I am a young adult just exiting school and entering the workforce. I played a lot of tennis during high school and then it dropped off while in college and grad school. I was wondering for all those who work full-time; how often do you play tennis, how do you do it (leagues, tournaments, friends) and how often you do it? I am just curious on how often people play with a 9-5 job and if anyone has advice about it? Thanks!
Fitting in Tennis with Work and Life
- Thread starter Tnsguy25
- Start date
JRstriker12
Hall of Fame
I have a full-time job, plus family (wife, kid) and I'm taking two grad school classes.
I manage to play 2-3 times a week on average. I play USTA leagues and also get out and hit with friends. I also manage to squeeze in a tournament or two every year.
If you're young and single and a tennis nut like most of us on this board - it's pretty easy to play 5+ times a week with a 9-5 job.
If you want to get back to playing, your job shouldn't stop you. Just make time for it. Best way is to schedule a match right after work. Get off of work, change, head to the courts.
I manage to play 2-3 times a week on average. I play USTA leagues and also get out and hit with friends. I also manage to squeeze in a tournament or two every year.
If you're young and single and a tennis nut like most of us on this board - it's pretty easy to play 5+ times a week with a 9-5 job.
If you want to get back to playing, your job shouldn't stop you. Just make time for it. Best way is to schedule a match right after work. Get off of work, change, head to the courts.
Caloi
Semi-Pro
I think you'll find that there will be a few things that slow down extracurricular activities as you go through life. I was a free soul before I got married. I came and went, partied, nationally ranked mtn biker, aspiring semi-pro soccer player, and all around fly fisherman. After I got married and finished up with college I slowed down quite a bit. House/yard work, efforts to the marriage, and work filled in a lot of my extra time. After a year of being married I realized I wasn't doing the things that made me...ME! I slowly got back into mtn biking, played on some adult indoor soccer teams, and fly fished quite a bit more. Tennis came back after my brother started inviting me to go play again. Suddenly I was overwhelmed with activities, marriage, work, house/yard work, etc. Then we had kids. I pretty much gave up everything except fly fishing as a hobby. As the kids get older I find it much easier to get out and do the things I love, just not as often.
I work full time and have roughly 15 people that I work with that play tennis. We get out a couple days each week and play during a long lunch break. I also found a local league and have met a few people that love to play tennis as well.
Currently I'm getting out 3-4 times each week. However, I haven't been on a bike in months, and my old racing bike has the receiver for the kids trailer. My fishing time has been reduced a bit but it's because at the moment I'd rather occupy one day on the weekend to play tennis and the other for hanging out with the family. I take my kids fishing a few times each year and still got to Montana once a year for a week.
Life is a balancing act. Too much of anything can ruin a marriage or career. You just have to find balance. You'll also have to be prepared to sacrifice. Concentrate on your career, get in good standing wiith the company and you too could be out for 2 hour lunch breaks playing a bit of tennis.
I work full time and have roughly 15 people that I work with that play tennis. We get out a couple days each week and play during a long lunch break. I also found a local league and have met a few people that love to play tennis as well.
Currently I'm getting out 3-4 times each week. However, I haven't been on a bike in months, and my old racing bike has the receiver for the kids trailer. My fishing time has been reduced a bit but it's because at the moment I'd rather occupy one day on the weekend to play tennis and the other for hanging out with the family. I take my kids fishing a few times each year and still got to Montana once a year for a week.
Life is a balancing act. Too much of anything can ruin a marriage or career. You just have to find balance. You'll also have to be prepared to sacrifice. Concentrate on your career, get in good standing wiith the company and you too could be out for 2 hour lunch breaks playing a bit of tennis.
PimpMyGame
Hall of Fame
If you're young and single you could play every day if you wanted to. If like me you're married with children (and have a social life outside of tennis) then you'll struggle to do more than twice a week, three times tops.
