Shoeless Jane Jackson

Cindysphinx · May 14, 2012

I had a 4.0 ladies day league match last week (three doubles, one singles, all hard courts). I was with five teammates who met at a central location and then carpooled in one lady's van. The courts were about 20 minutes away.

My partner was "Jane." Jane always wears flip flops and then changes into her tennis shoes at the courts. We arrived for the match about 20 minutes early. As I was conferring with the opposing captain about line-ups, Jane came up and asked if I had an extra pair of shoes. Yep, she had forgotten her shoes. There was no time to drive back and get them, and no one on the team had an extra pair.

Jane said she would play the match anyway wearing just socks. I was thinking this was not safe and we should just default the court. Luckily, opposing captain had an extra pair of running shoes (size 8.5 instead of the size 7 Jane wears). Jane thanked her profusely and played the match in what probably felt like clown shoes.

A few questions:

1. If you were the opposing captain, would you have lent Jane the shoes or would you have kept quiet?

2. If you were acting captain like I was that day, would you let a teammate/partner compete in bare feet or wearing socks?

3. Why do people choose to wear sandals instead of traveling to the match in their tennis attire? Isn't that just asking for trouble?

cll30 · May 14, 2012

I think bare feet or socks would have been better than over-sized running shoes. I think an injury would be more likely with those running shoes.

For some people athletic shoes can cause the feet to sweat and increase the likelihood of athlete's foot. Wearing sandals allows the foot to dry.

leech · May 14, 2012

Cindysphinx said:
3. Why do people choose to wear sandals instead of traveling to the match in their tennis attire? Isn't that just asking for trouble?

I never understood this, either. Are their tennis shoes that uncomfortable? Seems to be more trouble than it's worth to bring shoes/socks and then change into them minutes before warm-up.

Ronaldo · May 14, 2012

She'd be barefootin' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvcTDpcmh5Q

tennis_ocd · May 14, 2012

I think the real pleasure comes from going from tennis shoes back to those comfy sports sandals.

Adults can do whatever but I think I'd tear my socks/feet to shreads in just minutes on a hard court without shoes.

J_R_B · May 14, 2012

cll30 said:
I think bare feet or socks would have been better than over-sized running shoes. I think an injury would be more likely with those running shoes.

This. When I was 9, I saw my uncle break his foot playing in running shoes. They are not designed for lateral support, which is exactly what you need in tennis. If you're a beginner just out there patting the ball around, it won't matter, but 4.0 is a high enough level that going Zola Budd is better than going with improper shoes (IMO).

tennis tom · May 14, 2012

Bare feet and a side benefit is, if you have any plantars warts, the court will sand them right off for you, saving a trip to the podiatrist. Playing barefoot on grass is the way to go too--awesome!

I've noticed there's a competition between the women to see who can get out of their tennies and into their sandals the quickest--maybe it's to avoid the dreaded tennis sock foot look?

blakesq · May 14, 2012

Cindy, when you ask "2. If you were acting captain like I was that day, would you let a teammate/partner compete in bare feet or wearing socks?", that leads me to ask you: do you captain a team of children or adults. If adults, don't you think they can make their own decisions on whether to play in socks or not?

goober · May 14, 2012

I have seen a guy play doubles in sandles because he forgot his shoes.

Personally I would default rather than play in sandals or barefoot. Injury risk is too high. But I wear my tennis shoes to the court all the time so this would never happen. Tennis shoes are pretty comfortable compared to dress shoes. Sandals are only good if it is really hot outside.

Douggo · May 14, 2012

I always change into my tennis shoes at the court. First reason (probably irrational) is that I want to preserve the outsoles as much as possible. Second reason is that I don't want to pick up stones in the tread that will mark the court surface.

mmk · May 14, 2012

Good reason to keep an old pair in the trunk, something is better than nothing, and scads better than over-sized running shoes.

Cindysphinx · May 14, 2012

blakesq said:
Cindy, when you ask "2. If you were acting captain like I was that day, would you let a teammate/partner compete in bare feet or wearing socks?", that leads me to ask you: do you captain a team of children or adults. If adults, don't you think they can make their own decisions on whether to play in socks or not?

I think it would have been reasonable for me to decide that the team would rather eat a default than risk injury to a player who could not play safely. I was also concerned that it would have been very distracting to me as her partner, and I would rather have played instead with the singles player and defaulted the singles court.

