Be honest, are you already sick of my blog posts? Well, if so, it will be of little comfort when I tell you there is only another 357 days of me. Come on, you can handle it. In terms of a lifetime, that is a mere drop in the bucket.
Today was a 3 match day for me. And in celebratory tribute to my caloric output my lunch consisted of 2 (ok, 3 – how did you know?!) gluten-free waffles. They were surprisingly yum-scrumptious! I realize waffles are off-topic but I just wanted to share.
I played singles in the morning with Jane D., and mid-day was my weekly match lesson with Coach S. And while it is no news that I lost that match, I would like you all to know that I WAS victorious in the agility portion of my lesson. Again. (But hey, who’s keeping track.)
The big news is this evening I played my first match at HS since joining their tennis program. The HS ladies have somewhat of a reputation for being, um, cliquish. So yes, I was nervous -- huge surprise, right? Originally, I was scheduled to play singles with one of their Cup Team's captain. However, at the last minute, someone decided it would be better if we played doubles. (Perhaps I was being vetted.) As a result, another Cup team captain and one of their top 4 players showed up to play with us. Gee, no pressure or anything. Seriously, it felt like I was a sorority pledge. Midway through the second set, my partner turned to me and said, “You play great and you’re blond. You’ll fit right in.” I guess that means there is a tennis skirt with rhinestones and skulls in my forseeable future.
tina signing off.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Day 6/7: First Tournament: A Recap
Yesterday morning marked the completion of my first tournament where I (gracefully, I might add) lost my second and final match against a sweet southern lady recently transplanted to the NW.
For the first set I started out strong and spent most of it up by 2 games. Towards the end, we were neck and neck (6-6) but I lost in the 7-point tiebreaker. Then I lost both my momentum and the second set, 2-6. Our match lasted nearly 2 hours – so I definitely didn’t go down without some fight. And while I certainly did not play my best, for my first tournament I am more than satisfied.
Now that I have completed my first tournament, I believe I qualify to become a 2-racquet owing tennis player. (My opponent had 3 racquets. Her overgrip and string were perfectly color-coordinated to the racquet frame. Maybe it’s a North Carolina thing.) Seeing that, I tried for 3 but the suggestion was shot down as overkill. Whatever the case, the upgrade to 2 is a perfectly fine consolation prize.
Today will be a tennis-free day for me – the first in nearly a month. Honestly I’m not sure I can make it through the day w/o being on a tennis court. Is that so wrong? Still, logic tells me it might be wise to give my body a rest and gear up for tomorrow as I’m playing 3 matches including my lesson match for the week.
tina signing off.
For the first set I started out strong and spent most of it up by 2 games. Towards the end, we were neck and neck (6-6) but I lost in the 7-point tiebreaker. Then I lost both my momentum and the second set, 2-6. Our match lasted nearly 2 hours – so I definitely didn’t go down without some fight. And while I certainly did not play my best, for my first tournament I am more than satisfied.
Now that I have completed my first tournament, I believe I qualify to become a 2-racquet owing tennis player. (My opponent had 3 racquets. Her overgrip and string were perfectly color-coordinated to the racquet frame. Maybe it’s a North Carolina thing.) Seeing that, I tried for 3 but the suggestion was shot down as overkill. Whatever the case, the upgrade to 2 is a perfectly fine consolation prize.
Today will be a tennis-free day for me – the first in nearly a month. Honestly I’m not sure I can make it through the day w/o being on a tennis court. Is that so wrong? Still, logic tells me it might be wise to give my body a rest and gear up for tomorrow as I’m playing 3 matches including my lesson match for the week.
tina signing off.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
More Team-Doubles Hand Singles
For the record, I wanted to state that I now know a grand total of 5 hand signals to use when playing team doubles.
In addition to the 3 shown earlier in the week (GO, STAY, FAKE), I learned 2 more today: HIT WIDE, HIT DOWN THE MIDDLE. These are serve position signals and are meant to be used BEFORE signaling your planned position (GO, STAY, FAKE) on the court after your partner serves.
Hopefully there will be more to come!
In addition to the 3 shown earlier in the week (GO, STAY, FAKE), I learned 2 more today: HIT WIDE, HIT DOWN THE MIDDLE. These are serve position signals and are meant to be used BEFORE signaling your planned position (GO, STAY, FAKE) on the court after your partner serves.
