My Tennis story began
when i was 13, after my parents bought me a Spalding tennis racket for
my birthday. Although I was more into Baseball and Cross Country at the time, after joining my Jr High School Team (go Eagles/Indians!), I found that I absolutely loved running all over the court trying to smack a lil
yellow fuzzy ball. I have never put down a racket since. Today, I don't
really play much except for the occasional evening hit once a week or
so. My connection with tennis today is mostly through teaching and
coaching. I started on this path when i was approached by a local
college coach, asking me if i would be willing to fill in as a ball
feeder for one of his injured coaches. After a year or so of
"apprenticeship", i was encouraged by him and his staff to get
certified. In 2002, i studied for and pass my exams to obtain my Professional Tennis Registry certification. Since then, I've been handed the reigns to run some of
the Jr and Adult classes. I also help a few kids and adults privately
on their game. My goal for the future is to get back into the game
competitively. I do not know if i will be able to take this teaching
thing any further. Beside,my educational background is actually in the
biological sciences and the medical field. I should be pursuing that instead! :-) I would now like to dedicate a few lines to those people in my tennis past who have contributed to my tennis life. It is impossible to name them all so I apologize ahead of time if I forget a name or two: My Beginnings Mr
Barron: My tennis coach at my Jr. High School. Brad and Sergio: Thnx
for being my first hitting partners. Thnx for teaching me the meaning
and importance of consistency. And thnx for putting up with me all
those nights on the courts. Mrs. Felberg and Mr Armstrong: My
Highschool coaches. Thnx for being patient with me and allowing me to
develop my game. Thnx for the rides, and for letting me mow your lawn
in exchange for lessons!!! My Recent Past Jake (and Anne): College Coach and the one who gave me a chance to start on the path of helping others in tennis. Im not sure how my life would have been different all these years but I'm sure it would not have been as rich with tennis if it had not been for you. Pat, Patrick, and Curtis: Thnx for showing me the ropes when i was first starting. Your experiences were invaluable to my growth as a teacher and as a player.Special Thanks Daniel and Tony |
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Equipment: Racket: Dunlop 300gStrings/Tension: Ashaway WB Dynamite 16g at 62 lbs Shoes: Lotto, Adiddas, Reebok Apparel: Adiddas,Champion 
Prior to my Dunlop, I was hitting with a Head Ti Fire Tour Edition and before that, a Wilson Prostaff 6.1.
I seem to be trending toward rackets that will give me a lil more pop, with a lil less weight
but still maintaining a relatively stable frame in a mid head size. Any suggestions? Nadal's racket comes to mind...
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Stringing: Machine:Gamma X-2After a decade and a half of tennis, i finally feel like a tennis "professional". Professional in the sense that i now have full control over my tennis. I've always wanted to learn how to string my own rackets, to tweak my own string combination and tension. Now I can. Granted, I''m not very good at it yet; it takes me what seems like all day to string one up! But being able to put in my own strings gives me another level of attachment to my tennis. Anyone who has a spare/old racket who wouldn't mind letting me practice with, let me know! Disclaimer: Allow me to do so at your own risk! Your racket may or may not end up looking like Safin's after he loses an point! lol!
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