Had the shoes not been available, I had decided i would have just let her play in socks. But I wouldn't have been happy about it.

Cindysphinx · May 14, 2012

mmk said:
Good reason to keep an old pair in the trunk, something is better than nothing, and scads better than over-sized running shoes.

Perhaps she had old shoes in the trunk. Her car was 20 minutes away because she carpooled.

I think the only way to make sure you don't forget something in your tennis bag is have a policy that you don't take an item out until you have the replacement in hand. If you take your shoes out and think you will remember to come back later and put them back in . . . You won't.

floridatennisdude · May 14, 2012

leech said:
I never understood this, either. Are their tennis shoes that uncomfortable? Seems to be more trouble than it's worth to bring shoes/socks and then change into them minutes before warm-up.

I do this...here is why:

I play mostly on clay and rinse them off after I exit the court. While the rinsing gets most clay off, it doesn't get it all. So, I take my shoes off and put them in the shoe pouch on my tennis bag. And I don't get yelled at for dragging clay into the house either and have to vacuum that up.

The green dust that accumulates in the shoe pouch can easily be shaken out. The floor mat in my car requires vacuuming. I'd much prefer to shake out the shoe pouch than to vacuum my floor mats all the time. And the house.

All this being said, it would be hard for me to forget shoes since they are already in my bag. I sport the sock/sandal look to my matches. The only situation I could see forgetting them is when I buy a new pair of shoes and possibly would forget to pack them. Unlikely.

Mike Y · May 14, 2012

I'd be willing to give a pair of shoes to an opponent, for a price. If I were to "lend" someone a pair of shoes to play tennis in, I wouldn't want them back, I'm kind of a germophobe, lol. So I'd basically sell them, price depending on what condition they are in.

OrangePower · May 14, 2012

Cindysphinx said:
1. If you were the opposing captain, would you have lent Jane the shoes or would you have kept quiet?

Of course I would lend the shoes. We play tennis to, well, play tennis! Not to hope for and take defaults.

2. If you were acting captain like I was that day, would you let a teammate/partner compete in bare feet or wearing socks?

Well really it's up to the player, but personally I would not even try to play barefoot or in socks. Playing in socks I think would be extremely dangerous because the sock would grip the court while the foot in the sock would keep moving - that's just a bad fall waiting to happen. Barefoot would be intolerable for more than a game or two.

3. Why do people choose to wear sandals instead of traveling to the match in their tennis attire? Isn't that just asking for trouble?

Personally I leave my sneakers on before, during and after, but I know many people who like to change out of their tennis shoes after a match. So for them it makes sense to keep their tennis shoes organized in their bag together with racquets etc, and wear their non-tennis footwear of choice to the match and then again afterwards.

Ronaldo · May 14, 2012

floridatennisdude said:
I do this...here is why:

I play mostly on clay and rinse them off after I exit the court. While the rinsing gets most clay off, it doesn't get it all. So, I take my shoes off and put them in the shoe pouch on my tennis bag. And I don't get yelled at for dragging clay into the house either and have to vacuum that up.

The green dust that accumulates in the shoe pouch can easily be shaken out. The floor mat in my car requires vacuuming. I'd much prefer to shake out the shoe pouch than to vacuum my floor mats all the time. And the house.

All this being said, it would be hard for me to forget shoes since they are already in my bag. I sport the sock/sandal look to my matches. The only situation I could see forgetting them is when I buy a new pair of shoes and possibly would forget to pack them. Unlikely.

Notice the women at our club never sport the sock/sandal combo. Notice their nails too but that's another thread.

floridatennisdude · May 14, 2012

Ronaldo said:
Notice the women at our club never sport the sock/sandal combo. Notice their nails too but that's another thread.

Yea, I'm not much of a fashion example. I go for function over fashion. And I bite my nails.

10smonkey · May 14, 2012

floridatennisdude said:
Yea, I'm not much of a fashion example. I go for function over fashion. And I bite my nails.

good flexibility

Ronaldo · May 14, 2012

floridatennisdude said:
Yea, I'm not much of a fashion example. I go for function over fashion. And I bite my nails.

Never bite my toenails in public, leave that to my partner.

jswinf · May 14, 2012

floridatennisdude said:
Yea, I'm not much of a fashion example. I go for function over fashion. And I bite my nails.

Your toenails? You must be a limber son-of-a-gun.

