By: Sophia Geier
When choosing to come work for Cliff Drysdale Tennis, one of the things that prompted that decision was the opportunity to get involved with people from all over the country, to learn from them as well to enhance my own coaching abilities. In mid-November, I had the opportunity to have an experience to meet and work with individuals and tennis professionals from all over the country. For the weekend, I got the chance to go over and work at the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, about a 500 feet walk down the road, right next door to the John Newcombe Country Club.
On this particular weekend, 55 plus individuals gathered for a weekend full of tennis, drinking, music, and camaraderie. I was invited to work the weekend by Mitch Joyce, one of my co-workers at the John Newcombe Country Club. Friday began with everyone gathered together with an energetic introduction to the weekend by introducing the staff and allowing the participants to mingle. The evening proceeded with a lot of games and energy, setting the tone for the remainder of a tennis filled weekend. We concluded with dinner together, and the participants got to enjoy the night capped with drinks and fun of their own.
Saturday began a huge warmup with the 50 plus strong shaking out the travel and tennis from the day before, and then spread out across 10 courts at the Ranch. The morning had unusually high energy and focus for a tennis retreat according to Adrian, the Director of Adult Programming over at the Ranch, mentioning a bit more fun is usually had in the after hours on day one! Half would do hitting drills, while the other half participated in more competitive games. The energy from the whole staff, led from the leaders Adrian and Mitch, made a day full of tennis in the Texas heat enjoyable, productive, and kept the participants engaged for a fun day. The level was high as all the people were 3.0-4.5, so watching them play was entertaining even if you were just feeding balls. After 7 hours of tennis during the day, the retreat participants used the evening to decompress, relax, and have fun with all the other people from all over the country. They got dressed up, refueled with some dinner and drinks, and sang the night away at karaoke. A great ending to a very busy and productive day for them on this tennis vacation.
After a long Saturday, we returned Sunday morning to the Ranch to conclude the weekend. A lot of hitting with a depleted group compared to Saturday, as many of the participants were hurting from such a long day. Those who managed concluded the weekend strong and pro’s worked to keep the energy high. The day ended with a giant chant, sending the participants on their way, more tired than they came, but more knowledgable about the game that we all love.
My experience to work with individuals from all over the country was a great one. How cool is it that I can go just down the road, and work with people from all over the country? This weekend reminded me of why I came to work at Cliff Drysdale; to push myself to become better, and learn from all those I interact with everyday. I can’t wait to continue learning through experiences like this and get to take advantage of all the opportunities that this game of tennis will continue to offer me!