Mr. Merazzi, measured by the investments, tennis seems to enjoy a high status in Wettswil am Albis.
Marco Merazzi: Yes, but that was not always the case. The boom started a few years ago with the foundation of our own tennis school with full-time coaches. Within a very short time, our junior section more than doubled in size. Today we have 560 active members, 200 of which are juniors. In “Kids Tennis” we are even number one in the Zurich regional association. We are now taking this development into account with a new clubhouse, two new air domes and a total of six all-weather courts.

Why did you choose air domes and HP Gasser AG?
Marco Merazzi: Our facility is idyllically located in the Ättenberg, in the middle of forest and meadows. It should stay that way. That’s why we play open-air tennis on Swiss Court courts in the summer and then on four courts under a heated indoor roof in the winter. Of course, we knocked on the door of several airdome providers in advance, including abroad. Despite cheaper offers, we decided to go the safe route with HP Gasser AG, a strong partner from Switzerland.

Ms. Dürst, you are responsible for the operation of the facility. What is your verdict after the first winter season?
Andrea Dürst: It was awesome! Especially for the kids, who can now train in the village even in winter. The indoor climate is pleasant and the heating effort could be optimized continuously thanks to the active support of HP Gasser AG. The control technology is also very easy to operate, even via smartphone app. For emergencies, we even have a 24-hour hotline at our disposal. What we underestimated as an association is the organizational effort. With year-round operation, we have become a small company. That can no longer be managed with volunteer labor.

Speaking of effort: How do you manage the set-up and dismantling of the halls?
Andrea Dürst: Apart from certain preparatory and follow-up work, this is practically a matter of course. The assembly and dismantling as well as the intermediate storage are the responsibility of HP Gasser AG. The work takes one day each.