I know everyone has played that very slow player on the tennis courts. It feels like you are aging as the match marches on. That is not the aging that I want to talk about, though.

When I was young, I loved to run around the tennis court. I always kiddingly said I was faster than a car. I could literally run the ball down from almost anywhere. That speed was what I built my tennis game around. I could stay on the baseline and run down ball after ball until my opponent failed, or serve and volley over and over until my opponent was sick of seeing me put volleys away at the net. 

Flash forward a few years, and the speed somewhat leaves you. But the experience you’ve gained through the years enables you to cut more balls off with better angles. That experience helps you to be smarter in every aspect of play. Your shot selection improves. You learn some shots aren’t actually worth running for. You learn to pace yourself for the long haul. Experience and strategy replace incredible speed as your weapons on the court.

Keep flashing forward in your tennis career. Now you have injuries or body parts that don’t allow you to play like you once did. Speed is just a memory. You tell your body to run, to move faster, but it just doesn’t work. But now, all the years later, you have developed a lob and a drop shot. You have developed an attitude and, together with your newfound weapons, you get to make your opponents run instead of you doing all the work. You can now move the ball around all over the court. Players call you “crafty” and a few other names, but you take all references as compliments now. 

And now, you truly love the game. You always did enjoy it, but time really does give you an appreciation for the game that is just wonderful. It has given you health, success and failure, and you now know how to deal with it all. It has given you lifelong friendships. It may have even given you a lifelong adversary, that one player you just loved to beat or could never beat. 

Aging through your tennis career is a true journey. I hope you all learn to enjoy it as much as I have. Even in the latter stages of your career, you are able to learn new things. Learn new stretches. Learn to focus better. Learn to relax both on and off court. You can keep growing. How many things in life let you do that as you age?  It is a wonderful, lifelong game. Keep swinging!

Schedule:

Tennis Eye Opener Clinics, Mon-Sun. 8 – 9 a.m., Mon.-Thurs. 9-10 a.m., and Mon-Thurs. 10-11 a.m.

Tennis Round Robins, Fri.-Sun. 9 -10:30 a.m.


Intro to Pickleball, Mon. 10-11 a.m. (except holidays)

Courts are open for play daily 8 a.m.- dusk. Please call (850) 231-2214 to reserve courts, book lessons or sign-up for clinics and round robins. Find 30A TENNIS and SEASIDE TENNIS on Facebook for weather updates, news and events.

Pickleball has arrived! A year and a half ago, Seaside built its very own pickleball courts. Three new hard courts were built on the site of old Court 1 for tennis. Although one tennis court is technically enough room for four, we spread out three courts in the space. We also have a shady viewing area for players and spectators.

I am a die-hard, old tennis pro. I have to admit, however, that the new courts are bringing us new clients we would have likely never met without pickleball. The game is more user friendly than tennis. First, the court is smaller, so less movement is required. The net is also lower, and the ball is slower, so in general less running is needed. Unlike tennis with its learning curve, pickleball is a game participants can typically play immediately.

Rules are the big challenge. You can’t step into the kitchen, the area closest to the net, for volleys. You have to serve underhanded and cross court. You have to allow the return to bounce. You have to be serving to win points. And then in doubles play, both servers serve before it is side out. It’s not completely complicated, but different enough to confuse the first-time players. Just come do our Intro Clinic or a schedule a private lesson. Our Pros will explain it all and teach you how to play.

What I love seeing are the new pickleball players. Some have never played any racket sports at all. A new activity is always a challenge, and I think most of the time it’s fun. We have had multiple groups come in for play and lessons. Different abilities blend very well in pickleball. Bachelorette groups seem to be our new biggest market. We’re also hosting pickleball events for corporate retreats, family reunions, wedding-weekend festivities and for any group that just wants a fun activity while in Seaside.