Chris De Tone
Rookie
When I was single, I played 5 days/nights per week. It was so easy. Now, I am married with 2 young children and I am lucky to scrape out 2x per week. I have to play and I want to play because just working and doing things with the family are not enough. When you are used to doing something that you love, it is very hard to compromise. I play mostly with a local teaching pro and friends, as well as the occasional league or tournament. I use to love traveling to different areas to play tennis and meet fellow tennis nuts. How things have changed. Oh well...
goober
Legend
2-3 times a week seems to be the limit with work/kids/other interests 
I am pretty much in the same boat. The only downside is you realize playing twice a week league or practice matches only keeps you from getting worse. It is hard to improve any this way. But in the overall scheme of things, being good at tennis at the club level is fun but pretty meaningless.
I am pretty much in the same boat. The only downside is you realize playing twice a week league or practice matches only keeps you from getting worse. It is hard to improve any this way. But in the overall scheme of things, being good at tennis at the club level is fun but pretty meaningless.
get it in
Rookie
Caloi, that's great advice. Loved your story. Life really is a balancing act and we all have to figure out what our priorities are.
My experience is that I had lots of time after college and not as much during marriage. Once the kids were born, I was out of tennis for a few years. It was just too time consuming to balance work/kids/tennis when they were young. Now that the kids are older, I am playing about 2-3 times a week and between 1-1.5 hours each time. I work a full time job from 8:30-5pm but reserve nights and most of the weekend for family. There's no time for league play, but I try to squeeze in a tournament a year and mostly play with friends who are a level higher (great workout).
As a single person with an average desk job (8-5), you should be able to squeeze in as much tennis as your body can handle. You just have to commit to it because it's easy to plan something else instead. Don't buy an xbox, playstation3, etc. Those will keep you sedentary. If you live in a cold part of the country then you'll probably want one for the winter time but I still don't recommend it. Like Caloi said, concentrate on your career. It's important in the beginning stages because it lays the foundation for the later years.
When you get married and have kids, we can discuss that too. Without knowing your background, it's probably safer to stick with the assumption you're just balancing work and tennis.
My experience is that I had lots of time after college and not as much during marriage. Once the kids were born, I was out of tennis for a few years. It was just too time consuming to balance work/kids/tennis when they were young. Now that the kids are older, I am playing about 2-3 times a week and between 1-1.5 hours each time. I work a full time job from 8:30-5pm but reserve nights and most of the weekend for family. There's no time for league play, but I try to squeeze in a tournament a year and mostly play with friends who are a level higher (great workout).
As a single person with an average desk job (8-5), you should be able to squeeze in as much tennis as your body can handle. You just have to commit to it because it's easy to plan something else instead. Don't buy an xbox, playstation3, etc. Those will keep you sedentary. If you live in a cold part of the country then you'll probably want one for the winter time but I still don't recommend it. Like Caloi said, concentrate on your career. It's important in the beginning stages because it lays the foundation for the later years.
When you get married and have kids, we can discuss that too. Without knowing your background, it's probably safer to stick with the assumption you're just balancing work and tennis.
Thanks for all of the replies. I appreciate the advice. I am young and single for now. You guys mentioned somebody in my situation can play every day; not to sound too clueless, how does one do that?
I live in the D.C. area, by the way, so in the winter, it can get very cold and in the summer, the threat of thunderstorms always looms
I live in the D.C. area, by the way, so in the winter, it can get very cold and in the summer, the threat of thunderstorms always looms
spiderman123
Professional
goober
Legend
1st keep a large database of players phone # and emails that you can call upon. Obviously it will take sometime to build this list. I know people that easily have 50+ people that they can call upon to find a match. Whenever you meet someone get their #/email . How do you meet these people?
There are tons of USTA and nonUSTA leagues to join. In my area you could play every single day in a different league. I know a stay at home mom with grown kids that is playing in 6 different leagues!
Join flex/peach/kswiss leagues, tournaments, city ladders. Try to meet up with some people through TW! You could also try craiglist or other internet hookup sites specifically for tennis.
