Austin, TX tennis scene???

coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
After being spoiled by the vast tennis opportunities in Atlanta, GA for the past 25 years, I find a move to Austin a possibility. Would anyone have any info regarding the general tennis scene(particularly public) in the area? I'm having a hard time imagining leaving one of the busiest public centers(anywhere) and starting fresh in a new city. I don't have to teach for a living any more but would sure like to find a vibrant tennis community to ease the 1000 mile move. Thanks for any info you have. Rick
 
fishuuuuu

fishuuuuu

Hall of Fame
coachrick said:
After being spoiled by the vast tennis opportunities in Atlanta, GA for the past 25 years, I find a move to Austin a possibility. Would anyone have any info regarding the general tennis scene(particularly public) in the area? I'm having a hard time imagining leaving one of the busiest public centers(anywhere) and starting fresh in a new city. I don't have to teach for a living any more but would sure like to find a vibrant tennis community to ease the 1000 mile move. Thanks for any info you have. Rick
Click to expand...

Rick,

There are the university students plus the high level of players here (if you look in the right places).
 
M

moonshine

New User
I don't think you will be too terribly disappointed with the tennis scene in Austin. It is a great city with a HUGE tennis community. Go to www.austintennis.org to get familiar with what is going on. Texas, in general, has a vibrant tennis community with probably one of the best sectional tournament schedules in the nation. Enjoy your move.
 
lorenza

lorenza

Semi-Pro
i was just in austin this past weekend. i didn't play any tennis, but i know there's tons of people who do and there's a lot places to play too. austin is a great city all around in my opinion, i always have fun when i go, i'm sure you will find people to play tennis with there :)
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
Thanks for the info folks! I was out that way last week(side trip to Lampasas/Lomita) but other than parking next to the high school tennis center at the Town Lake trail, my activities didn't include tennis.

I'm sure I would have no problem finding plenty of players to beat me senseless but I am generally interested in the big picture tennis-wise. I visited the CATA site and got a bit of a look at the scene. I've been spoiled by working/playing at a 24 court public facility in ATL that, while I consider it the best in the area, is only one of a few TCs with 18-24 courts throughout the metro area. I've run a Friday Night Round Robin for over 15 years and for many years, we would have 56 players and a waiting list every week.(Honestly, not that busy in the past couple of years especially since other centers have their own Friday RRs.)

A metro area of 4 1/2 million folks can fill up some tennis courts! I'll just have to get used to scaling down my perception of an active tennis community. After all, I can only play on one court at a time! Again, I don't rely on tennis for my livelihood any more but having a new tennis 'home' would surely help me and my darling settle in a new city. I haven't moved to an unfamiliar city in over 24 years! Yikes!
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
There are links to the public tennis centers on the blog. If you make it out here, drop me an email.[/QUOTE]


atatu, thanks for the info. I keep bumping into Courtyard Tennis & Swim Club while looking for a house(online). I've always preferred 'public' facilities for teaching and playing but we may move out that way. Any thoughts on the 'snooty quotient' for that club(or that general area, if you have a perception of the homes/people out there). There is not a commute involved but we would rather stay closer to family around 2222 and Mopac(we think). Thanks! Rick
 
B

bubbatex

Rookie
coach - I have a friend who is a member at the Courtyard and he is certainly not snooty. Good club and it is a great area to live in if you find something afforable. Austin is like any city - there are the good and the bad, but mostly good folks here. The "snooty" ones are typically the out of state-ers who moved here from much larger city's and think they are doing us a favor. There is a good tennis community here - but there is certainly somewhat a shortage of good facilities. There was a recent article in the paper here about that subject - there is not a facility big enough to host a regional tourney. There are plans to build some more public facilities in the near future - we hope.

Overall, great place to live and you will find plenty of year-round activities to keep you busy!
 
CAM178

CAM178

Hall of Fame
Wow, this is weird: I lived in ATL for a while, and now live in Austin.

Where in ATL did you teach?
 
sportsfan92

sportsfan92

Rookie
coach - my neighbor also plays at that club and is far from snooty.

keep us posted on your move. if you move to your target mopac/2222 - we'd be neighbors! and i'm looking for lessons! at a public court! ;)

best wishes for your home search. fantastic area!
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
CAM178 said:
Wow, this is weird: I lived in ATL for a while, and now live in Austin.

Where in ATL did you teach?
Click to expand...

Wow, sorry y'all...I didn't realize the last two posts were here!

CAM, I've been at Sandy Springs Tennis Center(formerly AKA North Fulton TC) off and on since 1981(spent '91/'92 at Horseshoe Bend CC in Roswell). I ran the Friday night Round Robin in '88/'89 and from '93 until now.
 
