She can teach him how to serve properly instead of just cave man serving it.
Tapping Out of USTA
- Thread starter Cindysphinx
- Start date
She can teach him how to serve properly instead of just cave man serving it.
He may expect something more
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
You mean like teaching how to volley also?
No
TimeToPlaySets
Legend
The pleated skirt
ChaelAZ
G.O.A.T.
Been there.
Definitely helps to take time off (in my case 5y), and rekindle what brought you to tennis in the first place.
For me, I had to find what it was that i loved about tennis... which for me, was:
* hitting a clean ball
* creativity in shot making
* ability to test my skill (or lack of), 1-1 against a great opponent.
things I had to accept to make it fun for me again:
* winning/losing is sometimes not up to me
* i can only control my own execution, that's it... enjoy a well struck ball (or string of), just for the pure enjoyment of doing something well
* there are cheaters/gamesmanship/etc... i had to get over this... and get over needing to win all the time
* my quality of playing is more important to me than the actual win/loss (ie. i'd rather lose playing well, than win playing ugly or because my opponent was playing poorly)
* tennis was still keeping me in shape, and more fun than just running (albeit running is logisitcally waaaay easier!)
i'm never gonna be able to compete with folks that can train 20h a week (jr's, college players, etc....), and that's ok,.. the ROI (given the time i can invest in tennis) is good enough.
even if all i did was do hour long rallies where we had rallies extending into and past the 50 ball mark, i think i'd be satisfied... definitely way more fun than just running.
good luck, and hopefully see you back on the courts soon.
ps. would be cool if you fielded your own team and beat your former team
pps. not sure why your capt would just silently cut you... why not keep you on the roster, but just state, that the team will be playing the best combination of folks that the captain deemed. I'm presuming not everyone can play all the time... and it's important to have a deep bench of players when the perfect storm of conflicting schedules arises...
Yeah, all this.
Personally dealt with frustration, injury, life/work commitments...all of it that took the fun away from playing leagues. Haven't played since 2015, but have been considering going back. The break, although injury related which sucks, has been good mentally for wanting to get back in the grind again.
Angle Queen
Professional
Welcome to my world...although I quit USTA after '13 for some different reasons (local, state and regional politics) and the $$$ and the time & energy it was just sucking out of me. Still play in a non-USTA league and love, love, love it! Can definitely relate to the issues a full-time job and/or kids brings to the table.
But hopefully you can find solace in just playing anyone, anytime...for fun. I know you to be very competitive but here's your chance to reinvent yourself as just someone who enjoys The Game.
If you ever find yourself in the Richmond area...let's hit!
(ps...I'd like the over/under on when Sphinx get's back into it. LOL!)
But hopefully you can find solace in just playing anyone, anytime...for fun. I know you to be very competitive but here's your chance to reinvent yourself as just someone who enjoys The Game.
If you ever find yourself in the Richmond area...let's hit!
(ps...I'd like the over/under on when Sphinx get's back into it. LOL!)
ttwarrior1
Hall of Fame
if your 3.0 , 3.5, 4.0, its like riding a bike, u dont lose your game or forget how unless your a person that likes to make excuses all the time.
I play my best match every year after going 2 or 3 months with no playing at all .
I play my best match every year after going 2 or 3 months with no playing at all .
Topaz
Legend
I'm curious...why do you think you'll play better just because the number next to your name has changed? Does that automatically fix strokes?
I got moved up to 4.0 smack dab in the middle of nursing school and 3 part time jobs. Worst possible time ever. As you know, I did not stay there. It was IMPOSSIBLE for me to continue to commitment I had to tennis previous to changing careers. Plus, trying to care about a forehand when you spend your days sometimes watching people die (and trying to keep them alive) also put tennis in perspective for me.
My game didn't change when I got bumped down. I still had the same fh, bh, and serve. Sure I had a lot of offers, and still do. There are a lot of 3.5s who can and do hold their own at 4.0 (as you know) and still plenty of weaker 4.0s who probably should be bumped down.
My guess is you'd have more fun because you'd be winning more, regardless of strokes? And winning is always more fun than losing, right?
I was working full time when I was in beast mode years ago...but I had a set, predictable schedule (no night or evening shifts) as a teacher, with plenty of time to dedicate to playing. And I did, pretty much at the expense of everything else. You can do it while working, but you'll miss out on lots of other things.
eelhc
Hall of Fame
Oh man... You're touching a nerve for a lot of people. I don't judge but many folks spend more time stressing about the number next to their name than actually trying to gain the tennis skills that get them there. Doubles players for the most part.
