By Peggy Seidel
Tennis Talk 2022-11-17
Open Play
In 2021, after most pandemic restrictions were lifted and we had a full class of more than 25 “Rusties” in our Jumpstart program, I started to think it would be a good idea for someone to help these new tennis club members play on their own.
They had received basic instruction from our generous volunteers: Mike and Gail Tuft, Jim Murphy, Roy Pennington and myself. They were ready to play but, when Jumpstart ended, many did not know other Rusties well enough to feel comfortable making their own tennis reservations. Many did not have a way to improve their skillsets with regular play times. So, I decided to set aside two courts for what we would call Open Play twice per week on Monday and Friday afternoons and I committed myself to being on the court to welcome whoever showed up to hit for 90 minutes.
What I offered was a time and place to meet, to make friends and to improve tennis skills by practice, practice, practice. I have lost track of how many of the Jumpstart people came to Open Play and I know other folks have learned about the program and showed up. In over a year of Mondays and Fridays, I have had only one day where no one but me showed up!
I hope that I can continue to do this into the future. I love being on the court, encouraging people to play and improve. I like getting to know them as people and helping them gain confidence in their game. Everyone is welcome. Just show up! It’s fun to play at different levels, different intensities. My job is to help mix everyone up while keeping it safe. I encourage anyone who wants a relaxed environment with the possibility of making new friends and partners, to come on down and join in the fun. (3:00-4:30). P.S. Thanks to many others who have helped me with this : Brian Dombrowski (from the beginning!), Clayton Krinard, Tina Parsley, and most recently Jay Pinson. Questions? call Peggy 713-398-7955.
Tennis Club mega kudos: Thanks,
Peggy!
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