As to OP, I think it was a good time to go with the flow, as you did. I really can't imagine somebody playing a match in socks or barefoot, though. I'd loan somebody shoes, except I never have any...

floridatennisdude · May 14, 2012

Ronaldo said:
Never bite my toenails in public, leave that to my partner.

Haha, nice. Reading back to your post I see you were referring to toenails. I thought for some reason it was referring to a grip impingement on those ladies hands. Well played!

r2473 · May 14, 2012

The more knowledgeable among us understand that shoes are a conspiracy and we need to get back to doing activities in our natural state:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=328065

Cindy, you should have used this this as an opportunity to teach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=theHXQP9Bo0&feature=related

Cindysphinx · May 14, 2012

It really would have been interesting had the loaner shoes been, say, a size 10. I am a size nine, so the logical thing would have been for me to wear the 10s and her to wear my 9s.

I was trying to remember the last time I forgot a key piece of gear or clothing for a match. I think it was the time I forgot a headband. It really bothers me to have any hair in my eyes because I wear contacts. Fortunately a teammate helped me out.

Cindy -- who had a teammate who forgot her rackets not once but twice during a season

Spokewench · May 14, 2012

I was captaining this weekend and the host; I remembered my racquet, my shoes, all my clothes, the water jug for everyone to refill water, the cold cuts, bread, mayonnaise, mustard, rolls and bread, a knife to cut the bread, a knife for the mayonnaise, the table to put the food on, the balls for all the matches, a cooler and ice to keep the food in.

For the first time, I forgot my own gatorade, my own water bottle, and my towel!

Luckily one of my team members brought some bottled water so I was able to use that bottle to fill up. My two matches (we play double headers here) were short 3 and 3; and 0 and 3 so thankfully, the water lasted through my sets and I was able to grab more on the first match in between sets. The second match went so quickly, I only drank one bottle of water.

Angle Queen · May 14, 2012

I forgot my shoes. Once.

I was in a rare week-long doubles tournament that a club across town ran. Our match time was such that I had to leave straight from work, over to my partner's home, then the venue. I had everything...but my shoes. When I realized my mistake, my partner asked my size. She was just a 0.5 size up and had literally just thrown a pair in her bedroom trashcan. We pulled 'em out, I put 'em on...and we went on to win that match, only to lose three matches later in the finals. I considered them my "lucky" shoes and used them for a few more weeks afterwards til one sole finally gave out. Ever since, I wear my shoes to the courts, regardless.

I have also, once, played in my regular "tenny" shoes (and street clothes too) because one of my players didn't show and the opposing captain was kind enough to let me change the lineup so we didn't have to forfeit. To this day, that is my one and only win against a 4.5 (albeit in a meaningless 7.5 Combo match that was the last match of the season). Ever since, if I'm headed to the court even to "watch," I pack my clothes and shoes.

But barefoot? In socks? No way would I play or let one of my players play under those conditions. Sandals, heck even high heels if they were that stupid. But I happen to consider "shoes," of some kind, any kind, equipment of the game. Just me and just sayin'.

But I would loan a pair of shoes...if I had 'em.

Cindysphinx · May 14, 2012

I know of many people who have forgotten some key thing when coming from work. Makes sense.

I don't understand forgetting your racket bag. Then again, I am a little nuts about it. Before I back the car out of the driveway, I lay eyes on my racket bag. Every time, no exceptions. With teen drivers and Mr. sphinx using the car, I can't assume someone didn't decide to rearrange things.

spaceman_spiff · May 15, 2012

You know those people who mock the two-frames-and-a-bottle-of-water people? Well, one of the great things about being minimalist is that there's nothing to forget.

You wear your full tennis outfit to the match, carrying your two rackets and bottle of water in your hands. So, unless you completely forget to get dressed, the only things you could forget are rackets or water. You're not going to walk out the door without the rackets, so that just leaves the water. And, that's something you can buy on the way to the match if you forget it.

K.I.S.S. The engineer's code.

floridatennisdude · May 15, 2012

Cindysphinx said:
I know of many people who have forgotten some key thing when coming from work. Makes sense.

I don't understand forgetting your racket bag. Then again, I am a little nuts about it. Before I back the car out of the driveway, I lay eyes on my racket bag. Every time, no exceptions. With teen drivers and Mr. sphinx using the car, I can't assume someone didn't decide to rearrange things.