CAM178

CAM178

Hall of Fame
coachrick said:
Wow, sorry y'all...I didn't realize the last two posts were here!
CAM, I've been at Sandy Springs Tennis Center(formerly AKA North Fulton TC) off and on since 1981(spent '91/'92 at Horseshoe Bend CC in Roswell). I ran the Friday night Round Robin in '88/'89 and from '93 until now.
Click to expand...
Were you there when. . . oh. . . what's his name. . . it's a long name, and he's foreign. He was kind of responsible for the Atlanta City Open. Bernard or something like that? NFTC was a great club, and one of my favorite places to play. Are they still having the City Open, or has it been discontinued?
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
bubba, sportsfan, CAM,

Sorry for the late response. DW and I are still looking(online, mostly) at homes and areas. 2222 and MoPac area may be out of our price range given the size house DW wants! I have been scoping out Avery Ranch and it looks like a very nice community, albeit not actually in Austin proper. I understand from Coach Mike up at WilCo that the 5 courts in AR are very busy but can't be used for league play since they do not have a clubhouse(restrooms). WilCo Tennis Center would be the closest 'center' to Avery Ranch. Too bad AR is so golf oriented(I actually play golf as much as I play tennis nowadays); mayhaps they will upgrade the tennis facility as the area develops?

The area out 2222 west is still on the radar...we are a little concerned about the road construction planned for 2222 since it looks to be the only way out toward Courtyard(unless you are coming from much farther north or south).

DW is president of an animal therapy organization here in ATL...their largest fund raising event is Feb 2nd and, after that, we hope to head out that way for a few days to drive around and get a better feel for the areas we are considering. Y'all try to get some of that early spring weather I've heard about...pretty chilly here in Atlanta lately!

Again, sorry I didn't pick up the messages until now. Thanks for all the info! Rick
 
Last edited:
atatu

atatu

Legend
Hey Coach, sorry I never responded to your earlier post about The Courtyard, I think it's a nice club, not snooty. I have heard complaints about poor management, but I don't know if that is just from a few unsatified members. I have played tournaments there and have had good experiences. Just FYI, the city of Austin is in the process of trying to build a new tennis center east of I-35, so there may be some teaching opportunities there as well. I haven't been out to AR, but have heard good things. I'm also at 2222/Mopac.
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
CAM178 said:
Were you there when. . . oh. . . what's his name. . . it's a long name, and he's foreign. He was kind of responsible for the Atlanta City Open. Bernard or something like that? NFTC was a great club, and one of my favorite places to play. Are they still having the City Open, or has it been discontinued?
Click to expand...

CAM, the ATL Open hasn't been at SS/NFTC for a number of years. It went to Racquet Club of the South and looks like it is at GA Perimeter College this year. Luke Jensen played in the last one at SS/NFTC...not sure how it draws nowadays. Not sure of the name of the person you asked about. Ivo Barbic is still director at the Tennis Center(wife Martine is the ops manager since '89). Their contract is now with the City of Sandy Springs.
Turhan Berne ran the City Open when it went to RC of the South.

We USOpen blue'd the courts a couple of years ago...looks great. Sandy Springs has promised to spend a few bucks updating the almost 30 year old center...yee haw(if I may say).
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
atatu said:
Hey Coach, sorry I never responded to your earlier post about The Courtyard, I think it's a nice club, not snooty. I have heard complaints about poor management, but I don't know if that is just from a few unsatified members. I have played tournaments there and have had good experiences. Just FYI, the city of Austin is in the process of trying to build a new tennis center east of I-35, so there may be some teaching opportunities there as well. I haven't been out to AR, but have heard good things. I'm also at 2222/Mopac.
Click to expand...

Man, you guys are up late!(even with the time diff)

I've traveled all over the SE and Mid-Atlantic and I know how tough it is for a 'tennis club' to make it financially. No way our place could survive if we were not a public park. I would imagine a place like Courtyard has to keep it pretty lean to stay in the black...some members might not understand.

Interesting that AUS is looking EAST of 35 for a new center...everything I read on the CityData forum says stay west(I've read about some of the new development to the east---mayhaps the city is trying to support that growth). Not sure if we are the 'pioneer' type of homeowners.

Regarding my tennis 'career' in AUS, I will likely rely more on my 35 years of stringing experience rather than spend too much time pounding around on hard courts...as of this next birthday, I think I officially qualify as 'old'. Still want to keep my hand in, tho.

The 2222 & MoPac area is still of interest but, after dealing with our 50+ year old house, DW and I are thinking NEW and I doubt we could afford NEW in that area...more likely headed for the 'burbs. In addition to the cost of the house, those Austin property taxes really get your attention!

Thanks again! Rick
 
stormholloway

stormholloway

Legend
I lived in Austin for 23 years. Caswell and South Austin are the best spots for tennis. The weather is great for tennis, if not scorching hot and humid in the summer. Still, you can play year round. I just visited for three weeks in December and played in perfect weather.