Join a tennis club- just another way to meet more people and have more options to play since clubs have their own tournaments and leagues.
JRstriker12
Hall of Fame
I live in the DC area too, and Playing 6-7 days a week is easy in DC/MD/VA.
You just need to find tennis people who are passionate about the game and also join a few leagues. It's real easy to do.
Tnsguy - check out our thread of tennis players who play in DC (TW Mid-Atlantic Conference - http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=130010&page=1100) out of this group of 20+ folks, some body is playing almost everyday of the week. Once the weather gets warm, we hold weekly hit arounds and a few tournaments/tennis BBQ's every summer.
Next - join a few leagues / teams / tennis ladders. Depending on where you live, you have a lot of options in the DC area - USTA (DC/MD/VA), ACTA league (Arlington, va), Reston Tennis (Northern VA), DC Tennis.
When you play in a league, it's easy to get cheap indoor time in the winter, as most leagues in our area play indoor anyway.
Plus you have TWO DC parks with large and cheap indoor time (Haines Point / Rockcreek Tennis Center - where they play the the Legg Mason Tennis tournament).
Atown
Rookie
You can also check out Meetup for groups in your area: h t t p : / / t e n n i s . m e e t u p . c o m /
beernutz
Hall of Fame
This.
This is especially true if your children are older and play in their own sports. In my family's experience, the older my daughters got the more they (or we actually) traveled for their sport, and consequently less time was available for my wife and I to play tennis. Of course, YMMV.
SuperJimmy
Rookie
Yeah, you should be able to play plenty during the week. I play anywhere from 2-4 times a week. This is with full time work, part time graduate school, and a girlfriend.
Lately, my schedule has been: Tuesday evening league match (~1.5 hours), Thursday evening practice (1.5 hours), Saturday early morning practice (2 hours), Sunday afternoon practice (3 hours). It really just takes meeting a core group of players first and then you can expand after that.
Lately, my schedule has been: Tuesday evening league match (~1.5 hours), Thursday evening practice (1.5 hours), Saturday early morning practice (2 hours), Sunday afternoon practice (3 hours). It really just takes meeting a core group of players first and then you can expand after that.
120mphBodyServe
Banned
If your girlfriend doesn't love tennis as much as you do, then DON'T GET MARRIED.
heninfan99
Talk Tennis Guru
I usually play twice a week. I feel really good when I play 3 times a week. I actually had a GF that was angry about my Tuesday night doubles --she's not my GF anymore. Even though she did her own workout/sport in the morning, she didn't get it.
The hardest part is that often matches don't end until 10 or 11pm and then you're kinda hyper afterwards and can't fall asleep 'till past midnight. So getting up for work is tough. I know hockey players have it even worse as they get cheap rink rates very late at night.
Sadly I decided to take a break from lessons to save some cash. Lessons were my favorite. I do think you can continue to progress from watching tape but its not the same.
Even though she did her own workout/sport in the morning, she didn't get it. The hardest part is that often matches don't end until 10 or 11pm and then you're kinda hyper afterwards and can't fall asleep 'till past midnight. So getting up for work is tough. I know hockey players have it even worse as they get cheap rink rates very late at night.
Sadly I decided to take a break from lessons to save some cash. Lessons were my favorite. I do think you can continue to progress from watching tape but its not the same.
goober
Legend
120mphBodyServe
Banned
What if you take up tennis after you are married?
Well then don't let your wife control you...
goober
Legend
LOL- let me guess you have never been married?
Successful marriages involve compromise. If you think that you are going to live the life that you had when you were single you are in for big surprise. Playing tennis every day when you have kids in diapers, stress at work and mortgage to pay usually doesn't work out too well.
120mphBodyServe
Banned
I'm not talking about "living the life" you had when you are single.
Compromise goes both ways, but what I tend to see today is men being controlled by their wives. And I don't think that's a good or healthy thing...
I'd rather stay single than be married to a control freak.
