PEOPLE, PLACES & EVENTS Cont’d Trajectory of Tennis Club

By Debra Friedman, photos by Fred Lake

Tennis at Casta del Sol is making a comeback after facing various factors. During the pandemic, some players ventured over to the Marguerite Tennis Center and were slow returning to Casta. Then pickleball became the hottest sport sweeping the U.S. and some tennis players turned to pickleball. In addition, the pickleball lines etched onto the tennis court at Casta make it challenging for tennis players.

But for the past few years, the Ten- nis Club has held steady at nearly 80 players and the open play is always well attended. The open play is on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 8 to 10 a.m. There is also ball machine practice on Mondays from 8 to 10 a.m. A fun event is the Clarity, Coffee, and Donuts on the first Saturday of the month at 8 a.m. run by expert player, John Clarity.

In addition to these regular times, the Tennis Club also hosts tournaments and social events. In 2023, tournaments were scheduled for June and October. Tournaments are mixed doubles with partners randomly selected and changed throughout play. President, Bruce Greenberg; Vice President, Lori Franklin; Secretary, Roger Gyger; Treasurer, Tony Lawrence; Social Chair, Judy Gyger; Marketing, Tom McMahan; Sunshine, Rochelle Lawrence; and Tournament Director, Jodie Trainer have worked to bring tennis back to its glory days.

The Tennis Club is also renowned for their social events, some of which include large bands and lots of dancing. Live music and great food are keystones of their events, with the holiday party always a big hit.

The Club is open to all members of the community at all levels of play, including first time players. In fact, there are several people playing regularly now who had never played before the pandemic. There are also several players who have been regulars in leagues. Recently, a new player showed up who was a totally novice player and the club members have been cheering him on and helping him figure it out. What a welcoming sight!