Here I am sitting in a sports bar last night watching a football game and next to me were two men who were deep into a conversation about which are the better athletes, football, basketball, or baseball players? After about fifteen minutes of eavesdropping on their conversation and hearing the same old arguments… NBA players can’t take the contact that is associated with the NFL and no NFL player can play 60+ nights a season like the NBA does… Enough was enough, I had to throw out the comment for argument sake, what about professional tennis players? Shouldn't they be considered?
One guy looked at me like I was a freak and the other guy started to laugh. I saw this reaction as an invitation to get my point across. My first comment, tell me what your NBA and NFL players are doing in the off-season. Instantly they went into weight training, and endurance training, and hill work. As I started to laugh, the two men said what are tennis players doing in the off season? My point exactly, there isn't an off season for tennis players! At this point I had the two guys quiet and listening. Unlike football and basketball, the pro tennis player is playing in four major slams and starting in February and wrapping up in September. Not to mention the indoor season that follows the US Open and the other tournaments leading up to the slams so that they can stay on top of their games. I went on to talk about the 5+ hour match between Roger and Andy this past year at Wimbledon and made reference that most players in a NFL game are only seeing on average about 60-70 plays per game which might translates into roughly 10 minutes of actual playing time. Let’s go back and visit that endurance comment again please!
After about 30 minutes of conversation back and fourth, I had convinced the two guys of my point of view. I’m not saying that professional tennis players are better athletes than those players in the NBA and NFL, but I’m saying that they are world class athletes and should be given the recognition that they deserve. Too often I believe that tennis players are over looked as world class athletes when in fact they are some of the best!
Tracy Lynch
Wholesale Accounts Manager
Lee Tennis Court Products
Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Monday, November 23, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Carmel Valley Ranch Play The Clay Event
Took the morning flight from Richmond to San Francisco yesterday. Felt a little like coming home when I landed. I spent half of '06 and most of '07 coming to the Bay area to research the market and understand the opportunity for bringing clay to the west coast. Actually looked at northern and southern Cal but at the end of the day we just loved the "community" that exists in tennis in the Bay area. So every other week for 6-7 months of the year I made this trip.
The trip had always felt a little like coming home. My dad grew up in Palo Alto, was a Paly High grad and went to San Jose St where he played water polo for a couple of national championship teams. I had taken several trips out here as a child to visit my Grandmother, who lived in Menlo Park, as well as my dad's sister in Los Gatos and my mom's brother in Apotos. My dad passed away a couple of years ago and my Aunt only two months ago and as I drive away from SFO south to Los Gatos for a meeting at Courtside Club, a flood of emotions best described as a combination of nostalgia, pride and a certain emptiness, invariably washes over me. It is a feeling I embrace and I am very glad to be back in Northern California swimming in memories that otherwise get stored away behind the cares of everyday.
Met up with Tim Beyer and after a nice meeting about Advantage Lighting with Gordon Collins at Courtside Club we head south on 17 for La Selva Beach and the Flora Vista Inn to pick up tennis balls and waters for the weekend. Flora Vista is a beautiful bed & breakfast nestled between fields of flowers and very private Manresa Beach, a lovely beach that is one of the few in the area that still allows campfires. The proprietors, Ed & Deanna Boos, are wonderfully warm and knowledgeable and understand that balance of privacy and company for their guests. The cooking is fantastic and as a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the Bay area it is first rate. And of course la piece de la resistance...there two, perfectly manicured Har-Tru courts there. These courts are a little known secret and in this season of clay - or any time for that mater - how nice it is to spend the day on the tennis courts accompanied by walks on the beach or just sitting, gazing across a tapestry of color with a glass of wine in hand.
