Kathie Marshall
On April 27, on a mild sunny day, the SaddleBrooke Ranch tennis courts came alive with energy and laughter as players rotated through six dynamic stations, each designed to sharpen a different aspect of their game. From fast-paced volley exchanges to precision placement challenges, the event blended skill-building with a playful, social atmosphere. Volunteer coaches keep the tempo high, and friendly competition sparked across every court, making it less about perfection and more about participation, improvement, and pure love of the game.
Special thanks to our volunteer coaches: Tom Marshall, Wayne Watkins, Sue Cook, Leslie Castner, Paula Cartwright, and John Pieri, as well as teaching pro, Chris Madsen. Club members rotated between six courts working on various skill sets—ball placement, backboard drills, ball machine baseline drills, short court games, volley, and doubles drills.
The games concluded followed by a social hour. When asked to comment on the Skills Fest, participant Bob Brinck remarked, “What a terrific way to learn tennis fundamentals. I attended the SaddleBrooke Ranch fundamentals fun clinic Monday afternoon and really enjoyed the camaraderie with each of the instructors and the students who were working to refine their skills. Various skills were taught: positioning on the court, placing each shot, and anticipating where to move on the court. I appreciate the time that the instructors took to help us improve. It was a great event!
For those interested in additional development, check out the Ranch Rally Hour, a new clinic that will be held on the first Wednesday of the month from 8–9:30 a.m. The clinic will be led by John Pieri, SBRTA member and former Minnesota high school varsity tennis coach. The Ranch Rally Hour will feature fast-paced group drills, tennis specific skill work, and friendly interactive competitive games.
Great times on the court continued throughout the month of May with the Hit to be Fit event on May 17. All six courts were used for two sessions of play followed by a breakfast snack table and a player social gathering.