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OrangePower
Legend
Weaker opponent(s) means hitting more balls that you are comfortable with, less hitting on the run or out of position, less having to make shots while being pressured, etc.
Similar example: People who look great in hitting sessions, but whose strokes break down in a match situation. Combination of pressure, and hitting from uncomfortable positions (which is when footwork tends to break down).
Raindogs
Hall of Fame
If driving long distances and the time investment in just getting to practice is a big issue I'd recommend getting a ball machine.
It's not the greatest simulation of a good hitting partner but to keep the muscle memory active and the strokes grooved you can't beat it for convenience.
It's not the greatest simulation of a good hitting partner but to keep the muscle memory active and the strokes grooved you can't beat it for convenience.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
Hey, Topaz!!
It's good to see you again!
The answer to your question is a good bit more complex than it might appear.
As a 4.0, I will "play better" if the number next to my name changes 3.5. This is because I will no longer be playing against people who have proven themselves competitive at 4.0 and in some cases 4.5. I will instead be playing against people who have only proven themselves competitive against 3.5s and sometimes 4.0s. My strokes will be exactly the same, but the ball coming my way will be easier to handle with the strokes I have.
Mmmm, I guess so. In my job, I don't watch people die -- at least, not while they are in my vicinity. And I don't feel like my job, while important, is what interfered with tennis. I am an empty-nester with reasonable hours -- I could play every night if I wanted to. The problem is that I don't want to.
Take this weekend. I took a red-eye home Friday night, took a nap, and thus had the entire Saturday afternoon available to play tennis. All I had to do was grab my hopper and go serve for a while. Instead, I hung out with my husband and made dinner for a house guest. Then today, my daughter's boyfriend offered to show me how to play basketball, so I did that and had a blast. And now I am going to hang out with my daughter and watch vintage episodes of "Project Runway."
So it isn't about "winning." It is about being unwilling to practice and forgo other fun things to play tennis. It is about being grateful that I don't have to stress about whether my backhand will be good enough in some match two weeks from now.
I am in a social mixed group that plays from September-March. I like everyone, so I will continue to play a few times a month. If I stop enjoying that, I will drop that next. Otherwise, I don't have plans to play USTA in the fall/winter.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Technically you won't be playing better; your opponents will be playing worse.
Now that you've tried your hand at BB, are you still of the opinion that no technical skill is required as you originally posted?
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Sorry, @eelhc: I accidentally mis-attributed the above to you rather than to @Cindysphinx.
tennis tom
Legend
no style points in tennis--a win's a win--the ride home is a lot more fun when you win
MathGeek
Hall of Fame
The ride home with some playing partners is more fun when they win.
Topaz
Legend
I have found myself, many times the past few months...dreading that my entire weekend would be taken up with tennis. So that was a sign to me to cut back...like you, I want to spend time doing other things with my very precious free time. I don't know, maybe I had more free time back when I was playing like a maniac? For now, I found a few teams of very nice, friendly, and competitive ladies who I will continue with as long as they will have me. That to me, is a big win!
I guess my point I was trying to make...regardless if you're a 3.5 or a 4.0...your FH is still your FH, your BH is still your BH, and etc.
Don't forget the lack of pace and pushing at 3.5...its still there!
Maybe we will cross paths on court again someday...I don't really make it up your way anymore though.
Topaz
Legend
Yes, I am aware of that! But Cindy knows me and lives close enough to scold me if she likes. She understood the context in which it was meant.
I think that stress, though, is EXACTLY what holds most people back from achieving that higher number. Nice catch 22 for us all.
eelhc
Hall of Fame
Be that person with the lower ranking who plays up and stresses out those weak minded NTRP # obsessed people . Try to get a fast start and watch them fall apart as they worry more about what the loss (or not winning by a large margin) will do to that number next to their name than the task on hand.
Yankee manager Joe McCarthy o. HOF 2nd baseman Joe Gordon:
One of the most oft-repeated anecdotes about Joe Gordon, but also one of the best comes from when his manager, Joe McCarthy, was conversing with some reporters, and the skipper decided to make a point about professionalism. He called for Gordon:
"Joe," McCarthy asked, "what's your batting average?"
"I don't know," answered Gordon.
"What are you fielding?" was the next question.
"I don't know."
Turning back to the reporters, McCarthy said, "That's what I like. All he does is come to beat you."
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Topaz
Legend
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Airline fees???Being from Cana-duh, I've only played USTA in Hawaii and Texas. I quit the USTA because it was costing me too much to in airline fees to bring all trophies back
TenS_Ace
Professional
Those pecker-heads couldn't pour p-e-e out of rubber boot if the instructions were on the bottomAirline fees???
