Last summer, I came back from vacation determined to maintain the physical activity level I generally have in the warmer months into the fall and winter. Needless to say, this is a goal I have long had but not often achieved. Tennis seemed like a good option because I could do it inside (or outside), the RVC programming was varied (group classes, lessons, games), and it was social. So I signed up for a tennis membership at the RVC.
I had played tennis casually as a kid, but this was really starting over. I had no gear and didn’t know the rules or terms very well. Shouldn’t the “service line” be where you serve from?? Nope. Thankfully, head pros Tammy and Chad Arado have ushered me back into the sport with positive energy and great expertise. They are both consistently encouraging yet also not easy on me- something I very much appreciate. And this combination has helped me to get better quickly, which makes it all build on itself and makes me want to play more and more. I now play in a singles league at the Club (no traveling), do the cardio tennis class and adult tennis camp classes regularly in addition to private lessons.
The other players I have met on the court at the Club have truly all been kind and supportive – not a grumpy one in the bunch. Even players who are much better than I am have only been positive influences. Many I now consider friends. This again, I think, speaks to how Tammy and Chad run their program.
Tennis has been such an emotional uplift for me. As a former competitive alpine skier, I have always gone running and biking and lifted weights to keep in shape generally and for skiing specifically.
That’s all well and good but those pursuits feel a little boring to me right now compared to tennis. I joke at the Club that I must be part Golden Retriever because I just go where the ball is and don’t think about the effort. I wear a heart rate monitor and burn so many calories laughing and smiling my way through tennis that I meet my monthly goals weeks ahead of time. And after being cooped up during the pandemic, I can’t lie: hitting that yellow bouncy ball feels pretty satisfying too!
Now that summer is approaching and I would normally start running and biking a lot, I suspect tennis will actually remain my main entree of exercise through the warmer months. Yes, I will get out in the woods plenty. But when I need an energy lift, a great and satisfying workout, and to have just plain fun, you will find me on the tennis court. And I’ll serve from the line I now know is called the baseline.
– Lindsay Maclndoe, member since 2021.