This fall, due to popular demand, we will be expanding our pickleball programming. We currently have an Introduction to Pickleball Clinic each Monday from 10-11 a.m., and starting after Labor Day, we will conduct more advanced clinics and round robins. We are also offering pickleball group packages. Check with us in the Pro Shop for the new pickleball schedule.

The bottom line is Seaside has added a new activity for you. Call or come by the Pro Shop to book time for your new Seaside memories. See you on the courts!

Schedule:

Tennis Eye Opener Clinics, Mon-Sun. 8 – 9 a.m., Mon.-Thurs. 9-10 a.m., and Mon-Thurs. 10-11 a.m.

Tennis Round Robins, Fri.-Sun. 9 -10:30 a.m.

Intro to Pickleball, Mon. 10-11 a.m. (except holidays)

Courts are open for play daily 8 a.m.- dusk. Please call (850) 231-2214 to reserve courts, book lessons or sign-up for clinics and round robins. Find 30A TENNIS and SEASIDE TENNIS on Facebook for weather updates, news and events.

I graduated high school in 1978. Yep, I’ve been around a while. My high school tennis career was a good one. It was built around wooden rackets and steady ground strokes. Of course, the foot speed I had in those days helped a lot. That too is in the past.

During my college career, tennis was ever-changing. I started and finished my four years with a wooden racquet, but the transition to racquets made of aluminum, metal and other components was rapidly occurring. The change to a serve and volley game was also taking over. With emerging stars like McEnroe, Ashe and Navratilova having great success with it, my game also changed to this more aggressive style of play.

The great rivalries over the next few decades kept tennis fans immensely entertained: The ground game of Borg versus the net game of McEnroe. Everett’s mastery of the baseline versus the athleticism of Navratilova. The return game of Agassi versus the incredible serve of Sampras.

Seaside Tennis itself was started by teaching pros Charlotte and Dave. I arrived in 2000 to take over and put in new programs. Seaside was still an oasis during my first few years. The now surrounding resorts were just getting started, and there truly wasn’t a big tennis community at the time. I wondered if I could build this into a program worth staying for.

I remember days when no one would show up for my new morning clinic. Over the years, we built the program to a steady level. Now, you have to sign up in advance to reserve your space. Our Eye Opener Clinics and Round Robins sell out regularly all year long. I am so happy I endured the lean early years to develop this tennis program. It is successful beyond my wildest dreams.

One of the most exciting events we’ve held at Seaside Tennis was when Jim Courier did an exhibition with me in 2005. We built a stadium court on the croquet lawn and brought in stands to seat the sold-out crowd. He and I played a round of golf the day before and talked about all the changes tennis had gone through and how it was still changing. He had such incredible insight and shared the changes he thought were coming. I must say, he knew what he was talking about. It was the highlight of my career getting to play with a former world No. 1!

The community of Seaside itself was different then. There were small kiosks in the middle of town center for fun local vendors. The building that houses Great Southern Café now was then called Shades. Bud & Alley’s Waterfront Restaurant, my favorite watering hole, was smaller, with J.B. and the Blinders playing music in the upstairs bar most nights. I knew the playlist by heart. It was such a special time in Seaside.

I am so proud of the Seaside Tennis program that I have built. Over my years here, I have met the most amazing people. Most of them come back to see me year after year. Even the ones who aren’t currently playing tennis stop by to say hi when they’re in town. I have the best clients that any tennis pro ever could ask for.

I’m grateful to be a part of Seaside’s history. The Seaside story is ever-changing, and I am happy to be along for the ride.

Spring Pro Shop Hours:

Mon.-Thurs., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Fri.-Sat., 9 a.m.-noon; Sun., 9-10:30 a.m.

Schedule:

Eye Opener Clinics, Mon.-Thurs. 9-10 a.m.

Round Robins, Fri.-Sun. 9-10:30 a.m.

Courts are open for play daily 8 a.m.- dusk. Please call (850) 231-2214 to reserve courts, book lessons or sign-up for clinics and round robins. Find 30A TENNIS and SEASIDE TENNIS on Facebook for weather updates, news and events.