What has tennis meant for you?

[ramos77]

Some background:

My father passed away 2 years ago from Cancer, aged 60. It's been the hardest 5 years of life by far (he was sick for 3) I'm now 34.

I really reached a low point in my life, I guess you could call it deep depression and anxiety. There were so many things I wanted to ask my dad, but never got around to it. Never got to say goodbye, the last few days were a like a dream.

I stopped smoking after he died (he didn't smoke) and put on 10-15 kilo's. Unhealthy, unfit, overweight and depressed. I had to keep his business afloat and hold down a full time job it IT, as well as look after my mother who didn't take it well at all.

A friend of mine knew I was doing it tough and suggested I get back into sport, to get a release. I've played sport all my life up until I started working in IT. I guess sitting at a computer all day made me lazy.

I played tennis from age 10-16, 3-4 times a week. My dad used to take me to training, to all m games and watch me play. I made the state junior squad and dreamed of playing as a pro. The legend in my avatar was my idol. As soon as I turned 16, girls and cars were more interesting than training, and waking up early to play games on weekends, my coach also moved interstate (in Australia)

I started playing again around 3 months ago, joined a club and have been getting coaching lessons weekly and playing with friends and club members, at least 3 times a week. I'm loving it, it's bringing back all the good memories with my dad, and I'm remembering a good part of my life where there were no worries, no stresses.

I'm getting fitter each week, losing weight and just generally feel much better. I can't say I'll ever get over his death, but I think tennis has helped me get out of the hole I was in. I'm now able to focus on getting better, fitter, hitting harder, serving better etc. It's given me a goal.

Anyway, enough about me! What has tennis meant for you guys? How has it affected your life?



p.s what the hell does 10char mean?

 

[OTMPut]

p.s what the hell does 10char mean?

that is the minimum number of characters you need for a post.

 

[ramos77]

thanks! re-reading my post, I hope it doesn't sound like a sob story or that I want people to feel sorry.

just came back from training and was just thinking how good it is to be back on the court!

 

[OTMPut]

I grew up poor. Never stepped on a tennis court until i was 30. Becker was my idol. I used to watch bits and pieces of W action as and when our national television decided to broadcast amid programs on agriculture, letters to TV station, news, etc.

I and my school friend carved a tennis racket in wood (no strings, like a table tennis bat) and played with rubber balls on a concrete surface used to dry ground grains at a local mill. No nets. That was fun. I always dreamt that one day i would play proper tennis.

Fortunately good academics propelled me out of semi-poverty and fast forward, at 30 i bought my first racquet and stepped on the court and wanted to play just like fed. Never looked back. I play whenever i get time (usually weekends). I am just grateful that i am able to play.

P.S.
Thanks to facebook, i did manage to locate my old wood tennis buddy. He works in an IT firm in England. When i went to London on business couple of years ago, i met up with him. I asked if he wanted to hit. He gave me a puzzled look. It is unfortunate he never tried it in proper form.

 

[SoBad]

I don't know if you can really "get over" a death of someone close, but your introspective essay seems to suggest that you're moving in the right direction. I'm not sure what tennis means to me anymore, but I would suggest that you keep thinking, writing, reading, cleaning and laundering your immediate space, and you should be able to figure out a way forward. Becker was an intense man on the court with a likable understated demeanor.

 

[Pacific lefty]

Hey Ramos77, I think tennis has played a fantastic role in your life and really came back to you at a good time.

Tennis is so important for me as well (I really realized it this year that I've been off due to injury). I basically re-located to another country for good, and my first and best friends I met at my local tennis club. They have been so supportive and loyal (I've been here for 16 years now) . I love fitness, so tennis is great that way, and so lucky that it has become such a social outlet.

 

[ramos77]

Thanks guys. I think I've made a good choice to come back, and should have made the decision long ago. I guess everything happens for a reason.

Now to keep losing weight so running around a court can be a little easier for me...

