38 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | FEBRUARY 2014 | SPORtS & OUtDOOR ACtIVItIES
Racquet Club
Winter on the tennis courts has
seemed a lot like spring on the tennis
courts. With mostly beautiful Beaumont
weather we have been able to have great
turnouts for our Play Days and for the
twice-a-month Mixed-Up-Doubles. As
a reminder, the Play Days are held every
month on the last Saturday of the month,
beginning at 8:30 am. The player rotation
is set up to assure lots of time on the
court and a little time for kibitzing and
chatting. All interested players, whatever
level of skill, are invited to join in, though
non-members will be encouraged to join
the Racquet Club.
Barbara Miller is continuing to
arrange the mixed doubles play on
the second and third Thursdays of the
month. Team members are switched
around so that players can have the fun
and experience of playing with and
against different players. There is some
leveling done so that wide differences of
skill are avoided, particularly when more
dominant players, kind as they may be,
might be frustrating (or scary) for less
advanced players.
Advanced players are great resources
for the beginning and intermediate
players, both in regard to playing tennis
and the rules and protocols of the court.
Another useful resource is the Internet,
with numerous tennis-related sites.
One article at http://tennis.about.com
provides helpful advice on having fun
on the court and appropriate etiquette.
Suggestions include:
• If the server needs a ball, the player
closest to a ball should get it and send it
to the server.
• Send a ball to the server so that he/
she can catch it easily with one hand.
Getting the ball to the server with one
soft bounce, is preferred.
• Never hit a ball hard toward the
server's side with the intention that he/
she will eventually collect it off the fence.
• Other points of etiquette include:
Don't return an obviously out serve;
that's like stealing a practice shot, and it
slows up play by spraying balls around
instead of controlling them at the fence
or collecting the ball.
• Also, the server should clearly
announce the score prior to each serve.
That's particularly important for us
seniors who can't remember what day it
is much less the score.
Please visit our club website www.
fsbrc.org. ~ Steve Hovey