Hopefully there will be more to come!
Day 5: The Humor in Success (Or How I Won my 1st Tournament Match)
I spent the entire day nauseated, my stomach knotted in anticipation of my first tennis tournament. I was excited! Yes, a bit of a basket case but in a good way. Then after what seemed to be the longest day in the history of man, it was game time.
The news that you have been waiting for is: YES! I did win my first match in this weekend’s tournament: 6-1, 6-0. Thank you. I can now forever claim to have won the first match of my first tennis tournament. Good fallback conversation piece when I’m 80. And if I were smart(er), I would just bask in your accolades and leave it at that. However, as you may well know, that is just NOT in my nature. (Sleeping dogs? Wake ‘em! )
As I explained in an earlier post, I entered myself into the tournament’s “C” category, which includes all levels below a 3.5. It’s also referred to as the ‘Rookie’ category. So while I did absolutely win, fair and square, I feel compelled to make the following full disclosure:
My opponent had:
A. Never played an actual tennis match before.
B. Did not keep or call out a game score.
C. And if I understood her correctly, today’s match against me was the first time she has ever played on a tennis court WITH someone at the other end of the net.
Are you seeing the humor and/or irony in this yet?
But wait, there's more. Let me now present a study in contrasts. This evening I was introduced to my opponent for tomorrow. She, oh – just happens to have a tennis court in her backyard. She has been playing on USTA teams for 6 years. She plays mixed doubles with her husband, and is a member of a certain north- end country club where she plays tennis several times a week. For whatever reason she opted to play down to the C category but more likely is a “B” category (3.5 /4.0) player. She, my friend, is no rookie.
So, yes, my stomach is still in a knot. Don’t think I’ll be getting much sleep tonight. I have decided to let go of all expectations and just play to have fun. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, this first tournament provided an excellent opportunity to learn an important lesson early in the game:
Play because it’s fun. Not because you want to win or you are afraid to lose.
tina signing off.
The news that you have been waiting for is: YES! I did win my first match in this weekend’s tournament: 6-1, 6-0. Thank you. I can now forever claim to have won the first match of my first tennis tournament. Good fallback conversation piece when I’m 80. And if I were smart(er), I would just bask in your accolades and leave it at that. However, as you may well know, that is just NOT in my nature. (Sleeping dogs? Wake ‘em! )
As I explained in an earlier post, I entered myself into the tournament’s “C” category, which includes all levels below a 3.5. It’s also referred to as the ‘Rookie’ category. So while I did absolutely win, fair and square, I feel compelled to make the following full disclosure:
My opponent had:
A. Never played an actual tennis match before.
B. Did not keep or call out a game score.
C. And if I understood her correctly, today’s match against me was the first time she has ever played on a tennis court WITH someone at the other end of the net.
Are you seeing the humor and/or irony in this yet?
But wait, there's more. Let me now present a study in contrasts. This evening I was introduced to my opponent for tomorrow. She, oh – just happens to have a tennis court in her backyard. She has been playing on USTA teams for 6 years. She plays mixed doubles with her husband, and is a member of a certain north- end country club where she plays tennis several times a week. For whatever reason she opted to play down to the C category but more likely is a “B” category (3.5 /4.0) player. She, my friend, is no rookie.
So, yes, my stomach is still in a knot. Don’t think I’ll be getting much sleep tonight. I have decided to let go of all expectations and just play to have fun. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, this first tournament provided an excellent opportunity to learn an important lesson early in the game:
Play because it’s fun. Not because you want to win or you are afraid to lose.
tina signing off.
Friday, August 28, 2009
TOURNAMENT/MATCH PREPARATION
Since today is Christina's first tournament, I thought it would be a good idea to share a bullet point "To Do" list for tournament preparation. I have to say that I am very impressed with how far Christina has come in such a short amount of time with her game and I wish her the best tonight when she plays in her first round of her first tourney! Go Christina!!
MATCH PREPARATION
Before The Match
Confirm site, time, opponent, directions to site and dress code for tournament
Check conditions of rackets, strings, shoes and other accessories. Remember to pack a jug water.
Get your normal amount of sleep the night before the match
Maintain a normal and nutritious diet.
