Tennis

We all know that tennis can be a game of physical strength. Whoever is the

strongest and can hit the hardest serve or forehand, or is the fastest and can cover the entirety of the court the best, or has the most endurance to survive not only a 2-hour match but also the elements of a 95-degree day, will presumably win the tennis match… most of the time. But there is a very important aspect of tennis that people tend to forget about, and that is the mental aspect. It’s been said that sports are 20 percent physical and 80 percent mental. I say in tennis, it’s more 10 percent physical and 90 percent mental. Tennis is such a unique game because problem solving is solely up to the player and only the player. And in a sense that can be isolating and can really mess with the mind. Besides a doubles partner in some cases, players really have no teammates on court to bear the load with or substitute in. There is technically no coaching allowed during a match. And we are expected to figure out by ourselves how to get out of certain situations and into a winning momentum, all without any real support or coaching. Trying to figure all that out, while simultaneously battling the physical obstacles, can be psychologically taxing. It is very important to be mentally tough, especially when the physical strength inevitably goes away deep into the 3rd set and fatigue starts to kick in. Learn court awareness and how to play the proper shots, and more importantly, at the proper times. The fastest ball hit may not be the smartest ball played. You’ll need to learn how to manage your shot selection. There is beauty in learning how to play a tennis match as a chess match and not so much as who can hit the ball the hardest. Angles, off-speed shots, and spins really come a long way especially at the right times. Aside from that and even more importantly, learn how to manage your emotions. The player who is more level-headed has a higher likelihood of walking away with the win. In tennis, you need to have short term memory. If you lose the previous point, you may constructively reflect on what happened, but don’t negatively dwell in it. Focus on the next point and how you can win that one.

By Jason Abante, Tennis Coordinator

Utilize every second in between each point to breathe, relax, and get your mind right. You’ve got to think and stay positive. It’s very easy to dwell on the negative. But don’t let the negative moments skew your view of the whole match. A player will remember the double fault they just had the previous point, but can easily forget the passing winner they hit after a 20 ball rally just 3 points ago. Going back to percentages, just as how tennis is 10 percent physical and 90 percent mental, you may have a day of tennis where you find 10 percent of your play positive and 90 percent completely negative. Find that sliver of positivity, even if it’s only 10 percent, and utilize it to help your game. Enjoy every moment in the heat of battle and have fun with this game. We tell kids all the time before a big game to most importantly “have fun”, and that is still applicable to adult tennis as well. So, stay positive and have fun!

2021 SINGLES CLUB CHAMPIONS Curtis Powell (Men’s Open Division) James Vu (Men’s A Division) Heather Perkins (Ladies’ A Division) Philip Wood (Men’s B Division) Rachel Stoll (Ladies’ B Division)

Philip Wood B Singles Heather Perkins A Singles Curtis Powell Open Singles

Rachel Stoll B Singles James Vu A Singles

Marybeth & Kevin Conlon Mixed A Doubles

2021 DOUBLES CLUB CHAMPIONS Larry Levan and Curtis Powell (Men’s Open Division) Beth Prewitt and Hannah Walsh (Ladies’ Open Division) Kian Ghorbani and Matt Vittitow (Men’s A Division) Kristian Riley and Aimee Rodriguez (Ladies’ A Division) Joe Nelson and Bruce Vanderbush (Men’s B Division) Nicole Jost and Lorinda Nelson (Ladies’ B Division)

2021 MIXED DOUBLES CLUB CHAMPIONS Marybeth Conlon and Kevin Conlon (A Division) Brandi Chalmers and Cameron Chalmers (B Division) Cameron & Brandi Chalmers Mixed B Doubles

Kristian Riley & Aimee Rodriguez Ladies A Doubles Joe Nelson & Bruce Vanderbush Men B Doubles Nicole Jost & Lorinda Nelson Ladies B Doubles Kian Ghorbani & Matt Vittitow A Doubles

In this program, your children will learn basic tennis technique, the rules of the game, the importance of staying active, and sportsmanship, all while growing a love and passion for the game! We have three different age groups (ages 4-6; 7-9; 10 and up) where they will fit in and learn each skill set appropriately. We utilize the Quickstart USTA method that allows our juniors to play the game and learn in accelerated fashion. So come on down with your future stars and check it out!