I'm starting to think marriage isn't natural. It perhaps was a social structure manifested to conform people and to produce children (slaves) for the corporations & governments.
Caloi and Goober gave very good advice.
I am 42 and play competitive tournaments when I can and have been married almost 2 years. At my age I need to play at least 4x a week to be competitive in singles, and need to spend more time working out to stay in shape and prevent injuries. Finding and making the time to do so is my largest challenge.
A couple additions from my experience:
+ The challenge is finding enough people competitive enough to hit with who's schedule lines up well with yours.
+ You can also play sanctioned tournaments to meet people.
+ As you build a list of people to hit with - make note of what times work well for them. it helps if you can figure out convenient mutual locations near where you both live and/or work.
+ It is lots easier if you are single and/or dating than if you are married - just like having kids is harder than if you are married w/o kids.
+ You've got to figure out what is most important to you and allocate the time to it, preferably based upon priority - e.g., Family, Job, tennis, other priorities, etc.
Time has always been a big challenge for me with tennis, though college tennis taught me one of my best lessons in time management - make use of every waking moment (e.g., I did math homework in the spare 3 minutes waiting for a shower).
I am 42 and play competitive tournaments when I can and have been married almost 2 years. At my age I need to play at least 4x a week to be competitive in singles, and need to spend more time working out to stay in shape and prevent injuries. Finding and making the time to do so is my largest challenge.
A couple additions from my experience:
+ The challenge is finding enough people competitive enough to hit with who's schedule lines up well with yours.
+ You can also play sanctioned tournaments to meet people.
+ As you build a list of people to hit with - make note of what times work well for them. it helps if you can figure out convenient mutual locations near where you both live and/or work.
+ It is lots easier if you are single and/or dating than if you are married - just like having kids is harder than if you are married w/o kids.
+ You've got to figure out what is most important to you and allocate the time to it, preferably based upon priority - e.g., Family, Job, tennis, other priorities, etc.
Time has always been a big challenge for me with tennis, though college tennis taught me one of my best lessons in time management - make use of every waking moment (e.g., I did math homework in the spare 3 minutes waiting for a shower).
120mphBodyServe
Banned
We need streets with recreational facilities so you can just stroll from your house instead of driving more than 30mins to get to the courts.
We need to make tennis a HOLISTIC PART OF SOCIETY.
We need to make tennis a HOLISTIC PART OF SOCIETY.
Sakkijarvi
Semi-Pro
Otay, since I sense this thread is moving towards someone posting their manifesto...my two cents before it goes there.
I'm 47, married 20 years, active family with 3 kids in sports, 2 are travel. I get in 2 matches a week BEFORE work, with like-minded tennis nuts that will begin play during the warm weather at the break of dawn. Match done, showered and at my desk by 9:00 = great way to start the day.
I used to play leagues but no nights or weekends available for that most of the year anymore. There is a local club that does a great tennis night with the place full of hitters, for cheap and you can play from 8:30 PM - 3:00 AM. Its not a wine spritzer crowd -- so I make that a few times in the winter.
I'm 47, married 20 years, active family with 3 kids in sports, 2 are travel. I get in 2 matches a week BEFORE work, with like-minded tennis nuts that will begin play during the warm weather at the break of dawn. Match done, showered and at my desk by 9:00 = great way to start the day.
I used to play leagues but no nights or weekends available for that most of the year anymore. There is a local club that does a great tennis night with the place full of hitters, for cheap and you can play from 8:30 PM - 3:00 AM. Its not a wine spritzer crowd -- so I make that a few times in the winter.
Where, who, and how do you play that early in the morning? How much sleep do you get?
Thud and blunder
Semi-Pro
On the positive side: since my kid was born, I've dialled back the tennis a lot. Paradoxical result: I've improved my game. When I was playing or practicing 4x per week, I kind of took the process for granted; now that I play 2x per week, I realise that every opportunity is precious, and I make a determined effort to get the most out of every session - very focussed, determined to work on very specific things each time I go out etc. So it doesn't neccesarily have to be all downhill.
