Social distancing with tennis

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Contributor

Tennis is ranked as a 2 on the COVID-19 risk scale.

"6 ft is good. 78 ft is better!" That has become the motto here at Towpath Tennis. While we are 4 months into this ‘new normal’ and have yet to see the light on the other side of the tunnel, we continue to work toward what we can control in what has been a grim situation. Covid-19 has taken its toll on small businesses and communities alike, but instead of allowing it to get the best of our physical and mental well-being, people are getting creative in figuring out how to still live an active life--just in a new way. For the tennis community, we are incredibly fortunate to have a safe place to do just that.

Tennis is a low risk sport that everyone can safely enjoy due to a number of factors, the most obvious being that players are 78 ft apart! According to the Texas Medical Association, on a scale of 1-10, tennis is ranked as a 2 and is considered low-risk during Covid-19. Activities were ranked by physicians from the TMA COVID-19 Task Force and the TMA Committee on Infectious Diseases. Whether you're figuring out how to 're-enter' the game or you're looking for something new to do for you and the family (where there's no-contact), tennis is for sure the social-distancing sport for you.

How to play tennis (and stay active) during a pandemic:

• Take your temperature before leaving the house.🤒 And for the love of, stay home if you're not feeling well.
• If playing inside, wear a mask (at least in the clubhouse).😷
• A tennis court measures 78 ft x 36 ft. Players hitting singles will have PLENTY of room to hit without any physical contact.🤗 Even when playing doubles, you can safely give yourself the 6-foot minimum distance between you and your partner (think of your arm + racket spaced between).💪 🎾
• Bring 2️ (or more) cans of tennis balls to play with. Depending on the number of players on the court, you can all have a designated can to serve with. Label them if you have to. For any tennis balls that aren’t yours, you can simply kick👟 or roll it back with your racket. 
• Don’t switch sides and bring your own water.💦
• Play outside.☀️  Even though we have carefully thought out a safe environment to play indoors (see our safety guidelines here), players can opt to use our outdoor courts instead. We do hold some clinics outside and players are welcome to request the outdoor courts for private lessons.
• Take a private lesson. Not sure you feel comfortable playing in a group drill session? Private lessons are available by appointment all day, every day!🙌
• Yes kids classes are running! I know you parents are dying to get the kids out of the house, and we're just as eager to see them out on the courts. There is 1 instructor/4 kids on every court. Markings on the ground keep the kids spaced out (and keep them from hitting each other).‍👧‍👦
•  Use the ball machine. You can still play tennis without a single person crowding your space.‍‍🙅🏽‍

We've been planning, testing and fine-tuning our safety practices for a couple of months now, because we care about our tennis community and their well-being. We want our players to feel they are in a safe environment where all they need to worry about is the next point. We've already received positive feedback. Players are just grateful to be able to live an active life while still staying socially-distant playing their favorite sport.