Finding wellness through movement, community, and friendly competition in the Upstate
I grew up in a tennis family—but I never played. As a budding sedentary artist, I refused to get sucked in or even wear sneakers. But if there’s one thing I know about tennis, it’s this: it’s a sport for life, where you make friends for life. If you’re curious why tennis enthusiasts are always eager to share their sport and welcome you into their community, there’s much to be told.
“I have two teenage boys, and when I started playing, they were literally babies—and tennis was my source of sanity,” reflects Jennifer Smith, president of the Upper Piedmont Tennis Association (UPTA). “I literally knew no one [when] I moved here, and my husband traveled often. A neighbor reached out and said, ‘I’m putting together a team. Want to join us?’ I jumped in and was immediately embraced.”
Like Smith, many people I spoke to about the sport had a similar story: when they found tennis, they found a new family. “We had so much fun, even outside of tennis—we’d plan social activities and trips together. That was 17 years ago, and even as I’ve come and gone to different teams, we’ve all maintained a level of friendship that you can’t put a price on,” adds Smith, a member of the Thornblade and Spaulding Farm teams.
The camaraderie transcends labels, too. “Everyone [who plays tennis] is different: what we do for work, what our backgrounds are, what our free choices are,” says Smith. “We are a [diverse group] that has come together and found a commonality that makes us similar. You don’t need an athletic, competitive mindset to step out on the court and try something new. I didn’t start playing until I was 34 years old, and now I’ve been playing for 20 years.”
Finding the Right Match
Players begin their tennis journey in many ways. “Each club will have a pro that you can take lessons from, and there are coaches who give lessons out of neighborhoods, or you can take a private lesson,” reveals Jennifer Street, a member of the Highway 14 Team. “You’ll go over the rules of tennis, which is important: knowing how to score, how a tiebreaker works, what happens if your racket goes over the net. It’s good to have someone really explain the game to you when you’re getting started, and to learn the proper techniques so you don’t get injured.”
Speaking with Street sparked another childhood memory for me: my mother and her teammates gathering, sweaty, and laughing post-match, around a table topped with fresh fruit, sandwiches, and cold beer. “When you start out, you’re usually at [level] 2.5, and it’s a lot of fun. You get into the matching uniforms, or putting together a great spread of snacks after the match. Then, as you start to get better and start winning matches, you want to win more and more—so it can get more competitive as you advance as a player.”
UPTA is the place to go to find a team or league, but you can look locally where you live, too. “If you’re a member of a country club, they will automatically have a team, and a lot of neighborhoods will have teams if they have courts. The Kroc Center [usually has] new teams starting year-round, and there’s the Freedom League, which a lot of us play in conjunction with a USTA League.”
If you played in the past and aren’t sure you can again, Smith has some words of encouragement. “What I see over and over again are people who stepped away and then came back. They say, ‘I haven’t played in 20 years,’ and I tell them to just get back out there—and it’s not long before they shake the cobwebs off. So it doesn’t matter if you’re new or rusty: what’s great about tennis is that there are different levels and types of tennis, all organized by ratings, to help you feel more comfortable and less intimidated—or for the game to be actually competitive.”
Holistic Health Benefits
“If you’re [anxious about starting], don’t look at it as a sport—see it as an activity you can do with others,” insists Smith. “Tennis can help you keep your focus and your brain engaged. It’s easy exercise: you’re staying active without even trying, which really helps with stress levels and improved mood. The psychological impact is fantastic.”
“Tennis [is just a remarkable] combination: it’s a great sport for exercise, and it’s a great sport for camaraderie,” agrees Bonnie Sue Duncan, the former president of UPTA. “From my standpoint, watching beginner players advance over the years from a 2.5 to a 4 has been so exciting. And I have most enjoyed watching the super seniors—60, 70, and 80-year-olds—play tennis. I once had a twosome where their combined age was 172.”
Tennis: Unique in the Upstate
Unlike other team sports, leagues play singles, doubles, combos, and more in every season. “You can play league tennis all year long,” laughs Street. “We get a little bit of time off at Christmas, and then we start right back.” Duncan concurs: “Here in the Upstate, we’re lucky to have weather that is conducive to that. We can play clay outdoors in the fresh air from mid-February on.”
Adds Smith, “we have the second biggest tennis league in the state, and we’re only second behind Charleston. That should tell you something huge about tennis in the Upstate area. We have the largest senior league in the state, too—65, 70, and 75 and over—and our second biggest age group is 40 and over.”
Competition and Comadarie on the Court
Along with fitness and competition, Upstate tennis players can’t say enough about the friendships forged on court. “I had been the league coordinator for UPTA for about five-and-a-half years when my husband passed away, and the support of my tennis friends was phenomenal,” says Duncan. “That support got me through [his passing], to be honest. It’s like a family.”
Street shares a similar takeaway. “The best part of tennis for me is the interesting people you get to know,” says Street. “I love learning how someone got into tennis—and I love how looks can be deceiving. You might be twenty years old, walking out onto the court to play someone who is 80, and wearing a knee and arm brace—and that older person might know exactly where to hit the ball to run your tail off the entire time,” smiles Street. “Tennis is something you can play till you’re in your nineties. You can’t do that with football, you know?”
And just like that, I’m suddenly reconsidering my aversion to such a wonderful sport, and it’s all Duncan’s fault: “Just recently, Jennifer [Smith] was paired with a girl that was scared to death—she told Jennifer, ‘you’re so much better than me. I’m worried I’m going to mess up,’” reflects Duncan. “And Jennifer said, ‘Hey, it’s just a game. Just have fun. The girl made a few mistakes, but she relaxed immediately. At the end of the day, this is a recreational sport. You make friends that are there for you in the good and in the bad. And that’s what it’s really all about: having fun.”
Looks like I’ll be lacing up those sneakers, after all.
Tennis 101 Adult Courses
Hosted by UPTA, Play Tennis SC 101 is designed to teach adult beginners the basic skills needed to start playing tennis quickly. The course includes in free tennis racquet, 4–8 weeks of tennis instruction, and the chance to connect with other novice tennis players. Sign up at upta.usta.com.
Fast Tennis Facts
- 56%: How much playing tennis just three hours a week can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
- 10 YEARS: How long tennis players can extend their lives (as opposed to sedentary people).
- 3 MILES: The average distance you run during a match.
Understanding Player Levels
Once you’ve taken Tennis 101 and started league play, your rating as a player will change as you improve. The ratings include:
- 2.0—2.5: Beginner
- 3.0—3.5: Intermediate
- 4.0: Intermediate+
- 4.5—5.0: Professional
Streets Top 3 Tips
- Find a coach and learn the proper techniques to feel comfortable and prepared.
- Double the fun by learning with someone else—even a willing spouse.
- Enjoy picking out the perfect outfit, sneakers and racket—for style AND confidence.