Tennis is cheap there too. At Caswell, you can easily get a court and it costs you maybe 3 or 4 bucks an hour per person. I live in NYC now and pay at least 50 bucks an hour.

Plus there are plenty of free courts around town as well. Austin is the best town for tennis I've ever been.
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
One more thing, y'all...given my double-nickel birthday this year, I probably should seek out soft courts for at least some of my hitting sessions. Doesn't look like ANY that aren't at country clubs--any 'pay as you play' clay courts out there? Thx
 
atatu

atatu

Legend
Sorry, no public clay courts in Austin. Your best bet is to befriend a member at Westwood Country Club....
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
atatu said:
Sorry, no public clay courts in Austin. Your best bet is to befriend a member at Westwood Country Club....
Click to expand...

Thanks...tough time of the year for clay...ours go from frozen to mush every 2 or 3 days. Frozen again this AM. Of course, the clay mutes my 'used-to-be-big' serve and requires better footwork than my natural tendency...maybe I should stick to the hard stuff!
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
Finally headed to Austin to look around for a house and a 'tennis home'. DW and I should arrive late Thursday(a romantic Valentine's Day) and drive around Friday looking at neighborhoods...then, it's off to Open Houses for the weekend.

Keep some of that upper 70s temps for us, OK? Been pretty cool in the ATL lately.

Look out for those Georgia tags...we may be lost!
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
atatu said:
Good Luck, check my blog for the latest news on the new courts the city is building....
Click to expand...

Thanks! The new center looks very exciting. A larger central location for tournaments is a real plus. A touch east of town but looks to be easily accessible road-wise.

Unless we are disappointed by the 'northern' end of town, it looks like Avery Ranch will be our main focus...five courts at the amenities center and pretty close to WilCo TC. Could possibly look closer to town IF we win the lottery!

See y'all in a few days!
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
ATXtennisaddict said:
coachrick, I don't know if you want to play in leagues or ladders but here are the links.

http://www.austint3nnisnet.org/index.asp (john kitchen's ladder, an excellent spot to play against a ton of austin players) **Replace "3" with "e" in the link**

http://www.atltennis.com/ (austin tennis league...but season already started)
Click to expand...

Ata, thanks for the links...unfortunately, I turned into a slug this winter after tearing a soleus mid-November. Gonna be a long road back! Maybe for the fall season? Gotta find a house first.
 
A

ATXtennisaddict

Hall of Fame
coachrick said:
Ata, thanks for the links...unfortunately, I turned into a slug this winter after tearing a soleus mid-November. Gonna be a long road back! Maybe for the fall season? Gotta find a house first.
Click to expand...

You don't need to be in top physical condition or anything for the ladder. It's not super competitive or serious or anything like that. It's more of a social ladder. Been around for like 10 years already.

oh yeah, don't forget to check out the University of Texas men and women's teams at Pennick Allison Tennis Center.
 
TheShaun

TheShaun

Hall of Fame
Austin peeps,

are there many job opportunities for someone working in the financial sector? what companies are there?
 
coachrick

coachrick

Hall of Fame
Just an update, gang...My Darling and I made it out here last month and have been settling in slowly. The 99degrees with 40mph winds the week we moved sort of set the tone weather-wise...Dang, it's hot out here! I've only been on the court once(nasty sinus thing hit just before we moved and hung around for three weeks) but have gotten in a few bike rides and been working in the yard quite a bit...trying to do as much as possible before lunch. We are in Avery Ranch and from what I gather, quite a few coaches 'borrow' our courts for their lessons...shouldn't be too tough to find a hit close to home.

After we disappear for a couple of weeks in August, I plan to get back on the court in anticipation of perfect fall weather! Look forward to meeting some of the Austinites on the board.
Adios, y'all!
 
TheShaun

TheShaun

Hall of Fame
coachrick, can you provide any links you found helpful in your move to austin, as i'm planning a move there in 12-18 months time. will be down there in october on a scouting mission.

can anyone provide advice on those gated town house communities that have courts and gym type facilities? any particular locations or areas to look for? we're looking for an area were mostly young professional types live.

any help is appreciated. thanks in advance.
 
M Pillai

M Pillai

Semi-Pro
Came across this old thread.... Is the clay court scene any better now in Austin? Had been playing tennis here for a few years now but never saw any clay courts. Really looking for an opportunity to play at clay courts here...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Best tennis cities?
Replies
3
Views
3K
MARK ANDERS
M
A
Better place for tennis- Denver CO vs Austin TX
Replies
15
Views
980
denoted
D
babar
Tennis in Houston, TX
2 3 4
Replies
155
Views
36K
Big_Dangerous
Big_Dangerous
Mountain Ghost
What’s Your Tennis Scene Like?
Replies
20
Views
2K
Ross K
R
J
Dallas, TX tennis
Replies
4
Views
2K
Sumo
S
Top