Racquets swoop and balls soar as tennis players practice their game at the Paly tennis club.
Founded this year by junior Paula Wu, the tennis club aims to provide a place for Paly tennis players to practice and perfect their skills during both the on and off season. The club welcomes players of all experience, whether on a team or not. According to Wu, the purpose of the tennis club is to play and improve, no matter what level students are at. "[Tennis club] is a place for practice and instruction. It is a tennis resource school," Wu said.
Social studies teacher and instructional supervisor Eric Bloom sponsors the club.
Wu started the club because she had trouble finding places to practice tennis with someone at her level during the off-season. "A lot of people drop their racquets during the off-season," Wu said. "The purpose of clubs is to enrich the school environment, so why not have tennis at school?"
At the same time, club members enjoy the diversity in skill level that members bring. While junior club member Paula Yoffe appreciates the variety of levels present among the players, making it easy to find a partner, junior Chrissy Hu likes that the club gives players a chance to work with different people. "It mixes the girls’ and boys’ teams so that you get a chance to work with someone you wouldn’t normally work with," Hu said. “It’s a great opportunity for people. I really hope the club continues to grow,” Yoffe said.
According to Wu, the club has 60 members on the roster, but approximately 10-20 students attend the meetings. "It [tennis club] seems like it’s really taken off," Bloom said.
The club also provides clinics with one or two professional coaches. The clinics give players an opportunity for tennis lessons, without a huge expense, costing $20 session. According to Wu, there are roughly two coaches for every six students, giving players a lot of individual help. "They [the coaches] are enthusiastic and they bring that on to the students," Yoffe said. Fridays offer clinics for advanced players, while Mondays occasionally offer clinics for less experienced players. "I thought it was a really useful clinic," said Yoffe, who attended one clinic. "We did many drills that I think would improve anyone’s tennis game.”
In addition to clinics, the tennis club is a place where students can simply play recreational tennis year-round right on the Paly campus. "It’s great that it’s at Paly because it’s so close,” Yoffe said. “It’s extremely convenient. During the off-season, it’s difficult to play. [Tennis club] helps us have tennis strengths throughout the year."
Tennis Club purposefully meets Fridays so that Paly tennis team members, who practice Monday through Thursday, can attend during the on-season as well.
Wu hopes that the club will eventually apply for incorporation with the United States Tennis Association. If incorporated, the club could host tournaments, receive insurance and receive merchandise. According to Wu, tournaments are currently not a feasible option, being too far away. "Maybe we’ll hold a USTA tournament here at Paly, that’s my vision," Wu said.
Wu began playing tennis the summer before her freshman year simply because she needed an extracurricular activity. Now, tennis has become one of her major hobbies. "I just love it,” Wu said. “It’s such good exercise,"
"It [founding tennis club] has been a really great experience,” Wu said. “It’s not really about me. It’s about tennis. Most other clubs you go in a classroom and listen, but our club is just out in the sun." Tennis club meets 3 p.m. Fridays at the tennis courts.