I forgot how much of a mental game tennis is, I'm used to playing team sports where you can sometimes afford to have an off day. Not with tennis....

I'm trying to get out of the habbit of pushing/being scared to hit, during games, rather than hitting normally, used to do it as a kid too.. bleh

 

[CoachingMastery]

Similar to op: my father passed on at 55, heart attack...never said goodbye. But, since then, (1984), I've lived everyday thinking about him and the standards he set. Tennis became my ful-time livelihood about 20 years ago and I not only dedicated my life to teaching my students in the shadow of his merit, (My father, Bruce Smith, was CA coach of the year and national runner up coach of the year in 1983), but I also studied the game with intent and passion to know as much as possible. I've gleaned much from standing on the shoulders of both giants in the game as well as not-so-well-known masters!

Because my father passed away without leaving behind any resource of what he accomplished as a coach, (also one of the all-time most successful high school coaches in the U.S.), I wanted to capture both the inspirational aspects he gave his players as well as the definition of advanced training principles that I had discovered from teaching this great game for 35 years in a wide range of teaching environments. Thus, I wrote two of what has become top-five best selling books here at Tennis Warehouse, (Tennis Mastery and Coaching Mastery), and was able to keep my father's spirit and dedication to the sport alive for generations to come...long after I'm gone!

Tennis has opened doors, it has introduced me to incredible people, and I've been able to share now with my own daughter the sport as she is now playing it at a very high level at 13 years of age. I want her and her younger brother, to enjoy the sport at levels that are indicative of their potential, instead of looking back and WISHING they had learned the game correctly.

Finally, tennis has allowed me to give back to coaches, players, and pros. (Will be speaking at the World USPTA Convention this Sept.) But, I've loved the interaction I've had at various conferences and conventions I've spoken at or attended as a student of the game myself.

Thanks for letting me share my own bit of history with the game and with my father.

 

[CoachingMastery]

Thanks guys. I think I've made a good choice to come back, and should have made the decision long ago. I guess everything happens for a reason.

Now to keep losing weight so running around a court can be a little easier for me...

I forgot how much of a mental game tennis is, I'm used to playing team sports where you can sometimes afford to have an off day. Not with tennis....

I'm trying to get out of the habbit of pushing/being scared to hit, during games, rather than hitting normally, used to do it as a kid too.. bleh

Wanted to also wish YOU great success in dealing with your issues and hopefully, tennis will open doors and give you a sense of purpose and a goal for living more fully and within the realm of self-satisfaction.

 

[hollywood9826]

I picked up tennis agin when I was about 26. Played alot through High school and occasianlly since then with my friends. I was in a relationship and the girl decided to send me an email to break it off. I was in South Dakota with not much to do. I was driving around one day and saw a sign for a tennis center. So I went in there and got back into the game. I would go there after work (IT in the US Air Force)almost everyday. Join in the clinics with the high school kids and play whatever drop in matches when guys no showed. It really passed the time and the the time spent alone practicing kickers helped me develop a pretty good one.

So Tennis also helped me get through a pretty tough time.

 

[larlarbd]

thanks! re-reading my post, I hope it doesn't sound like a sob story or that I want people to feel sorry.

just came back from training and was just thinking how good it is to be back on the court!

Just Logged in to say this mate : Not at all a sob story - if anything I should thank You for sharing honest/down-to-earth view from your perpective - You never know , things you say might make ppl reflect on their own & maybe more insightful & helping than you realize. For Example I looked back at my own past & thought about what tennis has meant for me - wonderful .....

Anyways , 1st of all , welcome back - it's so good to hear about you taking charge & doing something abt ur issues , I hope it all goes well.

Being a CSC major I know what you mean abt IT , Tennis is a mental-game & ppl from IT/CSC/other-computer-related fields should actually enjoy this game more than anything but unfortuantely so far I've seen few & few ppl from that specific field on court.

Your words were encouraging ..... Just My View, Thanks For Sharing.