Your mileage may vary.
Your mileage may vary.
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Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
If you are in the DC area, our adult league season just began. You can give your name to the local league coordinator, who maintains a list of available players. Captains who need players will hopefully call you, and you will be on a team. From there, you have an instant group of practice partners and your tennis network will grow from there. If you miss the spring season, there's always the fall (for mixed and men's combo).
For Montgomery County, go to: http://mctatennis.org/coordinators.php
For other counties and DC and VA, do some googling. Hurry, though. Time's a'wasting.
OTMPut
Hall of Fame
I work 7:30 to 7:30 5 days a week. Add 1 hour of commuting either way and i get to play only on weekends. With a loving wife and an adorable kid, i can set aside just 90 min a day in the weekend.
Once in a while i play 7-8 am in the morning and turn up a bit late to work.
Wife has no interest in tennis. I have tried my best to get her started. It just did not happen!
Once in a while i play 7-8 am in the morning and turn up a bit late to work.
Wife has no interest in tennis. I have tried my best to get her started. It just did not happen!
beernutz
Hall of Fame
Seriously? Where do you live?
Xisbum
Semi-Pro
You're right; I went from 7 times a week to 4, and she still complained. Then I got deaf.
Xisbum
Semi-Pro
Dude. Run for something; I'll vote for you - 6 times.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I'm 33 and single. I am pretty young for 33 though. Look about 26 and still have a good build..abs..etc. So the first thing I would say is to treat your body right, work out and eat healthy balanced diets. This helps me a lot in recovery. You my as well get into this habit right now since it will prolong your ability to play aggressive tennis.
I want to play 5 times a week, but currently get in about 4 sessions. I will do a clinic after work (i do the 9-5 thing), hit with a buddy and then practice my serves when no one is around to hit.
I definitley need more hitting partners. It is not easy to find them, but once you do, things get easy. I also live and work in a city, so a tennis center is close by to me. In fact it is a mile from my office.
I definitley want a girlfriend that plays tennis. That is hard to find. I hate trying to teach tennis to girls that never play. It really sucks, and I have done it with quite a few. I would love to have a hot and talented tennis playing companion because it is something you can do together the rest of your lives.
I want to play 5 times a week, but currently get in about 4 sessions. I will do a clinic after work (i do the 9-5 thing), hit with a buddy and then practice my serves when no one is around to hit.
I definitley need more hitting partners. It is not easy to find them, but once you do, things get easy. I also live and work in a city, so a tennis center is close by to me. In fact it is a mile from my office.
I definitley want a girlfriend that plays tennis. That is hard to find. I hate trying to teach tennis to girls that never play. It really sucks, and I have done it with quite a few. I would love to have a hot and talented tennis playing companion because it is something you can do together the rest of your lives.
tennismike33
Semi-Pro
I was working 9-6pm, I was going to college at night, and playing tennis 7 days a week. I found a partner that could play from 6-8am, EVERYDAY. Then my partner also belonged to a private club, so we played from 8-10am on Sunday. Occasionally on Saturday I may even take a break, but there might be a time to play. Luckily I have a very understanding wife, who now plays tennis. Hope you too can get a chance to enjoy tennis everyday.
Back then there were no corporations. And governments meant the kings.
I would have said it was to produce subjects for religious honchos. Every religion encourages people to have many children to increase the tribe that the "leaders" can then automatically control, just by virtue of religion. They will even point to other religions and threaten that having many children is the way to fight them.
But that is being too cynical. Child mortality was low in those days and having many children increased the chances of survival. This matter has been analyzed in every possible way. My personal opinion is that life without a lifelong marriage and family is kind of empty. Without marriage, there is no guarantee that the child will grow up in a secure and caring environment. Nowadays, with divorce, even marriage is no guarantee of that. Children can have personality disorders from an early age when they see that their parents have separated. For children, constancy of environment is a key factor in their emotional stability. Once divorce becomes prevalent, extra marital affairs will also increase, because the spouses may think we are going to divorce sooner or later. In this situation, health issues are really scary, because you never know when you will get AIDS from a cheating spouse. The best atmosphere for children is a family with both parents. There may be some exceptions for violent and abusive parents, but by and large, it is a good thing.