Set realistic performance goals for the tournament or match
Become familiar with tournament facilities and courts before match
Day of Match
Eat complex carbohydrates such as cereals, pasta, fruit and fresh vegetables two to three hours before the match.
Allow appropriate travel time to reach the site at least an hour before match time. This will allow you to:
Check in
Get a practice court to warm up
Warm up body and stretch off court
Warm up on all strokes 15-30 minutes before the match
Drink sufficient fluids 30 minutes before the match
Focus on goals and strategies for the upcoming match.
During warm-up, analyze your opponent's strengths and weaknesses.
During the Match
Focus on each point and remain present and centered
Drink fluids at every change over
Use changeovers ( and in-between points ) to recover and plan.
Follow the code of conduct
After the Match
Report your score and get details for the next match
Cool Down, stretch and analyze your performance
Eat nutritious foods within two hours and replace fluids.
Analyze and prepare for the next opponent
Allow for recovery and some suitable practice time
MATCH PREPARATION
Before The Match
Confirm site, time, opponent, directions to site and dress code for tournament
Check conditions of rackets, strings, shoes and other accessories. Remember to pack a jug water.
Get your normal amount of sleep the night before the match
Maintain a normal and nutritious diet.
Set realistic performance goals for the tournament or match
Become familiar with tournament facilities and courts before match
Day of Match
Eat complex carbohydrates such as cereals, pasta, fruit and fresh vegetables two to three hours before the match.
Allow appropriate travel time to reach the site at least an hour before match time. This will allow you to:
Check in
Get a practice court to warm up
Warm up body and stretch off court
Warm up on all strokes 15-30 minutes before the match
Drink sufficient fluids 30 minutes before the match
Focus on goals and strategies for the upcoming match.
During warm-up, analyze your opponent's strengths and weaknesses.
During the Match
Focus on each point and remain present and centered
Drink fluids at every change over
Use changeovers ( and in-between points ) to recover and plan.
Follow the code of conduct
After the Match
Report your score and get details for the next match
Cool Down, stretch and analyze your performance
Eat nutritious foods within two hours and replace fluids.
Analyze and prepare for the next opponent
Allow for recovery and some suitable practice time
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Day 4: T-minus 24 Hours and Counting
I am mostly recovered from yesterday’s arachnid run-in. Still my knee muscles/ joints (or is it ligaments -- whatever is inside there) felt pretty tight, kind of like after you get a leg cramp. I hate those! Or like my knee went to a jazzercize class on its own. Anyway, you get the idea.
Unfortunately I woke up in quite an antihistamine induced fog. It didn't help that my drug induced sleep was littered with weird dreams straight out of a Fellini movie played backwards. The first part of my morning was spent trying to detox from last night’s Benadryl. As a result, I made the decision to cancel my 9am match with Karen. Honestly it was a safety call as I seriously felt unfit to drive. Lucky for me, I discovered espresso comes very much in handy for this sort of recovery and made liberal use of it.
By 12:15, I was completely lucid and spent the better part of an hour refining my response to approach shots, including volleying at the net. (While it's only 3 steps or shots, it all happens so quickly! I feel like I need it in s-l-o-w m-o-t-i-o-n) Plus I was instructed on all sorts of fancy foot work using an agility ladder, which was really fun. It kind of reminded me of high performance hopscotch. Growing up, I rocked at hopscotch. Lately I have many moments where I feel like I’m living “CHILDHOOD, TAKE 2”. Sue T. and I played in the evening and were able to get through several rounds of '21' which is great serving practicet. Sue employs a very sneaky and effective drop shot not to mention well-placed short balls. I'm on to her! She gets me running up to the net, which is just what I need.
THE BIG NEWS IS TOMORROW I AM PARTICIPATING IN MY FIRST TENNIS TOURNAMENT! I happened across a brochure for the 1st Annual Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival Tennis Tournament and decided to just throw caution to the wind and enter. Jump straight into the fire, feet first. What do I have to lose? (I mean other than the tournament.) I am so nervous about participating that I don’t feel nervous. I feel numb. (Maybe I’m in shock.) I am playing in Women’s Singles – Class C, which is basically a 3.0 rating. Apparently there were only a few of us rookies daring enough to enter, so we’re playing Round Robin style. My first match at the tournament is tomorrow (Friday) at 5pm and then again Saturday at 9am.
