“Play to win – NO customer tennis” said my daughter as we packed our gear for the annual Madeira School Parent Player Tennis matches. Having never participated before, because of bad weather, business travel and sports injury, I did not know what to expect. While the I had watched the high school team play several matches, I had never seen the other parents’ nor had he any idea as to the skill levels. I knew that several were regular club players, and there were a few “ringers” who had played beyond high school.
So, while I feel quite at home IN court, on the court, I am not as practiced as when I taught tennis back in the 1970s. Since this was her senior year, and she had played both varsity tennis and soccer and wanted to end her sports career on a high note, I acquiesced. We gave 100% and managed to win all of our matches except one, against one of the top singles players and her father. After the matches were over, my daughter allowed as if she might deign to let me be her partner in a tennis tourney in the future. In the mean time, I’m not quitting my day job !