Notes from the Red Bird House

Doubles Exception List: For tennis players in a committed doubles partnership, a list of people they are allowed to play doubles with. (definition courtesy of Stacee Ann Harris) For the first time since college, approaching the twenty-five year mark, I have a committed doubles partnership. It's just a small thing - we play once a week in a recreational league together - but I have to say it's definitely something I've missed. A doubles partner can be many things - teammate, friend, shrink, life coach, personal trainer, cheerleader, mind-reader, and fire fighter. The bonds are strong, loyalty fierce. At some point, "she" and "me" invariably become "we". WE win or WE lose; WE play well or WE play poorly. Her movements become mine and mine hers; we move as one, perfectly in sync.  I came through high school a singles player. In fact, my high school coach made it known that I would NEVER be a good doubles player. I have to admit, I w...

When I was playing a lot of singles, as a junior, in college, and beyond, I always despised playing players that got everything back. They call them counter-punchers, defensive specialist, grinders, backboards. Regardless of the name (I preferred "pusher"), I hated them. Sure, some of it had to do with me not being able to get everything back, but it just wasn't my game. Who wants to stand back at the baseline, retrieve every ball, and just get it back? I certainly didn't. It was so boring and frustrating to play against; I couldn't imagine playing that way every time I took the court.  I'd rather flame out big than ploop it back and hope for the best. What would people rather watch? And, really, what would I rather play? I realized early that I wanted a game with some entertainment value. I grew up watching tennis on TV and there was nothing worse than long baseline rallies. Pop, turn head, pop, turn head. On and on. That's probably why I was so attr...