"Passed Your Prime, Use Your Mind!"

As we all get older our body gets weaker\slower, we are more vulnerable to injuries and it takes us longer to recuperate. We'll start having sore knees, lower back pain\stiffness, shoulder rotary cup pain, tennis elbow, etc. Our vision starts to worsen and sometimes we unintentionally make bad calls (especially at night) and even our memory starts to go where we lose track of the score. Most normal people would listen to their bodies and just quit tennis and find another sport that's less physical (i.e. golf, bowling, etc.). But NOOOOOOOO we Tennis Connection "Weekend Warriors" love this game so much, we'll have surgery\acupuncture\physical therapy\ chiropractic treatments to fix the problems and\or take drugs\Advil\ice for the pain and\or start wearing athletic braces\guards to help us continue to enjoy the game of tennis under the scorching sweltering sun! Some of my non-tennis friends think I'm crazy, they tell me; "you call that the fun"? Who cares if I walk funny and always in pain, as long as I'm still having fun! Maybe my friends are right, fun and pain shouldn't be used in the same sentence, nah! The positive side is now we have a lot more excuses for playing bad!

The majority of the tennis professionals on the circuit today range from the late teens to early 30s in age, whereas the majority of the TC members are in their late 30s to late 50s range. In addition, many of the TC players either never played and\or don't play on a regular basis, until they joined TC. There aren’t too many physical sports like tennis that one can still play into their "Golden Years". Even if you can't play singles, you can still play doubles so you don't have to cover the whole court by yourself. That's why you don't see 80-year old athletes that can still pull on the shoulder pads, boxing gloves, rock climbing gears, etc. But you do see many tennis players playing tennis beyond 60 years old. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting the legendary Dorothy Bundy Cheney (AKA "Dodo"). This year Dodo along with Steffi Graf and Stefan Edberg were inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Dodo the former Grand Slam Champion and at an age of 88 is still playing on the Senior Circuit and already has won 343 Gold Balls (National Championship Titles and still counting, that's 343 Gold Balls more than me!). Most people are lucky just to be alive, let alone play a sport

Although, Dodo’s knees are giving her problems she still learns to make adjustments to improve/maintain her level of play. Dodo has mastered playing in "No Man's Land" (playing in the middle of the court). By playing in the middle of the court, you can cover the drop/short shots and lob without moving a great distance. Although "Diehard" Dodo is an exception to the rule and exceptional athlete, we can still learn from her.

As we all get older we need to try and make adjustments also, not only to our game but also your opponent's game. If you are slow like me, try playing "No Man's Land", play with a partner that can cover for you, and\or anticipate where your opponent will hit the ball. As I indicated in a previous article "The Art of Smarts", you can position yourself on the court to take away the easier shot and force your opponent(s) to hit the more difficult shot. If your opponent(s) is slow also, try hitting lobs and\or drop shots. This will force your opponent(s) to get "out of position", remember if you control the ball consistently you will control your opponent and eventually the game. If your opponent is really fast like Kyle\Kenny\Margie, try hitting behind him\her. In other words, you hit the ball hard where they were or to the same spot where the previous shot was, because he\she will be anticipating\running so hard for the next shot to the open area he\she won't be able to change direction to get back to previous spot. But remember to wait for your opponent to commit first.

When you "Passed Your Prime, Use Your Mind". Because the body goes before the mind does and your mind knows what to do, but your body just can't respond. As our court speed and power diminishes; we need to work on new strategy, developing new shots that we don't have to our arsenal, and to avoid injuries one should know one's limitations even if you have to lower your expectations. Remember, as we get older we don't get faster\stronger, so we must use our mind to maintain our level of play. But I'm still going to continue to take my "Glucosamine"\"Chondroitin"\"Advil", put on all the athletic braces\guards available to me, apply ice\heat\herbs to my aching joints\body, and replace my knees if I have to; so I can enjoy myself! As long as I’m able to bend down to tie my shoes laces and still be able to drive to the courts, I'll be playing. Besides there's always Wheelchair Tennis!

Play the "Wong Way" and Do what "Dodo" Do!

—Gilbert