New to competitive tennis

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Contributor

You may be wondering why there's a sudden shift of excitement in the air at your club, why players are talking USTA teams, partners and uniforms, and of course wondering, "why am I not involved?" The good news about spring season being upon us so fast, is that it gets us thinking about whether we're ready to wet our toes in competitive tennis, because before we know it the 'king' of USTA seasons (summer) will be here and trust me, you're not going to want to miss any minute of it!

Towpath's 3.0 40 & Over team.

In case you need a little background, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the most notable tennis organization in the country for players that want to play competitive tennis. It's a long-tested, well-run, rule-implemented structure that players (not all the time, but most of the time) enjoy following so they can get out and play a fun, fair and competitive game of tennis. The USTA primarily follows the general rules of tennis, with many of it's own amendments for different scenarios and regions around the country. The summer season has gained the most notoriety because that's when most players are free to play thus why there are more teams. Plus, nice weather makes people want to get out and DO something! 

But here's where things come to a halt for most newbies. The hype of the new season usually gives way to the fear of what the word competition actually means with players asking themselves, "Am I ready for this?" The short answer is yes. The long answer is yes, you ARE ready! And in case you don't believe me, here's the 'unofficial' pre-requisite to playing on a USTA team:

• Can you serve? 

  

  3.5 Men's team finishing a match.

• Can you somewhat hold a rally?
• Do you know how to score?
• Do you want to exercise while having fun?
• Do you want something to do in your spare time?
• Can you play well with others (aka-not be a jerk on the court)?
• Do you want to get better at tennis fast?
• Do you want to meet new players and test your skills?
• Do you want to make friends?
• Do you like drama? (J/k! Contrary to common belief, not ALL teams are drama-filled.)

And to answer some of your lingering questions:  Yes, you can play at any age. Yes, you might get double bageled (lose 6-0, 6-0), and yes, you just might have a little bit of fun. Honestly, the best way for newbies to go into the USTA is to jump in with an open mind and a positive attitude--corny but true. Even at the 4.0 level, I still go in with this mantra. I might not win every match, but I'm going to do my best to come off the court laughing.

One of Towpath's many Mixed Doubles teams.

So, whether you're completely new to the scene or resurrecting your game, I highly recommend giving USTA play a shot. Even if you don't think your game is 'competition ready' (whatever that means), try to look at this experience as a way to meet new players, gain some confidence and add value to your game. 

Your next step is to talk with our desk staff, one of our pros or one of your tennis buddies and ask how to get involved, -OR- come down to watch one of our many spring combo/mixed teams over the weekend to get a taste of what the competition is really like. You might be so enticed to commit for a team right then and there, because we guarantee it won't be long before you join in on the fun!

We get better at what we practice

Dallas Aleman | Towpath Tennis Owner | Tennis Guru

Tennis is both an individual and team sport. This time of the year we have a lot of you practicing to compete. But sometimes we hear grumbling off the court after a match with players wondering why they can't play like they do in practice.

Well we say, you get better at what you practice. So next time you're on the court take a moment to reflect, what are you practicing?

• Stretching before and after
• Hitting recklessly
• Being generous with your comments
• Skeptically shooting down ideas for lineups and pushing your own agenda
• Having energy (moving your feet)
• Grumbling
• Looking for opportunities to improve your game
• Dreaming pipe dreams with no substance
• Blaming others for your fault
• Working on a particular shot
• Giving useful feedback
• Making an effort
• Being on time
• Hitting with accuracy
• Playing it safe
• Positive attitude

Practice is just that, a combination of positives and negatives. It's up to you now to decide the outcome of your next practice by seeing what will outweigh the other.

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Getting vs. Taking

Dallas Aleman | Towpath Tennis Owner | Tennis Guru


Participants of Towpath's Game On weekend where
players committed to a series of clinics and play.

When it comes to tennis players who are bent on improving, there's a difference between how they motivate themselves during lessons and how they view the improvement process itself. We call this getting vs. taking.

There are players out there that spend some time and money to get lessons as the 'be all and end all' of improving. They come ready and willing for the pro to give them something of value to make their game better, and they wait for the pro to mark a course of improvement.

Then there are those players that take the best of any program or lesson available. They push more, ask more questions, explore opportunities, and invent new ways to work on their game. Basically they do more than the minimum. These players are eager to learn and take the time and do the work.

We commend everyone that takes the initiative in taking private lessons and programs to improve their game, however it is the player that takes the extra step that will see a leap of improvement in no time.

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Is your tennis game lucky?

Dallas Aleman | Towpath Tennis Owner | Tennis Guru
   

Roger Federer's the King of creating his own luck (flickr)

Luck is winning the lottery. In tennis, there is no such luck. When you hear players say "this guy is so lucky" or "how lucky can a girl get," you're listening to those that feel you don't deserve such a point. The thing is you may have thought it was lucky, but you created it!

 

Luck represents hard work and like many pros, such as Roger Federer, they create their own luck. When you have the urge to rationalize your opponent's shots by calling them lucky, you are actually going down a dangerous road. It's not a rabbit's foot in their pocket, nor the rituals they go through before a match. It's simply because their hard work and effort has paid off.

So come out and create your own luck. There is nothing more rewarding than to hear your opponent cry "lucky shot!"

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