Being the true friends and supportive tennis buddies that they are, Laurie and Heather, will be there to root me on. Heather even offered to bring pom-poms but I think she was kidding. She did sweetly offer to come by my home before the match and to drive me to the tournament so I don’t wreck my car on the way there. Plus I will have the BIG GUN (i.e. Coach Schneider) in attendance to assist in this landmark event. It should be fun – stay tuned, I’ll let you know how it goes!
Unfortunately I woke up in quite an antihistamine induced fog. It didn't help that my drug induced sleep was littered with weird dreams straight out of a Fellini movie played backwards. The first part of my morning was spent trying to detox from last night’s Benadryl. As a result, I made the decision to cancel my 9am match with Karen. Honestly it was a safety call as I seriously felt unfit to drive. Lucky for me, I discovered espresso comes very much in handy for this sort of recovery and made liberal use of it.
By 12:15, I was completely lucid and spent the better part of an hour refining my response to approach shots, including volleying at the net. (While it's only 3 steps or shots, it all happens so quickly! I feel like I need it in s-l-o-w m-o-t-i-o-n) Plus I was instructed on all sorts of fancy foot work using an agility ladder, which was really fun. It kind of reminded me of high performance hopscotch. Growing up, I rocked at hopscotch. Lately I have many moments where I feel like I’m living “CHILDHOOD, TAKE 2”. Sue T. and I played in the evening and were able to get through several rounds of '21' which is great serving practicet. Sue employs a very sneaky and effective drop shot not to mention well-placed short balls. I'm on to her! She gets me running up to the net, which is just what I need.
THE BIG NEWS IS TOMORROW I AM PARTICIPATING IN MY FIRST TENNIS TOURNAMENT! I happened across a brochure for the 1st Annual Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival Tennis Tournament and decided to just throw caution to the wind and enter. Jump straight into the fire, feet first. What do I have to lose? (I mean other than the tournament.) I am so nervous about participating that I don’t feel nervous. I feel numb. (Maybe I’m in shock.) I am playing in Women’s Singles – Class C, which is basically a 3.0 rating. Apparently there were only a few of us rookies daring enough to enter, so we’re playing Round Robin style. My first match at the tournament is tomorrow (Friday) at 5pm and then again Saturday at 9am.
Being the true friends and supportive tennis buddies that they are, Laurie and Heather, will be there to root me on. Heather even offered to bring pom-poms but I think she was kidding. She did sweetly offer to come by my home before the match and to drive me to the tournament so I don’t wreck my car on the way there. Plus I will have the BIG GUN (i.e. Coach Schneider) in attendance to assist in this landmark event. It should be fun – stay tuned, I’ll let you know how it goes!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Day 3: Venomous Spiders and Soldiering On
You know what a cankle is, right? Well, I'm not sure if there is a word for a knee version of a cankle, but whatever the name, I have one. Apparently some sort of spidey decided to take a bite out of my knee this afternoon while I was outside putting more woodpecker suet in the feeder. And I'm allergic to bee stings/spider bites. Now my right knee is swollen and has red welts all over it. Good thing I am not a knee model or I would be so out of a job.
With Epipen in hand, I headed to my 1:15pm tennis lesson. All went well though I felt a little dizzy and nauseous at times. That being the case, I felt justified asking to skip the polymetric (i.e. jumping as fast as you can) portion of my lesson. Instead I got an introduction to doubles hand signals which I find completely fascinating. Now I just have to get them all straight: Go! Stay! Fake! (I wonder if there's a handle signal for "Don't get bitten by a bug"? Frantic waving of hand left-to-right maybe?)
During my evening match with Janie, she kindly offered to have someone or something crawly bite my other knee in an effort to get a leg up on me. I very politely declined her offer and managed to pull through before calling it a night. Incidentally, Janie is a RN and after taking a look at my nankle suggested I take a Benadryl before going to bed, so that's what I did. I hardly ever take medication, so I feel pretty loopy right now. With that in mind, please excuse this blog post if it is lame or makes no sense. I remain optimistic I'll be player ready in time for my 9am match tomorrow over at Aquaclub with Karen K.
One final thought: Each day seems to improve upon the one before it. And really, I wonder, who could ask for more?
