Spring sports began this week as boys’ tennis and girls’ lacrosse played their first matches of the season on Thursday against Dover-Sherborn. Scores were unavailable at press time.

Boys’ lacrosse takes on Fairhaven today at home at 4 p.m. Track and field hosts Abington in a dual meet beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

What follows is the first in a two-part preview of the spring sports season. Next week will spotlight girls’ tennis, baseball, softball and sailing.

The Martha's Vineyard Commission knows all about wrangling over golf courses, but next Thursday night they will take up tennis when they consider plans to build a youth tennis center near the blinker light off Airport Road in Oak Bluffs.

Unlike golf, this tennis plan has nothing to do with making money. Vineyard Youth Tennis Inc. is a nonprofit group backed by an anonymous donor who wants to fund ongoing efforts to offer free tennis instruction and playing time for all Island kids. Total cost for the land and construction is tagged at about $1 million.

The kid had forgotten his shoes. He was a co-captain of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School tennis team and the team was playing one of its final contests of the season, an away match against Duxbury. He had no choice. He asked head coach Ned Fennessy the only question possible: What size shoe do you wear?