Originally uploaded to flickr by Shawnzlea
If you harbor preconceived notions about New Englanders playing tennis while wearing collared shirts and coordinated outfits, I’m here to tell you, well, you’re right. In the Boston suburb where I grew up, playing tennis was pretty much a given.
There were a number of courts and clubs around town where tennis was played, and throughout childhood my activities spanned the full range of tennis related activities, from camps and clubs to lessons and playing on public courts. All of this time and money spent should have led to my inevitable world domination as a tennis pro but I digress.
In high school and college I continued to play recreationally. After college I fell out of step with my tennis loving ways, for which 100% of the blame can be placed on that thing called “having a career.”
After growing sick of looking at my tennis gear in the closet, I signed up for Tennis on the Hill a few months ago. It had been a couple of years since I’d really played and followed those pesky rules, so I enrolled in a lessons course. TOTH is run by Eric Legg, and my instructor, Susan, was great. The classes fine tuned basic strokes, and Susan critiqued my stance and swing in ways that were helpful and through which I was able to improve. I’ts important to note that the instructors are pretty much the patron saints of tennis, all volunteers, nobody gets paid, and the nominal fee for the course (mine ran me $70) goes towards helping to renovate local courts.
Spring classes were held at Anacostia Park, and while the courts aren’t in the best shape, they’re workable. The upside to the less than stellar upkeep is courts are generally available, and you don’t have to fight the droves at Hains Point.
The overarching theme of TOTH is to have fun while improving your tennis game. Whether you’re just starting out, want a skills refresher or are looking to join a league or competition, TOTH has something for you. Classes start up again in the fall so stay tuned to their website. I hope to see you on the court!