I have run over my own tennis bag before. Went outside, realized I didn't grab my car key, leaned the bag on the rear bumper, retrieved the key, entered car, backed up and wondered what the noise was coming from under my car.

Maui19 · May 15, 2012

1. I would have lent the shoes (who wouldn't?)
2. Play naked for all I care

I too find it weird that a captain would think they could tell an adult they couldn't play barefoot.

Xisbum · May 15, 2012

spaceman_spiff said:
You know those people who mock the two-frames-and-a-bottle-of-water people? Well, one of the great things about being minimalist is that there's nothing to forget.

You wear your full tennis outfit to the match, carrying your two rackets and bottle of water in your hands. So, unless you completely forget to get dressed, the only things you could forget are rackets or water. You're not going to walk out the door without the rackets, so that just leaves the water. And, that's something you can buy on the way to the match if you forget it.

K.I.S.S. The engineer's code.

Took 2 frames to a tournament singles match once and paid dearly for it. Both racquets were newly strung (less than 2 weeks); broke a string in the first racquet near the end of the first set, and broke a string in the second 3 games into the second set. I use a big grip, 4 5/8, and all the possible "loaners" had small grips, 4 3/8, which really strained my wrist to the point where I had to retire.

Learned that lesson the hard way. Now I always take 4 frames to every match.

Wilander Fan · May 15, 2012

A similar thing happened to me at uni. I was visiting a friend and forgot to bring my gear. I borrowed a racket and tried to play in my running shoes on clay courts. Better off not playing I think.

Anyway, I never wear my trainers off the court. Its not just the soles but you lose the stiffness and lateral support by wearing them in.

OrangePower · May 15, 2012

floridatennisdude said:
I have run over my own tennis bag before. Went outside, realized I didn't grab my car key, leaned the bag on the rear bumper, retrieved the key, entered car, backed up and wondered what the noise was coming from under my car.

I haven't done that... yet!

But what I have done is drive the 3 miles or so from home to the courts with my tennis bag perched on the roof of my car

Cindysphinx · May 15, 2012

OrangePower said:
I haven't done that... yet!

But what I have done is drive the 3 miles or so from home to the courts with my tennis bag perched on the roof of my car

Ha!

When I teach my kids to drive, I always give them "The Three Rules":

1. Nothing ever goes behind the car.

2. Nothing ever goes on top of the car.

3. The keys can never be set down inside the car -- they must always be in your hand, pocket, or ignition.

Even with those rules, I almost had to call a locksmith once.

I have a minivan with an automatic rear hatch and a remote control key fob. I needed to load a 40 pound bag of dog food into the back, and I couldn't hold my keys at the same time. I had no pockets, and in strict observance of the three rules, I set the keys on the bumper. What could go wrong?

After I heaved the dog food inside, I slammed the rear hatch closed out of habit. I heard a single beep and heard all the doors lock. The rear hatch had come down onto the keys resting on the bumper. Worse, it had struck the remote just in the right spot to lock the doors. Worse still, the rear hatch had pinned the remote and keys there so tightly I couldn't work them free or access the unlock button.

Fortunately, I was able to get the key unwedged enough to slowly work the key off of the keyring, unlock the door and raise the hatch.

And this story belongs on a tennis discussion board because, um . . . . My rackets were next to the dog food.

LuckyR · May 16, 2012

What kind of a person would not have lent the shoes? Why would you deprive one of your doubles teams the opportunity to play after they took time out of thier busy day to come to the match?

Cindysphinx · May 16, 2012

LuckyR said:
What kind of a person would not have lent the shoes? Why would you deprive one of your doubles teams the opportunity to play after they took time out of thier busy day to come to the match?

:shrug:

Why does anyone do any insane tennis-related thing around here?

To win that line so that you can go to Districts, then Sectionals, then Nationals.

LuckyR · May 16, 2012

Cindysphinx said:
:shrug:

Why does anyone do any insane tennis-related thing around here?

To win that line so that you can go to Districts, then Sectionals, then Nationals.

I am glad to see you use the word "insane".

Chance of pi55ing off your own team members: >95%

Chance of making it to Nationals: <<5%

Chance of this match making a difference if you were going to have a realistic chance of going to Nationals: zero.

Shoeless Jane Jackson

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G.O.A.T.

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Semi-Pro

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G.O.A.T.

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