I fell in love with tennis when I was fifteen.
Love – Tennis
I was riding home on my bicycle after school. As I was riding by a huge water tower, my attention was drawn to a man- made hill next to it. Cement steps were set into the side of the it and led upwards to a gate set into a chain link fence which was surrounding the flattened top of the hill. Inside I could see kids and adults moving around athletically. Being an athlete and loving competition, I stopped and walked up the grassy side of the hill to observe closer.
Leaning against the fence I could see individuals holding a racket and hitting a ball. I did not know what tennis was at that time, having only lived in small towns. Hockey, baseball, golf and basketball were well know to me. A lady who was in charge saw me watching, came over to where I was at the fence and posed a question to me: “Would you like to come inside and hit a ball?”
Never one to turn down an athletic situation, I immediately said, “Yes”. The lady, Mrs. Isherwood (from South Africa, I found out later), put a tennis racket in my hand, went to the other side of the net on the tennis court and tossed a ball at me. Instinctively, I moved so the ball came to my side, swung the racket and made contact, sending the ball rocketing right at Mrs. Isherwood. She ducked, gave me a look and tossed another ball. I did the same with that ball, setting myself so the ball came to my side , swung the racket and felt the sweet contact as the ball met the strings and was sent directly into the net this time.
I fell in love with tennis after hitting those two tennis balls. Of course I hit many more after that, but that started a passion that eventually changed the path of my life. A light bulb went on inside me and lit me up. I had found my passion, or rather, my passion for tennis found me. From that day on nothing else mattered. I had just been given a brand new set of McGregor golf clubs (I was ‘living’ on the golf course at the time). Those golf clubs went into the closet. I bought myself a $14.95 Pancho Gonzales (a top world class player at the time) tennis racket and a book by the top rated tennis player, Bill Tilden, the title being, ‘How to Play Tennis’.
Reading the book, rising at 4:30am every morning to get to the tennis courts, hit on the backboard, go to school, ride my bike to the tennis courts at the 1 1/2 hour school noon break, go to my after school job, then to the tennis courts to play anyone who was there till I couldn’t see the ball.
There is much more to tell, but my purpose here is to verbalize my love of tennis. I don’t know what put that burning passion for the game into my blood (God?), but I am thankful for it. It has been the second most driving force in my life next to my faith. It has been my vocation in life. I have been a head pro/tennis director for over 40 years. I love to teach all aspects of the game of tennis.
Have you a love for tennis?
