It was a hot day, but these four enjoyed themselves and were laughing at the end. Pictured are Gerry Picker, Kay Strauman, Rod Johnson, and Felisa Kulba.
Penny Petersen
Every Friday morning is Mixed Doubles at Cottonwood tennis courts. All year round, couples who like to play together or players who like the camaraderie have an opportunity to sign up to participate in Friday competition.
According to Mixed Doubles coordinator Dick Kane, summers are slower with two courts playing. From November until April, four to five courts are scheduled. Summer start time is
7 a.m. October through April start time is 8:30 a.m.
According to Kane, the Friday mixed is more social than competitive. There are very few net smashes or power strokes. But the competition is still there, and Kane hopes to add a greater number of higher-level players to the mix. “It’s a good way for players at all levels and both genders to get to know each other better and to get acquainted with people they normally don’t play against. For tennis players who are not available for Monday or Wednesday women’s morning play or Tuesday or Thursday men’s play, the Friday sessions are great as an alternative.”
There is one Mixed Doubles tournament sponsored by CTC per season. The Mixed Doubles tournament for this season begins February 10, 2020. Sign-up sheets will be posted on the bulletin board in late January. Many teams play mixed doubles on Friday to get ready for the February tournament.
Kane’s position as Friday coordinator allows him to be “cheerleader” for the mixed-sex tennis experience. “It’s fun and challenging,” said Kane. “I also am responsible for getting monthly scheduling volunteers. Normally, a different person schedules for each month. The only thing I don’t like about it is when I have to investigate when someone signs up to play and then doesn’t show up. Luckily, this seldom happens. The Friday group is a fun group of responsible people.” For the month of November, Gerry Picker is in charge of scheduling. For December, it is Jim Sutherland.
For information about membership in Cottonwood Tennis Club, contact Barb Jorgensen at [email protected].