The Girls from Gainesville, at their May 2018 tennis weekend in Seaside. Photo courtesy Seaside Tennis
We often get asked what’s going on at Seaside Tennis. The answer depends on what time of year you’re inquiring about. Although we do not get fall foliage or spring cherry blossoms in Seaside, we do have our seasons.
When I arrived in 2000, I immediately saw the need to establish programs for the tennis part of visits to Seaside. For 18 years, I’ve been helping families and groups have a perfect tennis experience on their vacations. Different groups want and need different tennis programs, and the way we cater to those needs changes throughout the year.
In the spring, days are shorter. And entire families are here together on spring break, sometimes with friends in tow. We run after school programs for our local kids. And we plug resort guest juniors into open spots. Morning clinics and round robins are for the adults while the kids are still sleeping (it is spring break after all). Play for families is available throughout the day, whether it’s taking a lesson or having a family match.
Summer brings longer days. But they are very warm. Early morning clinics for adults allow them to beat the daytime heat and get back to the family by mid-morning. Our junior program is also moved earlier in the day to late morning. Kids can sleep in but still get up and get in some tennis before the family lunch date. Advanced young players can set up private hitting times with me or one of my pros to keep up their skills while still on vacation. I do believe in giving these young players some time for things other than just tennis. Nothing is better than beach time with their friends. A bonus is that you can play much later with late summer sunsets. A friendly game of tennis after dinner is something to savor in the summer.
Fall has become a busy season with school fall breaks. Plus it’s widely known as having the best weather of the year. It’s also slow enough to allow us time to host weekend groups. We run our normal mornings for adults and afternoons for kids, but we can take groups or teams and conduct intense tennis getaways. We typically run these Friday through Sunday with added clinics, match play and round robin play. We typically modify these packages to suit each group, from beach bonfires and catered lunches to massages and simply more court time.
Winter is just a word for us here in Seaside. It’s not really a season. Our weather is good all year, so we still run daily programming, juniors and weekend packages in the winter. It’s actually the best time to do team weekends. The days are cool enough for really good workouts, and most leagues are between seasons. Skills can be added at this time when you are not so involved in league play. There’s nothing like coming out in the spring with a new shot or weapon that old opponents have not seen.
Bottom line, I can help you plan your perfect tennis trip, no matter the season or your tennis goals. Are you a family? Are you a group? Do you want a lot of play or a little? Are you a beginner or an advanced player? Do you want private instruction or group instruction? And if you don’t know a soul but want to play, I can take care of that, too. You just need to make a phone call or send me a text or e-mail to get started on your perfect tennis trip. See you on the courts soon.
Tracy Townsend is a resort tennis expert and Director of Tennis at Seaside. You can reach him at tennis@seasidefl.com or call (850) 231-2214. For news, events and court conditions, find Seaside Tennis on Facebook .