Tina signing off.
With Epipen in hand, I headed to my 1:15pm tennis lesson. All went well though I felt a little dizzy and nauseous at times. That being the case, I felt justified asking to skip the polymetric (i.e. jumping as fast as you can) portion of my lesson. Instead I got an introduction to doubles hand signals which I find completely fascinating. Now I just have to get them all straight: Go! Stay! Fake! (I wonder if there's a handle signal for "Don't get bitten by a bug"? Frantic waving of hand left-to-right maybe?)
During my evening match with Janie, she kindly offered to have someone or something crawly bite my other knee in an effort to get a leg up on me. I very politely declined her offer and managed to pull through before calling it a night. Incidentally, Janie is a RN and after taking a look at my nankle suggested I take a Benadryl before going to bed, so that's what I did. I hardly ever take medication, so I feel pretty loopy right now. With that in mind, please excuse this blog post if it is lame or makes no sense. I remain optimistic I'll be player ready in time for my 9am match tomorrow over at Aquaclub with Karen K.
One final thought: Each day seems to improve upon the one before it. And really, I wonder, who could ask for more?
Tina signing off.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Day 2: Nerves of Steel
First things first, I'm spent! Frankly, I would love to eat something, take a bath and crawl into bed -- but discipline dictates that my daily blog entries come first. I'm afraid if I don't do it now, it won't get done.
It was a long day -- but not surprisingly, I loved every minute of it. Did I mention how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE tennis? Playing, watching, talking -- doesn't matter. It's a wonderful thing to find something where the more I see, the more I enjoy it.
It was also a big day for me in terms of confronting my primary psychological barriers surrounding tennis. And that barrier would be NERVES. All new territory for me having never participated in any sort of sports before now. Call me a late bloomer. So in terms of overcoming hurdles of the mind, it was a double whammy day. I had my first match review under the watchful eyes of CS and then later in the afternoon met with Harbor Square's tennis director to get rated for playing tennis at their club.
A match review (well, this is my definition) is when I play an entire singles or doubles game with my tennis coach present for critical analysis. Observations are made and notes are taken regarding my performance, including strengths and weaknesses. After the match, while it's all fresh in the mind, we review his keynotes. Then we head back out to the courts for a 30 minute lesson which focuses on this review.
After all of that, I raced home (driving the speed limit of course) before heading to my 3pm appointment at Harbor Square. The director took me out to a court and we hit back and forth for about 15 minutes. Amazingly, even though I was anxious -- it all seemed to fall into place. Like I somehow found my groove. Months of practice and lesson time are paying off. I played the net and was able to get a few shots by the guy to boot -- which actually made him laugh. I took that as a good sign. Afterwards, tennis guy told me he was impressed and had a hard time believing I'd just been playing seriously since March. I was given a 'mid-range 3.0' rating for playing at Harbor Square. Which kind of blew me away. We went over my available options for playing Cup (Emerald/Classic) and Mixed Doubles (either 6.0/7.0). Not bad for a newbie. Overall, I think it all went really well.
For my second game of the day, I made it to the courts in Mukilteo by 5:30pm to play with birthday girl, Laurie. It was a wonderful nightcap. Arriving home around 7:30pm, I then turned right back out the door to walk Max and Abby around the 1 mile loop. Now I just need to stop and RELAX. Until tomorrow, game time: 7:30am.
Tina signing off.
It was a long day -- but not surprisingly, I loved every minute of it. Did I mention how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE tennis? Playing, watching, talking -- doesn't matter. It's a wonderful thing to find something where the more I see, the more I enjoy it.
It was also a big day for me in terms of confronting my primary psychological barriers surrounding tennis. And that barrier would be NERVES. All new territory for me having never participated in any sort of sports before now. Call me a late bloomer. So in terms of overcoming hurdles of the mind, it was a double whammy day. I had my first match review under the watchful eyes of CS and then later in the afternoon met with Harbor Square's tennis director to get rated for playing tennis at their club.
A match review (well, this is my definition) is when I play an entire singles or doubles game with my tennis coach present for critical analysis. Observations are made and notes are taken regarding my performance, including strengths and weaknesses. After the match, while it's all fresh in the mind, we review his keynotes. Then we head back out to the courts for a 30 minute lesson which focuses on this review.