Apart from the children issue, marriage is also a pragmatic thing to do. Read Somerset Maugham's "A marriage of convenience." When you are young, your parents are alive. Eventually, they will pass on. In middle age, you are still healthy and can manage on your own. However, when you get old, there is nothing like the companionship of a spouse you have known for many decades. Husband and wife help each other and share the problems.
But it appears the world is headed in a different direction.
tz_tennis78
New User
or, to expand the pool, is not as crazy about her own sport as much as you are... :twisted:
tz_tennis78
New User
dude, I can't write today :???:
EDIT: Pick a girl that is AS crazy about her sport as you are about tennis. that was she can't pick on you
euroroberto
New User
i find that working full time is actually less time consuming now than part time job plus university last year. Full time work it is easy to know when u finish work and when u'l be available to play whereas it's harder to tell with university as it's harder to know how long a piece of work will take
lodeen
New User
Hey Power Player, I need more hitting partners too! I used to be a 5.0 6 yrs ago, now am prob 4.0 - 4.5. Just got back into tennis last June after a 5 yr absence. E-mail me if interested, LODEEN@AOL.COM. Thanks.
How much sleep do you get if you play at 6 in the morning? That means you have to wake up at 4:30-5? If you get home at 6:30, have dinner, shower and talk to your wife, what time do you go to bed?
I think it might be hard to find someone to play at 6 am, especially if you live in a cold climate and it's the middle of winter
T
TheMagicianOfPrecision
Guest
Make tennis your work and life!:twisted: I did for 5 years,best years off my life
skiracer55
Hall of Fame
Not a bad plan...
...after I got out of the Army and dropped out of grad school, I said "Enough...I'm tired of doing whatever it is I'm supposed to do, I'm gonna do what I want to do." At the time, I wanted to see how far I could go with skiing and ski racing. So I moved to Stowe, Vermont, worked in a motel mornings and nights, and skied all day. So I had a "full time job", but what I basically did was did what I had to to make money while making skiing the center of my life.
About 5 years later, I moved to Breckenridge, Colorado. Still trying to the best I could be on skis, but I had some unfinished business left on the tennis court, too. So I ran a restaurant at night, and in the summer, my hitting partner and I played 3 to 4 hours a day, and went to a tournament every weekend. At the age of 31, I made it to the last 16 in Singles and the Last 8 in doubles in the Intermountain Sectionals. I could have done more, but I decided I wanted to go elsewhere with my career, so I got my Masters in Technical Writing and did that gig for corporate America. However, I never stopped playing tennis and skiing. At age 61, I play Men's Open singles in tournaments and race downhill on the Masters series in the winter. A couple of years ago, at a race where I took 5th overall in a field that included a bunch of 20 somethings, I was clocked at 74 mph. There are tons of athletes...skiers, tennis players, triatheletes, runners, whartever...who have to work full time to get to the starting line. If you wanna do it, it can be done...end of sermon...
...after I got out of the Army and dropped out of grad school, I said "Enough...I'm tired of doing whatever it is I'm supposed to do, I'm gonna do what I want to do." At the time, I wanted to see how far I could go with skiing and ski racing. So I moved to Stowe, Vermont, worked in a motel mornings and nights, and skied all day. So I had a "full time job", but what I basically did was did what I had to to make money while making skiing the center of my life.