On to Carmel. Monterey and Carmel are recognizable by reputation for most. They are exquisite seaside town homes to exclusive resort communities with postcard ocean views and quaint shops and restaurants. As an aside, the 2011 USPTA World Conference has been scheduled for Monterey which I think is a great choice and I am already looking for to. On the drive to Carmel you pass through some of the nation's finest growing areas. Fields of strawberries, almond farms and giant tracts dedicated to nothing but artichokes. Artichokes are grown on spiny looking bushes that are no more than 3' tall. The artichokes open up on the top like a flower. I saw a sign that the Artichoke Festival was coming May 16-19. Although I initially snickered a bit as I considered what the Artichoke Festival could possibly be like, I later learned from Tim that Marilyn Monroe was once the queen of the festival. Go figure.
Finally we arrived at the Carmel Valley Ranch. More on the Ranch in the next blog. After crossing through the gated entrance we wound our way through the community to the lodge, where we were greeted and driven to our room on a golf cart. A quick jog on the golf course as the sun dropped, to shake off the cobwebs of a long day, revealed marvelous old trees, deer and a few turkey, all of which seemed to regard me with suspicion and a bit of disdain for interrupting what I expected is typically "their time". Pizza at Ioli's - where we did manage to recruit some additional players for our clinics and round robins this weekend - and then bed.
First event starts tomorrow at 9 a.m.
The trip had always felt a little like coming home. My dad grew up in Palo Alto, was a Paly High grad and went to San Jose St where he played water polo for a couple of national championship teams. I had taken several trips out here as a child to visit my Grandmother, who lived in Menlo Park, as well as my dad's sister in Los Gatos and my mom's brother in Apotos. My dad passed away a couple of years ago and my Aunt only two months ago and as I drive away from SFO south to Los Gatos for a meeting at Courtside Club, a flood of emotions best described as a combination of nostalgia, pride and a certain emptiness, invariably washes over me. It is a feeling I embrace and I am very glad to be back in Northern California swimming in memories that otherwise get stored away behind the cares of everyday.
Met up with Tim Beyer and after a nice meeting about Advantage Lighting with Gordon Collins at Courtside Club we head south on 17 for La Selva Beach and the Flora Vista Inn to pick up tennis balls and waters for the weekend. Flora Vista is a beautiful bed & breakfast nestled between fields of flowers and very private Manresa Beach, a lovely beach that is one of the few in the area that still allows campfires. The proprietors, Ed & Deanna Boos, are wonderfully warm and knowledgeable and understand that balance of privacy and company for their guests. The cooking is fantastic and as a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the Bay area it is first rate. And of course la piece de la resistance...there two, perfectly manicured Har-Tru courts there. These courts are a little known secret and in this season of clay - or any time for that mater - how nice it is to spend the day on the tennis courts accompanied by walks on the beach or just sitting, gazing across a tapestry of color with a glass of wine in hand.
On to Carmel. Monterey and Carmel are recognizable by reputation for most. They are exquisite seaside town homes to exclusive resort communities with postcard ocean views and quaint shops and restaurants. As an aside, the 2011 USPTA World Conference has been scheduled for Monterey which I think is a great choice and I am already looking for to. On the drive to Carmel you pass through some of the nation's finest growing areas. Fields of strawberries, almond farms and giant tracts dedicated to nothing but artichokes. Artichokes are grown on spiny looking bushes that are no more than 3' tall. The artichokes open up on the top like a flower. I saw a sign that the Artichoke Festival was coming May 16-19. Although I initially snickered a bit as I considered what the Artichoke Festival could possibly be like, I later learned from Tim that Marilyn Monroe was once the queen of the festival. Go figure.
Finally we arrived at the Carmel Valley Ranch. More on the Ranch in the next blog. After crossing through the gated entrance we wound our way through the community to the lodge, where we were greeted and driven to our room on a golf cart. A quick jog on the golf course as the sun dropped, to shake off the cobwebs of a long day, revealed marvelous old trees, deer and a few turkey, all of which seemed to regard me with suspicion and a bit of disdain for interrupting what I expected is typically "their time". Pizza at Ioli's - where we did manage to recruit some additional players for our clinics and round robins this weekend - and then bed.