After all of that, I raced home (driving the speed limit of course) before heading to my 3pm appointment at Harbor Square. The director took me out to a court and we hit back and forth for about 15 minutes. Amazingly, even though I was anxious -- it all seemed to fall into place. Like I somehow found my groove. Months of practice and lesson time are paying off. I played the net and was able to get a few shots by the guy to boot -- which actually made him laugh. I took that as a good sign. Afterwards, tennis guy told me he was impressed and had a hard time believing I'd just been playing seriously since March. I was given a 'mid-range 3.0' rating for playing at Harbor Square. Which kind of blew me away. We went over my available options for playing Cup (Emerald/Classic) and Mixed Doubles (either 6.0/7.0). Not bad for a newbie. Overall, I think it all went really well.
For my second game of the day, I made it to the courts in Mukilteo by 5:30pm to play with birthday girl, Laurie. It was a wonderful nightcap. Arriving home around 7:30pm, I then turned right back out the door to walk Max and Abby around the 1 mile loop. Now I just need to stop and RELAX. Until tomorrow, game time: 7:30am.
Tina signing off.
Happy (belated) Birthday, Laurie!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURIE!
As I was falling asleep I remembered that Laurie, my good friend and tennis buddy, celebrated her (29th) birthday this last Saturday. You go girl! Sounds like you still like to shake your groove thing!
Coach Schneider introduced Laurie and I earlier in the year and we have been fast friends ever since our first tennis date. We usually play tennis together at least once a week, if not twice. Laurie loves tennis as much as me. She is super fun to play, very speedy and has some killer spin on her balls. And lucky for me, she offers a lot of wise insight on the ins-and-outs of tennis and life in general. Plus she has an adorable French Bulldog named Zoey! And in a weird twist of fate, her father was one of my high school teachers. How random is that? Ok, now back to bed -- it's 1am.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Day 1: When I Say Jump!
What a great first day! I just got home 30 minutes ago and need a bath, then some sleep!
I am happily surprised to still be walking (pain-free) after my very first plyometrics lesson, which consisted of a 4 square jump-fest. In the blazing sun. Plyometrics is a type of exercise training used to improve performance in sports? It is designed to produce powerful, fast movements, and apparently it also improves nervous system functions. Of my notable natural talents, moving quickly on my feet, especially sideways, is not currently one of them. But trust me, I have a feeling it will be!
If I remember correctly the jumping portion of today's lesson was 27 minutes long, the individual exercises were timed in 20 and 10 second intervals. If you think it's easy to jump for that long, try it some time and get back to me. (I'm just relieved this portion of my training will not be getting videotaped.)
In addition to 2 matches, and a 2 hr. lesson, I had afternoon appointments and a few errands to run before getting back to Forest Crest for my 7:30p match with Heather. Heather has a wickedly powerful serve and likes Korean food. Extra bonus for today was discovering I once again fit into one of my favorite pairs of Lucky jeans which hadn't seen the light of day in awhile. And now they're a little big. Pretty sweet!
Tomorrow will begin at 6:15am (ok, it was 7am) with 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, followed by toast with, you guessed it, just a smidgen of Danish butter. And quite possibly a few shots of espresso. How I cherish my trusty orange Francis Francis X1 espresso machine. Then half-awake, I will head to the court for a 9am doubles games. My partner, Jane, promised to let me take her picture tomorrow so I can introduce you all to her.
I am happily surprised to still be walking (pain-free) after my very first plyometrics lesson, which consisted of a 4 square jump-fest. In the blazing sun. Plyometrics is a type of exercise training used to improve performance in sports? It is designed to produce powerful, fast movements, and apparently it also improves nervous system functions. Of my notable natural talents, moving quickly on my feet, especially sideways, is not currently one of them. But trust me, I have a feeling it will be!
If I remember correctly the jumping portion of today's lesson was 27 minutes long, the individual exercises were timed in 20 and 10 second intervals. If you think it's easy to jump for that long, try it some time and get back to me. (I'm just relieved this portion of my training will not be getting videotaped.)
In addition to 2 matches, and a 2 hr. lesson, I had afternoon appointments and a few errands to run before getting back to Forest Crest for my 7:30p match with Heather. Heather has a wickedly powerful serve and likes Korean food. Extra bonus for today was discovering I once again fit into one of my favorite pairs of Lucky jeans which hadn't seen the light of day in awhile. And now they're a little big. Pretty sweet!