Continuing this Fall

LITTLE STARS (Ages 4-6) Monday – Thursday 4-4:45pm & Saturday 12-12:45pm

FUTURE STARS (Ages 7-9) Monday-Thursday 4:45-5:45pm & Saturday 1-2pm

FOUR SEASONS ACES (Ages 10 and up) Monday-Thursday 5:45-7pm

on court? Try out some tennis with us at Four Seasons! Lessons, clinics, tennis 101 are all great options. Let us know how we can help and we’ll be happy to assist! Even if you are a beginner and completely new to the sport, or you are someone that hasn’t tried it in years or even decades, we encourage you to come on out and get your feet wet. Don’t forget about Tennis 101/ 201 geared for newcomers to the game of tennis! Tennis 101 and 201 are 8 week programs divided into 2 sessions of 4 weeks. Tennis 101 will teach the technique basics of each stroke, as well as movement. Tennis 201 will cover strategy, understanding of scoring and etiquette, along with technique and footwork development. Continuing on this month and throughout the year!

TENNIS EVENT

Come join us for our Tennis and Pickleball Happy Hours. We set up several pickleball courts right on the tennis court, where you’ll learn the game’s rules, rally a few, get a hang of the pace, and play a few matches. And of course, plenty of food and drinks will be waiting for you courtside. So come join in on the fun! No need to bring your own paddle or equipment, we’ve got plenty available. Hope to see y’all there!

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America, and Four Seasons is in on the action! There’s been quite the buzz on this fun racquet (or rather, paddle) sport. Just about anyone can play – all ages and all skill levels from different athletic backgrounds, from experienced tennis players to folks who have never even held any type of racquet. PICKLEBALL COURT HOURS

Pickleball is available on Court #11! Saturday – 5:00pm to 9:00pm Sunday through Thursday – 8:00am to 9:00pm *Reserved for Golf & Tennis Members Only. Call Membership Services at 972-717-2525 to make a court reservation.

With Pickleball being one of the fastest growing sports in America we are seeing a surge in country clubs and sports clubs everywhere! There are so many reasons why Pickleball has been able to captivate so many! Whether you have an athletic background or you’ve never done anything athletic in your life, anyone who can swing a paddle will most certainly enjoy this fresh and unique sport! Here are a few of my secret tips and strategies that will help you create a solid foundation for your Pickleball game and allow you to find immediate success.

1Since Pickleball is a finesse sport, even more so than tennis, incorporating dinks (which are crafty touch shots that land just inside the kitchen) will keep opponents on their toes and unable to take/maintain the offense.

2Get to the Net! In Pickleball, 9 times out of 10 the player who takes the net first will control the rhythm of the point. The options of play open up vastly when you can beat your opponents to the net. You can pull them forward or drive them back when an aggressive position is established at net.

When on defense, continuing to attempt passing shots could spell trouble if your opponent has better court positioning or simply has superior reflexes. A deep lob is a shot that can reset an entire point, and keep your opponent from pushing you around.

4Serve Smart When serving, it is important to make your opponent uncomfortable right from the first ball. This is crucial because you can only accumulate points on serve. Utilizing good speed, spin, and placement will stop a returner from putting you on defense. Since the wiffleball is much lighter than a tennis ball you can take huge cuts while still keeping the ball in play. So be brave and start your point with an aggressive mind set.

5Once you’ve established an offensive position at the net, be ready to pounce on any floaters that your opponent might cough up! A floater is what I consider to be any ball that comes above your belly. Once you recognize a floater, the best place to aim is right at the toes of an opposing player. A shot to the shoelaces is extremely tough to rebound from, you’ll find your opponents getting tangled up time and time again.

6Have Fun! Pickleball is proving to be one of the most entertaining and social sports around. Taking the court with a group of friends or family members is a sure way to fall in love with this amazing sport. So get out there and give it a go! The Pickleball Bug is BITING EVERYONE!