Knoxville Tennis Needs to Get a CLUE

For the past few years, I’ve felt it. I know many of you have felt it too. Knoxville Tennis just feels like it’s on the decline or maybe just stale. I don’t know the stats. I don’t know the numbers. I don’t have anything to back up my claims but a feeling. So, what’s going on? Why does it feel like this? Am I alone in this view? And what would revive it and help it flourish?

I’m very good friends with a lot of the tennis teaching professionals in the area and I’ve enjoyed working with just about all of them. I owe my mentorship and career to Steve Annacone and Rusty Morris and I consider them to be amazing ambassadors for the sport of tennis in Knoxville. I’m not implying that anyone in particular has dropped the ball or is to blame for my feeling of malaise concerning Knoxville’s tennis scene, but from an insider perspective, I know how very easy it can be to lose track of the big picture and get caught up in the day-to-day activity on the court.

So what is the answer? Can Knoxville tennis professionals and tennis players bring the sport to more widespread activity again? I think they can and I have some thoughts as to what the local tennis scene really needs. There may be more, but I really think these 4 things are the big things we should really focus on. Knoxville Tennis needs to get a C.L.U.E.:

  1. Charity – We need to give more. I depend on my paid hours as a teaching pro for almost every dollar I make, so I know how hard it is to give away my time on the tennis court. But if you told me I should go try a new sport, maybe Rugby or Lacrosse and it would cost me $50+ to try it out, I’d say, “No thanks.”

    I know I need to be willing to give more of my time to the sport, so that it will be able to give back to me. As a player, it’s so important explain to a friend that tennis really can be an inexpensive sport to play. I’ve heard the excuse that it’s too expensive so many times, but it’s a fallacy. I started with a cheapo racquet and a wall. For that same $50, you get a couple of racquets and a can of balls and you’ve got weeks, if not months of enjoyment ahead. And it may be up to the long-time player to put up with hitting with that beginning player through the bumps and bruises of learning the game.
  2. Leadership – When I think of golf, I think of Tiger Woods. When I think of tennis, I think of Roger Federer. Ok, say what you will about those guys, and maybe they aren’t official leaders in their sports, but they are definitely magnets to their sports.

    Locally, when I think of Knoxville Tennis, I think of Steve Annacone, Rusty Morris, Joey Hall, Jim Frederick, Deidre Dunn, Carolyn Gentry and so many more. But I know personally how BUSY those people are in the daily grind. I also know that sometimes, we shy away from taking on a leadership role thinking, “who am I to be the face of Tennis in Knoxville?” In fact, I am definitely NOT nominating myself for this role, but I know a few names that could be that person and if you’re reading this I’m sure you do too.

    An ambassador would help get the word out to the public that tennis is really fun and easy to play. (And a great way to get good exercise.) An ambassador would be able to point the new player to the whole world of opportunities to play. An ambassador would nurture the player, not the bottom line.
  3. Unity – Ok, this is a touchy subject. How can pros and players from different clubs, parks, facilities, teams etc. come together to grow the sport for all? We all want players to come play with us at our club, park, facility, team, etc. Isn’t it our job to promote our business and help that business be profitable? Isn’t it our hope that our team will be better and win more? Sure it is. But to my eyes, those two ideas don’t have to be mutually exclusive. If the sport grows as a whole, there’s plenty of room for clubs to grow, parks to grow, teams to grow.

    I’ve seen people shunned or looked down upon by certain tennis circles because they just aren’t quite good enough. Maybe it’s the player who didn’t get bumped up a level with her friends has gotten left behind? So, one day they’re good enough to play on your court and the next they’re not? Ouch… Or it could be the pro who doesn’t want to teach the player who struggles with their game? Or have  someone ask that struggling player who their coach is… Too close to home?

    If we spent some time together, cultivating the community that is Knoxville Tennis. I know we would all benefit. Heck, we all know each other anyway, why couldn’t we come together to make the whole experience bigger and better?
  4. Excitement – Ugh, how boring is it anymore??? We play on this team and that team. We take this lesson and that clinic and play in that block time. And it’s the same thing week after week after week…

    We need to shake things up. I don’t have all the answers, but surely someone does. There needs to be some excitement around the sport and I think we should look at new sports like beach tennis, pickleball, masters tennis etc. to see what excitement feels like. I want to be excited to hit the court, don’t you??

    Let’s get together and shake up the idea hat and draw something up. What is it? I have no idea. But you might. That person you know who has never played before might. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen kids take two racquets and some tennis balls and create their own game from scratch. Why not?? It’s worth a shot!

So, get a C.L.U.E. Knoxville Tennis and we’ll all be better for and more fulfilled in our sport. I’m ready to work with all of you to make this a really good year for tennis! I can be reached by email at tennisprodave@me.com if you’d like to be a part of the revolution!  -mic drop-

–David F. Berens

 

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