First event starts tomorrow at 9 a.m.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
A Tennis Tragedy Continues to Play Out on the West Coast
Californians are trend setters. Socially, technologically, environmentally and morally they have challenged and continue to challenge our nation and make the world a better place. Yet there is one place where California is dreadfully lagging behind their east coast brethren and the toll is severe. It’s without a doubt costing us tennis champions.
We live in a tennis world dominated by clay court players. We have since the tennis boom. Examine the top 10 ATP rankings since their inception in 1973. Examine the players who have reached that pinnacle of number one in the world. There is no debating it. Training on clay in your formative years is a crucial ingredient in the development of future champions.
So I assert again, California is depriving the United States of tennis champions. Less that one percent of the tennis courts in California are clay. In the greater Bay area there are less than 10 clubs that even have a clay court. In LA and San Diego the numbers are greater but not much. We are talking about a tennis powerhouse with huge participation numbers, a myriad of tournaments, where intercollegiate tennis thrives like nowhere else in America. We are talking about a storied past with legendary champions but a dwindling future in the elite ranks of this most international of sports.
Why doesn’t the state of California have more clay courts? Clay does exist and the few who are privileged enough to have access are reaping the benefits. They play longer they play healthier and their children develop a well rounded game. So what could possibly stop facilities from adding clay to what they have to offer?
The answer in a word - Fear. I have heard all the questions. Will a clay court work? Will players like it? Will players use it? It’s too hard to maintain. It’s too dry out here. It uses too much water. I will venture to say that the success stories out there decry these objections. I also hear - “My leagues play on hard courts. The tournaments are on hard courts.” Well of course they are! There aren’t any clay courts!
Experts suggest that clay courts represent 15-20% of the overall tennis court market in this country. Do you realize that this number is over 50% in FL? That’s correct - the majority of tennis courts in Florida are clay. Public courts, private courts, country clubs, resorts…you name it, they’re clay. You see a similar story in the northeast, though the percentage drops a bit. Looking for league play on hard courts in these locales? Don’t count on it. No one would even sign up.
Come on California, welcome to the 21st century. Our sport has been doing amazingly well thanks to the efforts of the USTA and its network of advocates all across the country. It’s time that the west coast does its part.
We live in a tennis world dominated by clay court players. We have since the tennis boom. Examine the top 10 ATP rankings since their inception in 1973. Examine the players who have reached that pinnacle of number one in the world. There is no debating it. Training on clay in your formative years is a crucial ingredient in the development of future champions.
So I assert again, California is depriving the United States of tennis champions. Less that one percent of the tennis courts in California are clay. In the greater Bay area there are less than 10 clubs that even have a clay court. In LA and San Diego the numbers are greater but not much. We are talking about a tennis powerhouse with huge participation numbers, a myriad of tournaments, where intercollegiate tennis thrives like nowhere else in America. We are talking about a storied past with legendary champions but a dwindling future in the elite ranks of this most international of sports.
Why doesn’t the state of California have more clay courts? Clay does exist and the few who are privileged enough to have access are reaping the benefits. They play longer they play healthier and their children develop a well rounded game. So what could possibly stop facilities from adding clay to what they have to offer?
The answer in a word - Fear. I have heard all the questions. Will a clay court work? Will players like it? Will players use it? It’s too hard to maintain. It’s too dry out here. It uses too much water. I will venture to say that the success stories out there decry these objections. I also hear - “My leagues play on hard courts. The tournaments are on hard courts.” Well of course they are! There aren’t any clay courts!
Experts suggest that clay courts represent 15-20% of the overall tennis court market in this country. Do you realize that this number is over 50% in FL? That’s correct - the majority of tennis courts in Florida are clay. Public courts, private courts, country clubs, resorts…you name it, they’re clay. You see a similar story in the northeast, though the percentage drops a bit. Looking for league play on hard courts in these locales? Don’t count on it. No one would even sign up.
Come on California, welcome to the 21st century. Our sport has been doing amazingly well thanks to the efforts of the USTA and its network of advocates all across the country. It’s time that the west coast does its part.
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