Tomorrow will begin at 6:15am (ok, it was 7am) with 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, followed by toast with, you guessed it, just a smidgen of Danish butter. And quite possibly a few shots of espresso. How I cherish my trusty orange Francis Francis X1 espresso machine. Then half-awake, I will head to the court for a 9am doubles games. My partner, Jane, promised to let me take her picture tomorrow so I can introduce you all to her.
That's it for now!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Before I Get Started: My Game Plan
Tomorrow is the kick off day for my 1 year tennis plan. Wish me luck! To start things off right, I decided to post MY GAME PLAN tonight. The plan provides an overview of both my tennis goals and the strategies involved to reach them. I will continue to flesh all of this project out here on my trusty blog.
I have been playing tennis casually since the start of the year. I joined a local tennis club back in August '08 but didn't really start playing until this January. It has been in the last few months that I have gotten more serious about it. Now I am completely hooked. For the last month I have been doing a self-led tennis intensive. It consisted of 1 hour tennis lesson each weekday along with playing 2 matches a day -- a mix of singles and doubles. On weekends I played once a day.
Tomorrow (Monday) is going to be an early morning for me. First thing is early morning cardio in the form of a quick jog around my neighborhood. (I promise to run just on the grass.) Max & Abby are going to be less than thrilled about staying home for that. However, right now I can't run and manage dogs at the same time. Baby steps. At 9am, I have a singles match with Jane D., my doubles partner for the Fall. Then it's on to my first 'official' match with my tennis coach, Mark Schneider (aka Coach Schneider). You will learn all about 'the Coach' in near future blogs. I will back on the court in the evening for my 2nd singles match, playing with a favorite cohort, Heather, whose skin should still be glowing after our trip to the spa on Friday.
So here it is, for your viewing pleasure, the rough draft of my game plan:
Christina Walton
August 2009
Goals for 1 Year Tennis Plan
- By Fall 2010, USTA 3.5 Level Player
- Enter/Compete in USTA, Cup and Local Tournaments
- Increase Physical Fitness and Tennis Conditioning
Christina’ Personal Commitment
Time Commitment:
- Daily: 30 minutes, Blog
- Weekday: 3.5 – 5 hours daily (2 matches, 1 lesson, Cross-training 2-3x week)
- Weekend: 2 – 3 hours daily (1 match, 1-2 cross-train activity, rest)
What's the Strategy?
1 Weekly Play/Instruct Match
4 Weekday Tennis/Plyometric Lessons (1 hour)
Weekly Lesson Plans/Topics
Monthly Review/ Report Card
Identify/Improve Skill Strength/Weaknesses
Weekly Review – Areas to Improve/Areas that did improve
Tennis Fitness Guidance (Cross-Training)
Understanding the Mental Game of Tennis
Nutrition Suggestions
Equipment Guidance (Racquet/String Selection)
Singles Play Guidance
Doubles Play / Strategy /Partner Selection Guidance
Team Cup Guidance
USTA Team Guidance
Local Tournaments (Singles)
I have been playing tennis casually since the start of the year. I joined a local tennis club back in August '08 but didn't really start playing until this January. It has been in the last few months that I have gotten more serious about it. Now I am completely hooked. For the last month I have been doing a self-led tennis intensive. It consisted of 1 hour tennis lesson each weekday along with playing 2 matches a day -- a mix of singles and doubles. On weekends I played once a day.
Tomorrow (Monday) is going to be an early morning for me. First thing is early morning cardio in the form of a quick jog around my neighborhood. (I promise to run just on the grass.) Max & Abby are going to be less than thrilled about staying home for that. However, right now I can't run and manage dogs at the same time. Baby steps. At 9am, I have a singles match with Jane D., my doubles partner for the Fall. Then it's on to my first 'official' match with my tennis coach, Mark Schneider (aka Coach Schneider). You will learn all about 'the Coach' in near future blogs. I will back on the court in the evening for my 2nd singles match, playing with a favorite cohort, Heather, whose skin should still be glowing after our trip to the spa on Friday.