About 5 years later, I moved to Breckenridge, Colorado. Still trying to the best I could be on skis, but I had some unfinished business left on the tennis court, too. So I ran a restaurant at night, and in the summer, my hitting partner and I played 3 to 4 hours a day, and went to a tournament every weekend. At the age of 31, I made it to the last 16 in Singles and the Last 8 in doubles in the Intermountain Sectionals. I could have done more, but I decided I wanted to go elsewhere with my career, so I got my Masters in Technical Writing and did that gig for corporate America. However, I never stopped playing tennis and skiing. At age 61, I play Men's Open singles in tournaments and race downhill on the Masters series in the winter. A couple of years ago, at a race where I took 5th overall in a field that included a bunch of 20 somethings, I was clocked at 74 mph. There are tons of athletes...skiers, tennis players, triatheletes, runners, whartever...who have to work full time to get to the starting line. If you wanna do it, it can be done...end of sermon...
Hey, I haven't posted on this thread in a while, but I could use some more advice now that I have a job and am finding it very difficult to fit in everything I want to do.
I work from 7:30-4 and my commute takes me roughly 35 minutes each way every day and I am trying to get in 8-9 hours of sleep if I can.
I am also trying to lose weight and get in better shape by going to the gym and running and lifting weights while trying to play some more tennis (2-3 times a week). I am also trying to see if I can take an evening class too and I still want to have time with hang out with friends and family. I'm also single with no kids, so no marital or parental commitments.
Is this possible? Am I kidding myself? It seems if it is possible, there would be no room for error time-wise, no time to breathe or relax. Any thoughts?
I work from 7:30-4 and my commute takes me roughly 35 minutes each way every day and I am trying to get in 8-9 hours of sleep if I can.
I am also trying to lose weight and get in better shape by going to the gym and running and lifting weights while trying to play some more tennis (2-3 times a week). I am also trying to see if I can take an evening class too and I still want to have time with hang out with friends and family. I'm also single with no kids, so no marital or parental commitments.
Is this possible? Am I kidding myself? It seems if it is possible, there would be no room for error time-wise, no time to breathe or relax. Any thoughts?
SeriousSummer
New User
I'm sort of at the other end of this discussion--my kids are grown and I'm the boss at work, so even though I work a lot of hours I can work when I choose and go play tennis if I want.
But I'm 58, one knee is completely shot, and the most I can play is two or three times per week because that's all my body is good for. I have one good friend that I play with twice each week, so that means it's only on a rare occasion that I'm able to work in a third time to play with other people I know.
If my work was completed and I was home by 4:30-4:45, and I didn't have a wife or kids, and I was still young enough, then I'd play every day.
In fact, even after I was married and has small kids I found a way to play basketball five days each week. Could have been tennis, but basketball was my first love.
But I'm 58, one knee is completely shot, and the most I can play is two or three times per week because that's all my body is good for. I have one good friend that I play with twice each week, so that means it's only on a rare occasion that I'm able to work in a third time to play with other people I know.
If my work was completed and I was home by 4:30-4:45, and I didn't have a wife or kids, and I was still young enough, then I'd play every day.
In fact, even after I was married and has small kids I found a way to play basketball five days each week. Could have been tennis, but basketball was my first love.
Eightmarky
Rookie
I live in the DC area and can say there are definitely a lot of opportunities to play here. Arlington County has an outdoor team league that plays doubles in the spring and fall as well as a singles ladder. You can find more info at www.actatennis.org.
If you want to give USTA a try, the great thing about the Metro DC area is that Maryland, DC, and Virginia all have their own leagues. This means you can join a team in all three leagues and you will definitely play a lot of tennis then. You can contact the league coordinators through the USTA website to let them know you need a team or you can try networking with some of the people on this board, particularly those mentioned in the other thread earlier.
You should also definitely check www.meetup.com. There are a bunch of local tennis meetups that play weekly and you could probably play 3-4 days a week just from going to those.
Last but not least, Craigslist is also a good way to find some hitting partners.
The DMV (District, MD, VA) has a very strong tennis community and generally decent facilities. I'm sure you'll be hitting in no time. Good luck!
If you still need some help, hit me up at e i g h t m a r k y @ g m a i l and I can try and point you in some additional directions.