So here it is, for your viewing pleasure, the rough draft of my game plan:
Christina Walton
August 2009
Goals for 1 Year Tennis Plan
- By Fall 2010, USTA 3.5 Level Player
- Enter/Compete in USTA, Cup and Local Tournaments
- Increase Physical Fitness and Tennis Conditioning
Christina’ Personal Commitment
Time Commitment:
- Daily: 30 minutes, Blog
- Weekday: 3.5 – 5 hours daily (2 matches, 1 lesson, Cross-training 2-3x week)
- Weekend: 2 – 3 hours daily (1 match, 1-2 cross-train activity, rest)
What's the Strategy?
1 Weekly Play/Instruct Match
4 Weekday Tennis/Plyometric Lessons (1 hour)
Weekly Lesson Plans/Topics
Monthly Review/ Report Card
Identify/Improve Skill Strength/Weaknesses
Weekly Review – Areas to Improve/Areas that did improve
Tennis Fitness Guidance (Cross-Training)
Understanding the Mental Game of Tennis
Nutrition Suggestions
Equipment Guidance (Racquet/String Selection)
Singles Play Guidance
Doubles Play / Strategy /Partner Selection Guidance
Team Cup Guidance
USTA Team Guidance
Local Tournaments (Singles)
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Before I Get Started: A Few Smart Rules to Live By
First let me just say how much I love lululemon athletica clothing, especially their yoga pants and capris. Never in my life would I imagine spending $100 for a pair of yoga - workout pants. But for lululemon, I and many diehard others do just that. (Ok, so I have many several pairs. Am I that transparent?) The good news is now with the lululemon outlet up north near Arlington, you can save yourself a few bucks. I know, I am such a bad influence. I hear that a lot. Ok, now on to the important rules:
- Dance, sing, floss and travel.
- Do one thing a day that scares you.
-Listen, listen, listen, and then ask strategic questions.
-SWEAT once a day to regenerate your skin.
-Stress is related to 99% of all illness.
-Practice yoga so you can remain active in physical sports as you age.
-Mediocre is as close to the bottom as it is to the top, and will give you a lousy life.
-Life is full of setbacks. Success is determined by how you handle setbacks.
-Your outlook on life is a direct reflection of how much you like yourself.
-That which matters the most should never give way to that which matters the least. -The conscious brain can only hold one thought at a time. Choose a positive thought.
-Live near the ocean and inhale the pure salt air that flows over the water.
-Successful people replace the words “wish”, “should” and “try” with “I will”.
-Creativity is maximized when you’re living in the moment.
-Drink FRESH water and as much water as you can. Water flushes unwanted toxins from your body and keeps your brain sharp.
-A daily hit of athletic-induced endorphins gives you the power to make better decisions, helps you be at peace with yourself, and offsets stress.
-Write down your short and long-term GOALS four times a year. Two personal, two business and two health goals for the next 1, 5 and 10 years. Goal setting triggers your subconscious computer.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Before I Get Started: Food for Thought
Make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have though of doing or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the intiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security
, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give peace of mind but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life you must lose your inclination for monotonus security. I guarantee you will be very glad that you did. You are wrong if you think joy emanates only or principally from human relationships. God has placed it all around us. It is in everything and anything we might experience. We just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle. My point is you don't need me or anyone else to bring this new kind of light in your life. It is simply waiting out there for you to grasp it, and all you have to do is reach for it. The only person you are fighting is yourself and your stubborness to engage in new circumstances. I hope the next time I see you, you will be a new man with a vast array of new adventures and experiences behind you. Don't hesitate or allow yourself to makes excuses. Just get out and do it. You will be very, very glad that you did. -Into the Wild
, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give peace of mind but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life you must lose your inclination for monotonus security. I guarantee you will be very glad that you did. You are wrong if you think joy emanates only or principally from human relationships. God has placed it all around us. It is in everything and anything we might experience. We just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle. My point is you don't need me or anyone else to bring this new kind of light in your life. It is simply waiting out there for you to grasp it, and all you have to do is reach for it. The only person you are fighting is yourself and your stubborness to engage in new circumstances. I hope the next time I see you, you will be a new man with a vast array of new adventures and experiences behind you. Don't hesitate or allow yourself to makes excuses. Just get out and do it. You will be very, very glad that you did. -Into the Wild
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